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King Charles Spaniel

The history of the breed

The first small spaniels, were bred from setters and hounds used for hunting birds, they appeared in Britain in the 11th century, when they were used as hunting dogs but over time, they have become used less for hunting and more as attractive companion dogs.

In the 16th century, they gained immense popularity among the aristocracy, largely thanks to the king of England, Charles II, who was a big fan of the breed, in fact, the breed is named in his honour. According to historical evidence, this glorious King almost never parted with a couple of his favourite toy spaniels and even issued a decree according to which, spaniels had to be permitted in any public place, including Parliament.

The ancestors of the King Charles spaniels are depicted in the paintings of a variety of well-known artists, in particular van Dyck and Titian were both extremely fond of portraying spaniels.

The modern form of the breed was created in the 18th century, as a result of cross-breeding with the Japanese chin and pugs. Breeding King Charles Spaniels was a prestigious hobby, to be shown off in public.

Appearance

King Charles Spaniels are harmoniously composed and very elegant. A memorable sweet little face with a snub nose and wide-set eyes ensure that you will fall in love once and forever. Long fluffy ears are the best anti-depressant. With their silky thick long hair, King Charles Spaniels are beautiful to stroke. By the way, these little crowned heads are especially recommended as the best cure for stress and bad moods.

The King Charles Spaniel is also pleasing to the eye when out walking, they have beautiful free movements.

Their compact size (25-30 cm at the withers and 4-6 kg) makes them an excellent choice for people living in cities, because the little spaniel will be happy to live in even a small apartment.

Colour

The breed standard has four colours:

Black and tan (also known as King Charles). A beautiful rich black-and-tan colour with a bright red-brown colour in "typical" locations - on the face, legs, chest, inside of the ears, and under the eyes and tail.

Tricolour (Prince Charles). The breed standard is spectacular black spots on a white background complemented by brown markings in places.

Blenheim. Bright dark-red spots also on pearly white background. It is preferable that there is the presence of white spots in the form of a rhombus at the centre of the head, possibly with a small mark, the size of a small coin. This colour of dog was bred by an ancestor of Winston Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough. Historical references testify that toy spaniels of this particular colour were used for hunting more than others.

Ruby. Very impressive, solid, bright red colour.

Temperament

Your comfort, this is the purpose and meaning of the life of these dear creatures. King Charles Spaniels are extremely affectionate and gentle. These are the smartest and most cheerful dogs, they love to be the centre of attention, but are never overly attention-seeking. King Charles are bold, which is slightly unexpected from a dog which is so small and sweet in appearance, but they are utterly free of inappropriate aggression. This breed is very friendly, including with strangers, but you may be surprised just how protective these little cuties can be.

The toy Spaniel is very balanced dog. Even small puppies have exceptional sensitivity and do not cause trouble. They instantly learn to distinguish their own toys and personal items and to recognize which playthings are undesirable, so you will not run into the problem of damaged possessions.

Kind and gentle, King Charles make ideal pets for older people, families with children and households with other pets. Your King Charles will get along well with grumpy cat and restless child.

Training

High intelligence and a desire to please their beloved owner makes this breed very easy to train. The King Charles takes in everything literally on the fly. This means that lessons from you only need gentleness and consistency.

Care and Health

This is a particularly low-maintenance breed

The dog needs to be combed at least once a week, more frequently when moulting. Bathe when the dog gets dirty. Haircuts are not required, but some owners trim a little hair between the toes for reasons of hygiene. The ears may require a little attention - like most dogs with floppy ears, the King Charles can be subject to ear infections

King Charles do not snore.

Although their roots are as hunting dogs, the King Charles does not require excessively long walks. Average active walks and games will totally fulfil your pet's need for exercise. Toy Spaniels may be susceptible to heart disease and are sensitive to heat and anaesthesia.

The difference from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Confusion often arises because of the similarity of the names of the two breeds, and some people do believe that these two breeds are one and the same. However, this is not the case, despite the external similarity and affinity. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is larger (weight 5.4-8 kg, while the King Charles is 3.6-6.3 kg) and there are differences in the shape of the skull, with the Cavalier, the skull between the ears is almost flat, and the transition from forehead to face is shallow, the cavaliers do not have the "snub" muzzles typical of the King Charles. There are also substantial differences in their nature. In contrast to the King Charles, the Cavalier still has a well-developed hunting instinct which can make it restless and fussy. Toy Spaniels, as already noted above, are very calm and balanced.

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