UK Standard (current from 1986 [Club Yearbook] )
NB In 1986 the KC published the new standards for the Toy Breeds. The Cavalier Club had previously agreed the wording for the revised Cavalier standard with them, but the definition for mouth had been changed and standardized for all the toy breeds in the final version; the Cavalier Club were unhappy about this but the definition stood.
- General Appearance: Active, graceful and well balanced, with gentle expression.
- Characteristics : Sporting, affectionate, absolutely fearless.
- Temperament: Gay, friendly, non-aggressive, no tendency towards nervousness.
- Head and Skull: Skull almost flat between ears. Stop shallow. Length from base of stop to tip of nose about 1½ inches. Nostrils black and well developed without flesh marks, muzzle well tapered. Lips well developed but not pendulous. Face well filled below eyes. Any tendency to snipiness undesirable.
- Eyes: Large, dark, round but not prominent; spaced well apart.
- Ears: Long, set high, with plenty of feather.
- Mouth: Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
- Neck: Moderate length, slightly arched.
- Forequarters: Chest moderate, shoulders well laid back, straight legs moderately boned.
- Body: Short-coupled with good spring of rib. Level back.
- Hindquarters: Legs with moderate bone; well turned stifle - no tendency to cow hock or sickle hocks.
- Feet: Compact, cushioned and well feathered.
- Tail: Length of tail in balance with body, well set on, carried happily but never much above the level of the back. Docking optional. If docked no more than one-third to be removed.
- Gait: Free moving and elegant in action, plenty of drive from behind. Fore and hind legs move parallel when viewed from in front and behind.
- Coat: Long. silky, free from curl. Slight wave permissible. Plenty of feathering. Totally free from trimming.
- Colours: Recognised colours are:-
- Black and Tan: Raven black with tan markings above the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest and legs and underside of tail. Tan should be bright. White marks undesirable.
- Ruby: Whole coloured rich red. White markings undesirable.
- Blenheim: Rich chestnut markings well broken up, on pearly white ground. Markings evenly divided on head, leaving room between ears for much valued lozenge mark or spot (a unique characteristic of the breed).
- Tricolour: Black and white well spaced, broken up, with tan markings over eyes, cheeks, inside ears, inside legs, and on underside of tail.
- Any other colour or combination of colours most undesirable .
- Weight and Size: Weight - twelve to eighteen pounds. A small well-balanced dog well within these weights desirable.
- Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Original Breed Standard (1928)
Points allocated are out of 100.
Drawn up by the Committee of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club
STANDARD Points of old type Cavalier King Charles and Blenheim Spaniels- General Appearance and Soundness : Active, Sporting, Fearless - 15
- Head: Almost flat between ears no dome spot desired - 15
- Eyes: Dark, large and round, but not prominent - 10
- Nose: Slight stop about 1 1/2 inches. Black - 10
- Muzzle:Pointed - 10
- Texture of Coat: Long Silky - 10
- Colour: All recognised - 5
- Chest: Moderate (no points)
- Ears: Long and feathered, high set - 10
- Tail: Longish, docked - 5
- Legs and feet: Moderate bone, feet well feathered - 5
- Weight: 10 to 18 lbs - 5
- Faults: Under shot, light eyes
- Disqualifications: The Committee were in accord with the following:
As this was a new and tremendous opportunity to achieve a really worthwhile dog, it was agreed that as far as possible the dog should be guarded from fashion , and there was to be no trimming. A perfectly natural dog was desired, and was not to be spoiled to suit individual tastes, or as the saying goes 'carved into shape'.
Points to note in this original standard:
- minimum weight was 10lbs
- all colours were recognised
- tails were required to be docked
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club
(Standard revised 1948 or 1949 [BF] or 1948 [MW])
STANDARD OF POINTS- General Appearance: an active, graceful, well-balanced dog. Absolutely fearless and sporting in character and very gay and free in action. 15
- Head: almost flat between the ears, no tendency to dome. 15
- Nose: shallow stop, length from base of stop to tip about 1 1/2". Nostrils should be well developed and the pigment black. 10
- Eyes : large, dark and round, but not prominent. The eyes should be spaced well apart. 10
- Muzzle: well tapered to the point - level mouth, and lips well covering, but not hound-like. 10
- Ears: long and high set with plenty of feather. 10
- Body: should be short-coupled with plenty of spring of rib - back level - chest moderate, leaving ample heart room - neck should be well set on the shoulder and not too straight. 5
- Tails: the docking of tails is optional - if short, only one-third to be removed - if long, the length of the tail should be in balance with the body. 5
- Coat: long and silky - free from curl - slight wave is permissible. Plenty of feather. 5
- Feet and legs: moderate bone -straight. Feet compact and well-cushioned. 5
- Weight: 10 to 18lbs. A small wellbalanced dog between these weights is desirable. Classes are provided for miniatures. 5
- Colours : [1 ]
- Black and tan: raven black with tan markings above eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest and legs and underside of tail. Tan should be bright.
