King Charles Spaniel

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King Charles Spaniel
Other names English Toy Spaniel
Country of origin England
Traits

The King Charles Spaniel (known as the English Toy Spaniel in the U.S. and Canada) is a breed of small dog in the spaniel category. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a different breed, although it is sometimes referred to as a King Charles Spaniel. The Cavalier is more closely related to Cocker Spaniels in appearance, while the King Charles Spaniel is more closely related to the Pug.

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[edit] Description

[edit] Appearance

The English Toy Spaniel is a compact, cobby and essentially square toy dog possessed of a short-nosed, domed head, a merry and affectionate demeanor and a silky, flowing coat. The ears of the King Charles Spaniel are very long and set low and close to the head, fringed with heavy feathering.

[edit] Coat

Like its larger cousin, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the King Charles Spaniel has a silky, often slightly wavy coat. It tends to be shorter than that of Cavaliers.

This breed also comes in the same color varieties as the Cavalier: Blenheim (red-and-white), Prince Charles (tricolor), King Charles (black-and-tan), and Ruby (solid red).[1] Originally, each of these color patterns was regarded as a separate breed, but in the late 1800s the four varieties were consolidated into a single breed.

The AKC has two classes: English Toy Spaniel (B/PC) (Blenheim and Prince Charles) and English Toy Spaniel (R/KC) (Ruby and King Charles).

[edit] Health

The King Charles Spaniel may have health problems such as heart defects, eye problems, patellar luxation (kneecap slipping), and fused toes, which can cause incorrectly grown toenails. They tend to live 10 to 12 years.

Although there is less information available online, the King Charles Spaniel suffers from the same serious health problems as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Please see the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel health section for more information.

[edit] External links