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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Facts & Worksheets

Categorized as a small toy dog, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is known for its gentle yet sporty temperament.

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Categorized as a small toy dog, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is known for its gentle yet sporty temperament. This dog’s all-around beauty, majestic charm, and even temper make it one of the noblest members of the dog kingdom.

See the fact file below for more information on the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Cavalier King Charles Spaniel worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • Born with spaniel roots, these European toy dogs are the direct descendants of the small Toy Spaniels of the early 16th century.
  • Although they were the imperial pets of the Court ladies during the Tudors’ reign, they got their royal title, “King Charles Spaniel”, under the Stuarts’ rule. It was believed that King Charles II was mostly seen with two or three of these lapdogs at this heels.
  • During the coming of the Dutch Court of William III, Pugs rose to popularity, replacing Toy Spaniels.
  • In the 18th and 19th centuries, spaniels regained the throne. A special strain of red and white Toy Spaniels was produced at Blenheim Palace by the Dukes of Marlborough, known as the ladies’ companions, famous for their sporting traits.
  • It was during Queen Elizabeth’s reign when the modern King Charles Spaniel evolved and got its flat face, high dome, and long ears.
  • Mr. Roswell Eldridge, an American Toy Spaniel enthusiast, headed to England and paid Crufts 25 pounds to breed a King Charles II variety: “As shown in the pictures of King Charles II’s time, long face, no stop; flat skull, not inclined to be domed, and with a spot in the centre of the skull”.
  • In 1928, a club was established, and the members named it “Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club”.
  • During the Crufts’ Dog Show, the breed standards were announced. It was agreed that these Spaniels should be protected from fashion and should not be trimmed.
  • In 1945, the Kennel Club granted separate registration for the two breed varieties.

APPEARANCE

  • These dogs stand 12 to 13 inches and weigh around 13 to 18 pounds.
  • Cavaliers normally have a sweet, compassionate expression. They have large, round, dark brown eyes, a long, medium-length coat with plenty of feathering on their wide ears, and a fairly long neck.
  • Their chest is moderately deep, with laid back shoulders and strong feet with well-cushioned pads. Their tails can also be optionally docked; if so, no more than one third of the tail is to be removed.
  • They have silky coats that are free from curls. Their coat color comes in four varieties: chestnut and white (Blenheim), black and white with tan patches (tricolor), solid red (ruby), and black with tan patches (black and tan).
  • Legend has it that they got their “Blenheim spot” from the pressure of the duchess’ thumb during the battle of Blenheim. A pregnant Spaniel was about to give birth during the war. The duchess stayed at home to soothe and take care of the Spaniel while her husband, the Duke of Marlborough, went off to fight the war.

TEMPERAMENT

  • Cavaliers are affectionate breeds, willing to please their owners. They also get along with strangers and other animals, so they do not make good guard dogs. They also do not like being left alone for hours.
  • They were “comforter dogs” in the early centuries, which is why Cavaliers love to be in their owner’s lap.
  • These toy dogs are naturally animated – they sit quietly with older people or young children, but turn into a mischievous playmate when with active children or adults.
  • Sweet and gentle Cavaliers are known to be dim-witted, and stubborn ones are usually hard to train. However, they are generally intelligent and train easily. They do well in different canine sports such as obedience, rally, and agility. But just like any other dog, early socialization is important.
  • Outdoors, these Spaniels love to explore, sniff, and chase anything that moves, including vehicles, and so most Cavaliers will never become “streetwise”.

HEALTH

  • Cavaliers can acquire certain health problems, such as Mitral valve disease. This is a condition where the mitral valve malfunctions, thus letting the blood flow backward into the left atrium.
  • Syringomyelia, a neurological problem where a fluid-filled cyst develops in the spinal cord, and patellar (knee) luxation also plague some Cavaliers.
  • Some eye disorders, such as cataracts and dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis) and Primary Secretory Otitis Media (PSOM) or “glue ear”, where a mucus plug forms inside the middle ear cavity, may also affect these dogs.
  • Cavaliers can live for around 12 to 15 years.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Cavalier King Charles Spaniel worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel which is known for its gentle yet sporty temperament. This dog’s all-around beauty, majestic charm, and even temper make it one of the noblest members of the dog kingdom.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Facts
  • Meet Cavie
  • A Cavalier’s Anatomy
  • Cavalier Check
  • Growing Up Cavie
  • Cavalier Colors
  • Royal Breeds
  • Cavie Mix
  • Health and Care
  • I Want One
  • Adopt-a-Puppy

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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