King Charles Spaniel

Size
Small (under 11kg)
Exercise
No daily exercise
Training
No training
Size of home
Apartment – no outdoor
Time at home
Alone with support
Grooming
Weekly
Barking preference
Very quiet
Personality
Very affectionate

Breeder List

Breeder - Mr Robert Wooding (Thomwood)

thomwood1975@gmail.com
See Details
Breeder - Mrs Kathy Dean (HILLBEAUT)

kathy25@tpg.com.au
See Details

History

The King Charles Spaniel (also known as the English Toy Spaniel) is a small dog breed of the spaniel type. In 1903, the Kennel Club combined four separate toy spaniel breeds under this single title. The other varieties merged into this breed were the Blenheim, Ruby and Prince Charles Spaniels, each of which contributed one of the four colours available in the breed. 1.

Thought to have originated in the Far East, toy spaniels were first seen in Europe during the 16th century. They were made famous by their association with King Charles II of England (1630–1685) and have been linked with English royalty since the time of Queen Mary I (1516–1558). Members of the breed have been owned by Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, and Queen Elizabeth II. 1.

The King Charles Spaniel and the other types of toy spaniels were crossbred with the Pug in the early 19th century to reduce the size of the nose, as was the style of the day. The 20th century saw attempts to restore lines of King Charles Spaniels to the breed of Charles II's time. These included the unsuccessful Toy Trawler Spaniel and the now popular Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Cavalier is slightly larger, with a flat head and a longer nose, while the King Charles is smaller, with a domed head and a flat face. 1.

Historically the breeds that were merged into the King Charles Spaniel were used for hunting; due to their stature they were not well suited. They have kept their hunting instincts, but do not exhibit high energy and are better suited to being lapdogs. 1.

Appearance

The King Charles has large dark eyes, a short nose, a high domed head and a line of black skin around the mouth.[3]On average, it stands 9 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm) at the withers, with a small but compact body. It has the long pendulous ears typical of a spaniel and its coat comes in four varieties, trait it shares with its offshoot, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. 2.

Colours

Black & tan, Tricolour, Blenheim, Ruby

Originally, each of these colour patterns was regarded as a separate breed, but in the late 1800s the four varieties were consolidated into a single breed.

Like its larger cousin, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the King Charles Spaniel has a silky, often slightly wavy coat. It tends to be shorter than that of Cavaliers & is an easy care coat.

Temperament

The King Charles is a friendly breed, to the extent that it is not typically as suitable as a watchdog as some breeds, though it may still bark to warn its owners of an approaching visitor, It is not a high energy breed, and enjoys the company of family members, being primarily a lapdog. Although able to bond well with children and tolerant of them, it will not accept rough handling. It prefers not to be left alone for long periods. Known as one of the quietest toy breeds, it is suitable for apartment living. (2. 3.)

The breed can tolerate other pets well, although the King Charles still has the hunting instincts of its ancestors and may not always be friendly towards smaller animals. It is intelligent enough to be used for obedience work and, due to its stable temperament, it can be a successful therapy dog for hospitals and nursing homes. (2. 3.)

Weight – 3.6kgs to 6.3kgs 4.

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the King Charles Spaniel and have decided this is the dog for you, or you would like more information, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the King Charles Spaniel and its needs and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

References

Wikipedia.org
Palika(2007)
Rice, Dan (2001). Small Dog Breeds. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's educational Series, pp145
DOGS AUSTRALIA.org.au

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 05 Aug 2009)

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A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

Refined, compact and cobby.

Characteristics

Happy, intelligent, toy spaniel, with distinctive domed head.

Temperament

Reserved, gentle and affectionate.

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	Skull moderately large in comparison to size, well domed, full over eyes. Nose black with large, wide-open nostrils, short and turned up. Stop between skull and nose well defined. Muzzle square, wide and deep, well turned up, lower jaw wide, lips exactly meeting, giving nice finish. Cheeks not falling away under the eyes, but well cushioned.
Eyes	Relatively large, dark, set wide apart, eyelids block square to face line, pleasing expression.
Ears	Set on low, hanging quite flat to cheeks, very long and well feathered.
Mouth	Bite should be slightly undershot. Protruding tongue highly undesirable.
Neck	Of medium length; arched giving proud carriage of head.
Forequarters	Legs short, straight. Shoulders well laid back, elbows close to rib cage, turning neither in nor out.
Body	Chest wide and deep, back short and level.
Hindquarters	Sufficient muscle to give positive driving movement, stifles well bent, hocks well let down and defined. Straight viewed from behind, turning neither in nor out.
Feet	Compact, well padded and feathered, toes well knuckled, round cat shaped foot, well cushioned, pasterns firm.
Tail	Docked: Well feathered, not carried over or above level of back.Undocked: Well feathered, not carried over or above level of back. In overall balance with the rest of the dog.
Gait/Movement	Free, active and elegant, driving from behind. Sound movement highly desirable.
Coat	Long, silky and straight, slight wave allowed, never curly. Legs, ears and tail profusely feathered.
Colour	Black and Tan - rich glossy black, with bright mahogany tan markings, on muzzle, legs, chest, linings of ears, under tail and spots over eyes. White patch on chest undesirable.Tri-Colour - ground pearly white, with well distributed black patches, brilliant tan markings on cheeks, linings of ears, under tail and spots over eyes. Wide white blaze between eyes and up forehead.Blenheim - ground pearly white, with well distributed chestnut red patches. Wide, clear blaze with the 'spot' in centre of skull, should be a clear chestnut red mark about the size of a penny.Ruby - whole coloured, rich chestnut red. White patch on chest highly undesirable.
Size	Weight: 3.6-6.3 kg (8-14 lbs)

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 exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.