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, while the King Charles Spaniel is more closely related to the Pug.

English Toy Spaniel History

The breed originated in Renaissance-era Great Britain as a companion dog for royalty, although in that era the breed more closely resembled the modern Cavalier King Charles Spaniel than contemporary English Toys. Crosses between long-snouted toy spaniels and short-snouted breeds such as the Pug or Japanese Chin in the 18th and 19th centuries led to the breed’s current appearance. Weighs around 11 pounds.

English Toy Spaniel 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). 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.

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