The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

This is Ruby, a Cavalier King Charles and my friend from our local dog park.  I always get excited when we get to the park and I see Ruby there because I know I’ll have somebody to play with. She’s got a great personality and loves to play.  She’s also a favorite amongst the humans in the park too.  When she gets tired of playing you can usually find her sitting in somebody’s lap. The Cavalier King Charles is an old breed. They were found in royal courts and noble homes in Spain, France, England and Scotland and were often prominently featured in their owners’ portraits.  Mary, Queen of Scots had a toy spaniel by her side when she was executed, as did her descendant, England’s King Charles I.  It was Charles and his son Charles II who lent their name to the dogs that eventually became known as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  Today they are still very popular. “Sex and the City’s” Charlotte York had a Cavalier named Elizabeth Taylor.  Claire Danes, Terri Hatcher, Mischa Barton, Diane Sawyer, and Jerry O’Connell are all Cavalier owners. The Cavalier coat comes in four colors: Blenheim (chestnut and white), tricolor (black and white with tan points over the eyes, on the cheeks, inside the ears and beneath the tail), ruby (solid red) and black and tan (black with tan points like those on the tricolor). Cavaliers are very adaptable, and like Ruby, are well suited to live in apartments.  They are playful, smart and great with children.  While they don’t mind spending time on the couch, they’re also very active dogs and love to be outdoors. If you’re considering a dog, take a look at the Cavalier King Charles, a dog fit for a King (or Queen).