Post by charmingnancy on Jan 7, 2009 23:23:50 GMT -5
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Group: 5- Toys
Origin: England
Purpose: Royal Companion
Description:
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small breed of dog of Spaniel type, usually considered one of the toy dog breeds. It is a small spaniel with a substantial silky coat of moderate length, often with a mild wave, and long ears.
Appearance- Breed Standard:
Coat: Long, silky and free from curl, though a slight wave is permissible. Feathering on ears, legs and tail should be long, and the feathering on the feet is a feature of the breed. It is common and permissible for bitches to carry less coat than dogs. No trimming, scissoring, clipping or artificial colouring is allowed and this should be severely penalized.
Colour:
Blenheim- Bright chestnut red markings well broken up on a pearly white ground. The red on the head must extend around the eyes as well as down over the ears. A pure white muzzle is preferred. There must be a distinct white blaze between the eyes. Between the ears may be the lozenge or spot unique to the Blenheim, which is a highly desirable, but not essential, characteristic.
Tricolour- Jet black markings well broken up on a pearly white ground. The black on the head must extend around the eyes as well as down over the ears. There must be a distinct white blaze between the eyes. A pure white muzzle is preferred. Rich tan markings appear over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, under the tail and around the vent. Tan should appear inside the legs where it is adjacent to black.
Ruby- Whole-coloured rich red. White marks are undesirable.
Black and Tan- Jet black with rich tan markings over the eyes, on cheeks and muzzle, inside the ears, on throat and chest, on forelegs from knees to toes, on the inside of the hind legs also extending from hocks to toes, on the underside of the tail and surrounding the vent. White marks are undesirable.
Head: Almost flat between the ears, without dome. Stop moderate. Length from base of stop to tip of nose about 1-1/2 inches (4 cm.). Nostrils should be well developed and the pigment black. Lack of stop or too deep a stop are to be penalized equally. Muzzle: Tapering slightly to the nose. Lips well covering and well cushioned but not hound-like. There should be cushioning beneath the eyes, which contributes much to the sweet, gentle expression characteristic of the breed. Mouth: Teeth strong and even, meeting in a scissors bite. Level and undershot mouths are to be discouraged. However, a slightly undershot bite in an otherwise well balanced head with the correct sweet expression should not be penalized in favour of a scissors or level bite with a plain head or hard expression. Eyes: Should be large, round and set well apart. Colour should be a warm dark brown, giving a lustrous, limpid look. Eye rims should be dark. Small, light or bulging eyes, or a white ring surrounding the iris are very undesirable. Ears: set high, but not close to the top of the head. Leather long with plenty of silky feathering, and wide enough so that when the dog is alert, the ears fan slightly forward to frame the face.
Forequarters: Forelegs straight and set well under the dog. Bone moderate. Elbows close to the sides. Shoulders well laid back. Pasterns strong and feet compact, well-feathered and with well-cushioned pads.
Body: Short-coupled with ribs well sprung but not barreled. Chest moderately deep leaving ample heart room. Back level. Slightly less body at the flank than at the last rib, but with no tucked-up appearance. Bitches may be slightly longer at the loin.
Hindquarters: Hind legs moderately muscled, well angulated at the stifles. Hocks relatively short and at right angle to the ground when standing. Hind legs should parallel each other from hock to heel with no tendency to long, cow or sickle hocks.
Tail: Set on so as to be carried level with the back. Tail should be in constant motion while the dog is moving. Docking is optional, leaving 2/3 of the tail and the tail must balance the body. A white tip must be left on the tails of Blenheims and Tricolours.
Gait: Free moving and elegant with good reach in front and sound drive from the rear. Head carried slightly forward on the move. Back level and tail carried straight behind as an extension of the line of the back Good length of stride from the side. Front and rear should move straight and true.
Note: The Cavalier should be moved on a loose lead and never “strung up.”
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in proportion to its degree.
• Nervousness, shyness and aggression in adults.
• Trimming, scissoring or artificial colouring.
• Lack of a white blaze in Blenheim or Tricolour.
• White marks on Ruby or Black and Tan.
• Small, light or bulging eyes, or a white rim around the iris.
• Long, cow or sickle hocks.
• Tail carried well above the topline.
Disqualifications:
• Colours other than the four above.
• Clown faces (white around one or both eyes or white ears.)
• Tricolours and Black and Tans lacking tan markings.
• Aggression.
Size:
Height 30-33 cm (12-13 inches). Weight proportionate to height 5 – 8 kg (12-18 lbs.). Slight variations permissible. A small, well-balanced dog well between these heights and weights is desirable. Overall type and quality should not be sacrificed for size alone. A weedy specimen is to be penalized as severely as a coarse one.
