GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an active, graceful, well-balanced
toy spaniel, very gay and free in action; fearless and sporting in character,
yet at the same time gentle and affectionate. It is this typical gay temperament,
combined with true elegance and royal appearance which are of paramount
importance in the breed. Natural appearance with no trimming, sculpting
or artificial alteration is essential to breed type.
SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE
Size - Height 12 to 13 inches at the withers; weight proportionate
to height, between 13 and 18 lbs. A small, well balanced dog within these
weights is desirable, but these are ideal heights and weights and slight
variations are permissible.
Proportion - The body approaches squareness, yet if measured from
point of shoulder to point of buttock, is slightly longer than the height
at the withers. The height from the withers to the elbow is approximately
equal to the height from the elbow to the ground.
Substance - Bone moderate in proportion to size. Weedy and coarse
specimens are to be equally penalized.
HEAD
Proportionate to size of dog, appearing neither too large nor too
small for the body.
Expression - The sweet, gentle, melting expression is an important
breed characteristic.
Eyes - Large, round, but not prominent and set well apart; color
a warm, very dark brown; giving a lustrous, limpid look. Rims dark. There
should be cushioning under the eyes which contributes to the soft expression.
Faults - small, almond-shaped, prominent, or light eyes; white surrounding
ring.
Ears - Set high, but not close, on top of the head. Leather long
with plenty of feathering and wide enough so that when the dog is alert,
the ears fan slightly forward to frame the face.
Skull - Slightly rounded, but without dome or peak; it should appear
flat because of the high placement of the ears. Stop is moderate, neither
filled nor deep.
Muzzle - Full muzzle slightly tapered. Length from base of stop to
tip of nose about 1 1/2 inches. Face well filled below eyes. Any tendency
towards snipiness undesirable. Nose pigment uniformly black without flesh
marks and nostrils well developed. Lips well developed but not pendulous
giving a clean finish. Faults - Sharp or pointed muzzles.
Bite - A perfect, regular and complete scissors bite is preferred,
i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square
into the jaws. Faults - undershot bite, weak or crooked teeth, crooked
jaws.
NECK, TOPLINE, BODY
Neck - Fairly long, without throatiness, well enough muscled to form
a slight arch at the crest. Set smoothly into nicely sloping shoulders
to give an elegant look.
Topline - Level both when moving and standing.
Body - Short-coupled with ribs well sprung but not barrelled. Chest
moderately deep, extending to elbows allowing ample heart room. Slightly
less body at the flank than at the last rib, but with no tucked-up appearance.
Tail - Well set on, carried happily but never much above the level
of the back, and in constant characteristic motion when the dog is in action.
Docking is optional. If docked, no more than one third to be removed.
FOREQUARTERS
Shoulders well laid back. Forelegs straight and well under the dog
with elbows close to the sides. Pasterns strong and feet compact with well-cushioned
pads. Dewclaws may be removed.
HINDQUARTERS
The hindquarters construction should come down from a good broad
pelvis, moderately muscled; stifles well turned and hocks well let down.
The hindlegs when viewed from the rear should parallel each other from
hock to heel. Faults - cow or sickle hocks.
COAT
Of moderate length, silky, free from curl. Slight wave permissible.
Feathering on ears, chest, legs and tail should be long, and the feathering
on the feet is a feature of the breed. No trimming of the dog is permitted.
Specimens where the coat has been altered by trimming, clipping, or by artificial
means shall be so severely penalized as to be effectively eliminated from
competition. Hair growing between the pads on the underside of the
feet may be trimmed.
COLOR
Blenheim - Rich chestnut markings well broken up on a clear, pearly
white ground. The ears must be chestnut and the color evenly spaced on
the head and surrounding both eyes, with a white blaze between the eyes
and ears, in the center of which may be the lozenge or "Blenheim spot".
The lozenge is a unique and desirable, though not essential, characteristic
of the Blenheim.
Tricolor - Jet black markings well broken up on a clear, pearly white
ground. The ears must be black and the color evenly spaced on the head
and surrounding both eyes, with a white blaze between the eyes. Rich tan
markings over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears and on underside of tail.
Ruby - Whole-colored rich red.
Black and Tan - Jet black with rich, bright tan markings over eyes,
on cheeks, inside ears, on chest, legs and underside of tail.
Faults - Heavy ticking on Blenheims or Tricolors, white marks on
Rubies or Black and Tans.
GAIT
Free moving and elegant in action, with good reach in front and sound,
driving rear action. When viewed from the side, the movement exhibits a
good length of stride, and viewed from front and rear it is straight and
true, resulting from straight-boned fronts and properly made and muscled
hindquarters.
TEMPERAMENT
Gay, friendly, non-aggressive with no tendency towards nervousness
or shyness. Bad temper, shyness and meanness are not to be tolerated
and are to be so severely penalized as to effectively remove the specimen
from competition.
Approved Date: January 10, 1995
Effective Date: April 30, 1995 | 