- Ruby: whole-coloured rich red.
- Blenheim: rich chestnut markings well broken-up on a pearly white ground. The markings should be evenly divided on the head, leaving room between the ears for the much valued lozenge mark or spot, a unique characteristic of this breed.
- Tricolour: black and white, well spaced and broken-up, with tan markings over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, inside legs and on underside of tail.
- Black and white: permissible but not desirable.
- Faults:
- Light eyes
- Undershot and crooked moths and pig jaws
- White marks on whole coloured specimens
- Coarseness of type
- Putty noses
- Flesh marks
- Nervousness
For novices only : In the Cavalier we have a little dog of ideal temperament for nearly all purposes. He is sporting - many of them have been successfully trained to the gun - he is an excellent child's companion; always ready to play - he is equally happy as the muched loved and spoiled house pet. In breeding we want to remember this and to try never to lose this delightful happy nature. In so many show breeds that were immune from nerves one now sees nervousness amounting in many cases to panic and snappiness, and therefore we Cavalier breeders have been warned in time and must not let this happen to our breed. The Cavalier is also extremely hardy and must never be allowed to become anything else. Avoid all physical structural weaknesses, shelly bodies, cramped hind quarters with restricted action. pinched pelvises, narrow terrier heads with small mean eyes - all are hereditary faults, easier to breed in than out. The Club will always be willing to give helpful advice through the Secretary.
Regarding classes for miniatures: there were never any such classes arranged, although the Club does currently offer classes for Cavaliers not exceeding 15 or 18lbs. Ref: Bruce Field.
Since then the Standard has been revised twice since then, firstly to clarify, and secondly to conform with the standardized format required of all the Kennel Club's Toy Dog Breed Standards.
Changes include:
- Muzzle was 'well tapered to the point' which is now 'well tapered'
- Shoulder was 'not too straight' and now 'well laid back'
- Weight was '10 to 18 lbs' now '12 to 18lbs' [5.4-8kgs]
- Gait/Movement now has its own separate heading
- Faults were previously individually listed, but are now under a general statement. Probably changed to discourage 'fault judging'.
Standard 1976-1985
- General Appearence: An active, graceful and well balenced dog. Absolutely fearless and sporting in character and very gay and free in action; totally free from trimming anf all artificial colouring.
- Head and Skull: Head almost flat between the ears without dome. Stop shallow. Length from base of stop to tip about 1 1/2 ins. Nostrils should be well developed and the pigment black. Muzzle well tapered. Lips well-covering but not hound like. Face should be well filled out underneath the eye. Any tendency to appear 'snipey' is undesirable.
- Eyes: Large, dark, round but not prominent; spaced well apart.
- Ears: Long, set high, with plenty of feather.
- Mouth: Level, scissor bite prefered.
- Neck: Moderate length, slightly arched.
- Forequarters: Shoulders well laid back; legs moderate bone and straight.
- Body: Short-coupled with plenty of spring of rib. Back level. Chest moderate leaving ample heart room.
- Hindquarters: Legs with moderate bone; well turned stifle - no tendency to cow hock or sickle hocks.
- Feet: Compact, cushioned and well feathered.
- Tail: The docking of tails is optional. No more than one-third to be removed. Length of tail in balance with body.
- Coat: Long, silky and free from curl. A slight wave is permssible. There should be plenty of feather.
- Colours: The only recognised colours are:
- Black and Tan: Raven black with tan markings above the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest and legs and underside of tail. Tan should be bright.
- Ruby: Whole-coloured rich red
- Blenheims: Rich chestnut markings well broken up, on pearly white ground. Markings evenly divided on head, leaving room between ears for much valued lozenge mark or spot (a unique characteristic of the breed)
- Tricolour: Black and white well spaced and broken up, with tan markings over eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, inside legs, and on underside of tail.
- Any other colour or combination of colours most undesirable.
- Weight and Size: Weight - twelve to eighteen pounds. A small well-balanced dog well within these weights is desirable.
- Faults: Light eyes, undershot and crooked mouths and pig jaws. White marks on whole-coloured specimens. Coarseness of type. Putty noses. Flesh marks. Nervousness.
CKCSC USA
According to Elizabeth Spalding (in 1965) the CKCSC USA originally adopted the UK standard for their Club.