Temperament:
The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel "the ultimate lap dog" or the "love sponge" of dogs. Most dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs. A well-socialized Cavalier will not be shy about socializing with much larger dogs. The extremely social nature of the Cavalier KC Spaniel means that they require almost constant companionship from humans or other dogs, and are not suited to spending long periods of time on their own.
Health:
Cavaliers can suffer from a number of severe genetic defects. Unfortunately, two possible genetic conditions, mitral valve disease and Syringomyelia, can be both severe and very common. Episodic Falling (EF), hip dysplasia, Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) and other eye disorders (cataracts, corneal dystrophy, distichiasis, dry eye syndrome, entropion, microphthalmia, progressive retinal degeneration, and retinal dysplasia), Luxating patella, Primary Secretory Otitis Media ("glue ear"), deafness, and blood disorders such as Thrombocytopenia and Macrothrombocytopenia occur in the breed.
Average Lifespan:
9-14 years
History:
For many centuries, small breeds of spaniels have been popular in the United Kingdom. Some centuries later, Toy Spaniels became popular as pets, especially as pets of the royal family. In fact, the King Charles Spaniel was so named because a Blenheim-coated spaniel was the children's pet in the household of Charles I. Such spaniels can be seen in many paintings of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These early spaniels had longer, pointier snouts and thinner-boned limbs than today's.
Over time, the toy spaniels were replaced in popularity by short-snouted, dome-headed dogs of Asian descent, such as the Pug and Japanese Chin. The King Charles Spaniel was bred with these dogs, resulting in the similar-shaped head of today's English Toy Spaniel breed. The King Charles Spaniel remained popular at Blenheim Palace, home to the Dukes of Marlborough, where the brown and white version was the most popular - resulting in the name Blenheim for that color combination.
The name Cavalier was added when the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was founded in 1928 to further develop the breed. It was not until 1945 that The Kennel Club (England) granted separate registration from the King Charles. The popularity of these companion dogs has spread around the world and in 1957 the breed gained Canadian Kennel Club recognition.
It was in 1952 that this breed was present in the United States, but it wasn't until 1996 that the AKC finally recognized the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.
Sources:
Wikipedia
5 Star Dog
CKC
Pictures:
Photobucket
Group: 5- Toys
Origin: England
Purpose: Royal Companion
Description:
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small breed of dog of Spaniel type, usually considered one of the toy dog breeds. It is a small spaniel with a substantial silky coat of moderate length, often with a mild wave, and long ears.
Appearance- Breed Standard:
Coat: Long, silky and free from curl, though a slight wave is permissible. Feathering on ears, legs and tail should be long, and the feathering on the feet is a feature of the breed. It is common and permissible for bitches to carry less coat than dogs. No trimming, scissoring, clipping or artificial colouring is allowed and this should be severely penalized.
Colour:
Blenheim- Bright chestnut red markings well broken up on a pearly white ground. The red on the head must extend around the eyes as well as down over the ears. A pure white muzzle is preferred. There must be a distinct white blaze between the eyes. Between the ears may be the lozenge or spot unique to the Blenheim, which is a highly desirable, but not essential, characteristic.
Tricolour- Jet black markings well broken up on a pearly white ground. The black on the head must extend around the eyes as well as down over the ears. There must be a distinct white blaze between the eyes. A pure white muzzle is preferred. Rich tan markings appear over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, under the tail and around the vent. Tan should appear inside the legs where it is adjacent to black.
Ruby- Whole-coloured rich red. White marks are undesirable.
Black and Tan- Jet black with rich tan markings over the eyes, on cheeks and muzzle, inside the ears, on throat and chest, on forelegs from knees to toes, on the inside of the hind legs also extending from hocks to toes, on the underside of the tail and surrounding the vent. White marks are undesirable.
Head: Almost flat between the ears, without dome. Stop moderate. Length from base of stop to tip of nose about 1-1/2 inches (4 cm.). Nostrils should be well developed and the pigment black. Lack of stop or too deep a stop are to be penalized equally. Muzzle: Tapering slightly to the nose. Lips well covering and well cushioned but not hound-like. There should be cushioning beneath the eyes, which contributes much to the sweet, gentle expression characteristic of the breed. Mouth: Teeth strong and even, meeting in a scissors bite. Level and undershot mouths are to be discouraged. However, a slightly undershot bite in an otherwise well balanced head with the correct sweet expression should not be penalized in favour of a scissors or level bite with a plain head or hard expression. Eyes: Should be large, round and set well apart. Colour should be a warm dark brown, giving a lustrous, limpid look. Eye rims should be dark. Small, light or bulging eyes, or a white ring surrounding the iris are very undesirable. Ears: set high, but not close to the top of the head. Leather long with plenty of silky feathering, and wide enough so that when the dog is alert, the ears fan slightly forward to frame the face.
