Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a gentle, affectionate toy spaniel with a rich royal history and a temperament that makes it one of the most beloved companion breeds in the world.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Origin
United Kingdom
Lifespan
9–14 years
Weight
5.9–8.2 kg (13–18 lbs)
Height
30–33 cm (12–13 in)
Exercise
30 to 60 min/day
Diet
Omnivore — small-breed quality kibble; weight monitoring important as heart disease progresses
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Carnivora
Family
Canidae
Genus
Canis
The Story
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a gentle, affectionate toy spaniel with a rich royal history and a temperament that makes it one of the most beloved companion breeds in the world. Named after King Charles II of England, who was so devoted to small spaniels that an Act of Parliament was allegedly passed allowing them into any public place, including Parliament itself, the Cavalier was developed in the 20th century to recreate the longer-nosed, flatter-skulled spaniels depicted in old master paintings, in contrast to the dome-headed King Charles Spaniels that had become fashionable by the 19th century.
Also Known As
Quick Facts
Discover which pets match your lifestyle
Physical Profile
Source: wikimedia
The Cavalier is a small, elegant spaniel with a gently rounded head (not domed), a medium-length, slightly tapered muzzle, and large, round, expressive dark eyes that convey warmth and softness. The silky, medium-length coat has a slight wave and is never curly. Beautiful feathering on the ears, chest, legs, feet, and tail adds to the breed's graceful appearance. The four colour varieties — Blenheim, tricolor, ruby, and black and tan — each have their own devoted following.
Grooming
Moderate
Shedding
Moderate
Brushing
3-4x-Weekly
Bathing
Every-4-6-Weeks
Coat Colors
Recognized By
Source: wikimedia
Temperament & Personality
Cavaliers are among the gentlest, most adaptable, and most affectionate dogs in existence. They are equally at home as athletic field spaniels — which they ancestrally are — or as sedate lap dogs, adapting their energy level to match their household. They are extraordinarily sociable, befriending virtually everyone they meet with enthusiasm. They do not do well when left alone for extended periods and are ideally suited to households where someone is home most of the day. Their sensitivity to human emotion makes them excellent therapy dogs.
Personality Scores
Adaptability
5/5Attention Need
5/5Friendliness
5/5Playfulness
4/5Protectiveness
1/5Living Profile
Ideal Space
Apartment
Daily Exercise
30 to 60 min/day
Ideal Weather
5°C to 28°C
Cognitive Benchmarks
Adaptability
50%
Attention
50%
Playfulness
40%
Communication Style
Stress Signals
clinginess, whining, separation distress, appetite loss, trembling
Care & Wellness
Professional Care Protocol
- •Cavaliers need moderate daily exercise — 30–60 minutes suits most individuals, though they will happily do more. The silky coat needs brushing 2–3 times per week and professional grooming every 6–8 weeks. Ears should be checked and cleaned weekly. As the breed is predisposed to mitral valve disease, annual cardiac examinations from age 1 (and mandatory from age 2–2.5 per breed health protocols) help detect early murmurs. Dental care is important as small breeds are prone to dental disease.
Nutrition Notes
Heart-healthy diet critical due to near-universal MVD risk. Omega-3 fatty acids, taurine, and L-carnitine supplementation recommended. Weight management important — extra weight increases cardiac load. Small-breed formula.
Vaccination Schedule
Vaccination Schedule
Senior Care
Mitral valve disease (MVD) affects virtually ALL Cavaliers by age 10. Annual cardiac auscultation from age 1, echocardiogram from age 5. Syringomyelia (SM) — skull too small for brain; causes chronic pain. MRI screening recommended. Thrombocytopenia common. This breed has the highest genetic disease burden of any dog breed.
Wellbeing Activities
Nutrition & Sustenance
Daily Calories (Adult)
700 kcal
Daily Calories (Young)
500 kcal
Recommended Foods
Foods to Avoid
Health Overview
The Cavalier is significantly affected by two heritable conditions: Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) — which affects the majority of Cavaliers, with 50% having a murmur by age 5 and nearly all by age 10 — and Syringomyelia/Chiari-like Malformation (SM/CM), a painful neurological condition caused by the skull being too small for the brain. Responsible breeding uses established cardiac and MRI breeding protocols to reduce, but not eliminate, these risks.
Common Conditions
Price Estimates
Pricing Guide
Average estimates as of 2025
Heart-tested parents (MVD clear at 5+ years) command significant premium and are worth it. Blenheim most popular; ruby rarest. Ongoing cardiac care costs (annual echo ₹5,000-10,000 India, $300-600 USA) are essentially mandatory. Pet insurance strongly recommended.
Purchase Price
$1,500 to $3,500
Adoption Fee
$100 to $500
Data from 2025
Fun Facts
King Charles II of England was so passionate about his spaniels that he reportedly neglected state affairs in their favour — Samuel Pepys wrote critically about the king "playing with his dogs all the while and not minding his business."
The modern Cavalier was not an ancient breed — it was re-created in the 1920s when American Roswell Eldridge offered prize money at Crufts for the best examples of the "Old Type" flat-nosed spaniel seen in Van Dyck's paintings.
Cavaliers retain strong hunting instincts despite their lapdog reputation — they will chase birds, squirrels, and butterflies with surprising speed and commitment, making reliable recall in unfenced areas challenging.
The Cavalier appears in more paintings by 17th-century Dutch and Flemish masters than any other dog breed — their association with nobility made them a status symbol depicted alongside royal and aristocratic subjects.