Cavalier King CharlesSpaniel Breed Standard- General: An active, graceful, well-balanced dog, very gay and free in action;
- Appearance: fearless and sporting in character, yet at the same time gentle and affectionate.
- Head: The skull is lightly rounded, but without a dome or peak; it should appear flat because of the high placement of the ears.
- Eyes: Large, round and set well apart; color a warm, very dark brown, giving a lustrous, limpid look. There should be slight cushioning under the eyes, which contributes much to the sweet, gentle expression characteristic of the breed.
Faults: Small, almond shaped, prominent, or light eyes; white surrounding ring. - Nose: There should be a shallow stop, and the length from the base of the stop to tip of nose should be at least 1 1/2 inches. Nostrils should be well developed and the pigment uniformly black. Putty, or 'dudley' noses, and white patches on the nose are serious faults, as are small, pinched nostrils.
- Muzzle: Well tapered; mouth level; lips well covering. Faults: Sharp, pointed or snipey muzzle. Full or pendulous lips. Flesh marks, i.e. patches of pink pigment showing through hair on muzzle.
- Teeth: Strong and even, preferably meeting in a scissor bite, although a level bite is permitted. Undershot mouths are greatly to be discouraged; it should be emphasized, however, that a slightly undershot bite in an otherwise well-balanced head with the correct sweet expression should not be penalized in favor of a level mouth with a plain or hard expression.
Faults: Weak or crooked teeth; crooked jaws. - Ears: Set high, but not close, on top of the head. Leather long, with plenty of silky feathering, and wide enough so that when the dog is alert, the ears fan slightly forward to frame the face.
- Neck: Fairly long, without throatiness, well enough muscled to form a slight arch at the crest. Set smoothly into nicely sloping shoulders.
- Shoulders: Sloping back gently with moderate angulation, to give the characteristic look of top class and presence
- Body: Short-coupled with ribs well sprung but not barrelled. Chest moderately deep, leaving ample heart room. Back level, leading into strong, muscular hind quarters. Slightly less body at the flank than at the last rib, but with no tucked-up appearance
- Legs: Forelegs straight and well under the dog, bone moderate, elbows close to the sides. Hind legs moderately muscled; stifles well turned; hocks well let down. The hind legs viewed from the rear, should parallel each other from the hock to the heel. Pastern strong and feet compact with well cushioned pads. The dog stands level on all four feet.
Faults: Loose elbow, crooked legs; stifles turned in or out; cow hocks; stilted action; weak pasterns; open feet. - Tail: Set so as to be carried level with the back. Tail should be in constant, characteristic motion when dog is in action. Docking: Docking is optional, but whether or not the tail is docked, it must balance the body. If docked, the tail must not be cut too short; two-thirds is the absolute minimum to be left on the body, and the tails of broken-colored dogs should always be docked to leave a white tip.
- Coat: Long and silky and very soft to the touch; free from curl, though slight wave is permissible. Feathering on the ears, legs and tail should belong, and the feathering on the feet is a feature of the breed.
Trimming: NO trimming of the dog is permitted. However, it is permissible, often desirable, to remove the hair growing between the pads and the underside of the foot. - Size: Height 12 to 13 inches at the withers; weight, proportionate to height, between 13 and 18 pounds. These are ideal heights and weights; slight variations are permissible and a dog should not be penalized only in comparison with one of equal general appearance, type and quality. The weedy specimen is as much to be penalized as the oversized one.
- Colors: The following colors are the only ones acceptable:
- Blenheim: Rich chestnut markings well broken up on a pearly white ground. The ears must be red and the color evenly spaced on the head, with a wide white blaze between the ears, in the center of which is the much desired lozenge (diamond), or 'Blenheim Spot'. The lozenge is a unique and highly desirable, though not essential, characteristic of the Blenheim.
- Tricolor: Jet black markings broken up on a pearly white ground; with rich tan markings over the eyes, on the cheeks and on underside of tail.
- Ruby: Whole-colored rich red.
- Black-and-Tan: Jet black with rich tan markings over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest, legs, and underside of tail.
It is important to remember that a dog can have one or more of the faults listed in the Standard, in moderation, and still be an over-all typical gay, elegant Cavalier. On the other hand, bad temper or meanness are not to be tolerated and shall be considered disqualifying faults. It is the typical gay temperament, combined with true elegance and "royal" appearance, which are of paramount importance in the breed.
Breed Standard (AKC)
- 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 pounds. 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 1½ 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 spring 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 severly 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 beween 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 on underside of tail.
- 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 severely penalized as to effectively remove the specimen from competition.
Effective Date: April 30, 1995