Forequarters: Forelegs straight and set well under the dog. Bone moderate. Elbows close to the sides. Shoulders well laid back. Pasterns strong and feet compact, well-feathered and with well-cushioned pads.
Body: Short-coupled with ribs well sprung but not barreled. Chest moderately deep leaving ample heart room. Back level. Slightly less body at the flank than at the last rib, but with no tucked-up appearance. Bitches may be slightly longer at the loin.
Hindquarters: Hind legs moderately muscled, well angulated at the stifles. Hocks relatively short and at right angle to the ground when standing. Hind legs should parallel each other from hock to heel with no tendency to long, cow or sickle hocks.
Tail: Set on so as to be carried level with the back. Tail should be in constant motion while the dog is moving. Docking is optional, leaving 2/3 of the tail and the tail must balance the body. A white tip must be left on the tails of Blenheims and Tricolours.
Gait: Free moving and elegant with good reach in front and sound drive from the rear. Head carried slightly forward on the move. Back level and tail carried straight behind as an extension of the line of the back Good length of stride from the side. Front and rear should move straight and true.
Note: The Cavalier should be moved on a loose lead and never “strung up.”
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in proportion to its degree.
• Nervousness, shyness and aggression in adults.
• Trimming, scissoring or artificial colouring.
• Lack of a white blaze in Blenheim or Tricolour.
• White marks on Ruby or Black and Tan.
• Small, light or bulging eyes, or a white rim around the iris.
• Long, cow or sickle hocks.
• Tail carried well above the topline.
Disqualifications:
• Colours other than the four above.
• Clown faces (white around one or both eyes or white ears.)
• Tricolours and Black and Tans lacking tan markings.
• Aggression.
Size:
Height 30-33 cm (12-13 inches). Weight proportionate to height 5 – 8 kg (12-18 lbs.). Slight variations permissible. A small, well-balanced dog well between these heights and weights is desirable. Overall type and quality should not be sacrificed for size alone. A weedy specimen is to be penalized as severely as a coarse one.
Temperament:
The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel "the ultimate lap dog" or the "love sponge" of dogs. Most dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs. A well-socialized Cavalier will not be shy about socializing with much larger dogs. The extremely social nature of the Cavalier KC Spaniel means that they require almost constant companionship from humans or other dogs, and are not suited to spending long periods of time on their own.
Health:
Cavaliers can suffer from a number of severe genetic defects. Unfortunately, two possible genetic conditions, mitral valve disease and Syringomyelia, can be both severe and very common. Episodic Falling (EF), hip dysplasia, Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) and other eye disorders (cataracts, corneal dystrophy, distichiasis, dry eye syndrome, entropion, microphthalmia, progressive retinal degeneration, and retinal dysplasia), Luxating patella, Primary Secretory Otitis Media ("glue ear"), deafness, and blood disorders such as Thrombocytopenia and Macrothrombocytopenia occur in the breed.
Average Lifespan:
9-14 years
History:
For many centuries, small breeds of spaniels have been popular in the United Kingdom. Some centuries later, Toy Spaniels became popular as pets, especially as pets of the royal family. In fact, the King Charles Spaniel was so named because a Blenheim-coated spaniel was the children's pet in the household of Charles I. Such spaniels can be seen in many paintings of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These early spaniels had longer, pointier snouts and thinner-boned limbs than today's.
Over time, the toy spaniels were replaced in popularity by short-snouted, dome-headed dogs of Asian descent, such as the Pug and Japanese Chin. The King Charles Spaniel was bred with these dogs, resulting in the similar-shaped head of today's English Toy Spaniel breed. The King Charles Spaniel remained popular at Blenheim Palace, home to the Dukes of Marlborough, where the brown and white version was the most popular - resulting in the name Blenheim for that color combination.
The name Cavalier was added when the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was founded in 1928 to further develop the breed. It was not until 1945 that The Kennel Club (England) granted separate registration from the King Charles. The popularity of these companion dogs has spread around the world and in 1957 the breed gained Canadian Kennel Club recognition.
It was in 1952 that this breed was present in the United States, but it wasn't until 1996 that the AKC finally recognized the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.
Sources:
Wikipedia
5 Star Dog
CKC
Pictures:
Photobucket