Appearance

The Cavalier is by most measures the largest toy breed: though clearly a lap dog, fully-grown adults tend to fill one rather amply. It is nonetheless quite small for a spaniel, with fully-grown Cavaliers roughly comparable in size to an adolescent of a more conventional spaniel breed. Breed standards call for a height between 29 and 33 cm (12-13 inches) with a proportionate weight between 5,5 and 8,5 kg (13 and 18 lbs). Unlike most other spaniels, the Cavalier has a full-length tail well-feathered with long hair, which is typically carried aloft when walking.

Coat

The breed naturally grows a substantial silky coat of moderate length. Breed standards call for it to be free from curl, with a slight wave permissible. In adulthood, Cavaliers grow lengthy feathering on their ears, chest, legs, feet and tail; breed standards demand this be kept long, with the feathering on the feet cited as a particularly important feature of the breed.

The breed has four recognized colours:

• Blenheim (rich chestnut on pearly white background)
• Tricolour (black and white with tan markings on cheeks, inside ears, resembling eyebrows, inside legs, and on underside of tail)
• Black and Tan (black with tan markings)
• Ruby (rich reddish-brown all over)

Parti-colors are the colors that include white: Blenheim and Tricolor. Whole-colors have no white: Black and Tan, and Ruby. The Blenheim is the most common colour, although the others are not rare.

Ruby the Cuddly King Charles Cavalier Dog  Read about Ruby from John

Temperament

The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel "the ultimate lap dog". However, Cavaliers require a great deal of human companionship and do not tolerate well being left alone for long periods of time. Most dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs. A well-socialized Cavalier will not be shy about socializing with much larger dogs. (However, on occasion, this tendency can be dangerous, as many cavaliers will presume all other dogs to be equally friendly, and may attempt to greet and play with aggressive dogs).

This is Ruby-Rose! - Sent in by Sharon - Thanks

History

For many centuries, small breeds of spaniels have been popular in the United Kingdom. In the eleventh century, in the reign of King Canute, it was illegal to hunt with any dog that could not fit through a gauge that was eleven inches in diameter. Hence, the "birth" of the Toy Spaniel in the United Kingdom. Some centuries later, Toy Spaniels became popular as pets, especially as pets of the royal family. In fact, the King Charles Spaniel was so named because a Blenheim-coated spaniel was the children's pet in the household of Charles I. King Charles II went so far as to issue a decree that the King Charles Spaniel could not be forbidden entrance to any public place, including the Houses of Parliament. Such spaniels can be seen in many paintings of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These early spaniels had longer, pointier snouts and thinner-boned limbs than today's.

Over time, the toy spaniels were replaced in popularity by short-snouted, dome-headed dogs of Asian descent, such as the Pug and Japanese Chin. The King Charles Spaniel was bred with these dogs, resulting in the similar-shaped head of today's English Toy Spaniel breed. The King Charles Spaniel remained popular at Blenheim Palace, home to the Dukes of Marlborough, where the brown and white version was the most popular - resulting in the name Blenheim for that colour combination.

In the 1920s, an American named Roswell Eldrige offered twenty-five pounds as a prize for any King Charles Spaniel "of the old-fashioned type" with a longer nose, flat skull, and a lozenge (spot) in the middle of the crown of the head, sometimes called "the kiss of Buddha," "Blenheim Spot," or "Kissing Spot". So, the breed was developed by selective breeding of short-snouted Spaniels. The result was a dog that resembled the boyhood pet of the future Charles II of England ("Cavalier King Charles"), whence the breed derives its name.

Two breed clubs/registries are found in the United States: the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club (CKCSC) USA and the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club. The latter club is the breed club of the American Kennel Club.

Libby and Daisy the King Charles Spaniels  Read about the story of Libby and Daisy from Emma

Health

The breed suffers from a number of severe genetic defects. If considering a puppy, ask to see its parents' heart and eye certificates to reduce the chance your puppy will have the defects described below. Many breeders supply these and most breeders choose pairings to try to reduce the incidence of these defects in the breed.

Mitral valve disease

Virtually all Cavaliers suffer from mitral valve disease, causing progressively worsening heart murmurs leading to heart failure. This condition can begin to emerge at an early age, and is present in more than half of all Cavalier King Charles Spaniels by 5 years of age. It is extremely rare for a 10-year-old Cavalier not to have at least a slight heart murmur. It is the leading cause of death of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Veterinary geneticists and cardiologists have designed breeding guidelines to eliminate early-onset mitral valve disease in the breed, but only an insignificant minority of breeders follow these guidelines.

Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia (SM) is a condition affecting the brain and spine, causing symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain and partial paralysis. Syringomyelia is rare in most breeds but has become widespread in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Veterinary neurologists who have been researching the disease in Cavaliers have estimated that at least half of all Cavaliers have either syringomyelia or occipital hypoplasia, the skull bone malformation believed to cause SM. The 2005 Cavalier Heath Survey done by the AKC Cavalier club indicated that about 4% of Cavaliers showed clinical symptoms consistent with SM. Although symptoms of syringomyelia can present at any age, they typically appear between 6 months and 3 years of age. Symptoms include sensitivity around the head, neck, or shoulders, often indicated by a dog whimpering or frequently scratching at the area of his neck or shoulder. Scratching is often unilateral -- restricted to one side of the body. Scratching motions are frequently performed without actually making physical contact with the body. The scratching behavior appears involuntary and the dog frequently scratches while walking -- without stopping -- in a way that is very atypical of normal scratching. Scratching typical of SM is usually worse when the dog is wearing a collar, is being walked on leash, or is excited.

Hugo sent in by Gary and Debbie - Thanks

Greetings from the UK.  We'd like to introduce Hugo to you.  Hugo is nearly 3 years old, and he lives in Birmingham, England. Hugo is beautiful and is our pride and joy.  We love him so much despite his hairs getting everywhere! - Gary and Debbie

Hi - Just wondered why our Cavalier sometimes turns his head to one side ignoring our offer of a biscuit/bone.  We generally do this when we're leaving the house, so wondered if he is showing his displeasure (?). We think he has separation anxiety as well because he cries out loud after we've gone (our neighbours have told us this and we have also recorded him crying like this).  You already have a pic on your site of him, its Hugo.  We're very attached to him and he to us, and he often sleeps on our bed (we know, its not right....but try stopping him!).   One other query.  Hugo has this habit of doing a scratching with both paws really quickly on our duvet cover, and also the lino in the kitchen, like he's trying to dig a hole.  Is this just instinct?    Anyway, there's another picture of our boy, Hugo, taken in the Peak District (UK) in 2007...see attached.   Hope you can clear up our queries.   Keep up the good work. - Gary & Debbie

Hi - We would not pretend to know what the answer is except to hazard a guess that Hugo does not like being left alone. His scratching behaviour may be displacement activity as when humans bit their nails when they have a worrying thought. As always the best person to answer your concerns is to seek the advice of your vet or Dog Behaviourist to understand his behaviour better. Cheers Other people's opinions welcome.

Not all dogs with SM show scratching behaviour. Not all dogs who show scratching behaviour appear to suffer pain. If onset is at an early age, the first sign may be rapidly appearing scoliosis. If the problem is severe, there is likely to be poor proprioception (awareness of body position), especially with regard to the forelimbs. Clumsiness and falling results from this problem.

A vet should be asked to rule out primary secretory otitis media (PSOM - glue ear) before assuming that a Cavalier has SM. PSOM can present similar symptoms but is much easier and cheaper to treat. An MRI scan is normally done to confirm diagnosis of SM.

Harry sent in by Lucy & William - Thanks

This is Harry from Norfolk, England who loves chasing seagulls at the beach and is adored by Lucy and William.

Thanks for putting Harry on, you made William and Lucy's day. Poor old Harry has been collected from the vets today as he has torn a ligament, the vet said he has never met a more cowardly dog!! (harsh, but true I'm afraid!) however he's struggled down poached chicken, what a trooper!

Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a common genetic disease in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It rarely is present at birth and develops with age. Hip dysplasia is diagnosed by x-rays, but it usually does not appear in x-rays of Cavaliers until they mature.

Luxating patella

Cavaliers, like many toy breeds, are subject to a genetic defect of the femur and knee called luxating patella. The disorder is believed to affect 20% to 30% of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. This condition is most often observed when a puppy is 4 to 6 months old. In the most serious cases, surgery may be indicated.

Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca

Another common defect among Cavaliers is keratoconjunctivitis sicca, colloquially known as "dry eye". The usual cause of this condition is an autoimmune reaction against the dog's lacrimal gland (tear gland), reducing the production of tears. The condition requires continual treatment and if untreated may result in partial or total blindness.

public domain

Young King Charles II of England with his spaniel

Miscellaneous

Puppy Mills

The recent increasing popularity of the breed has led to breeding of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in puppy mills and an upsurge in the number of Cavaliers sold in pet stores. It is usually a mistake to buy a Cav (as cavalier king charles spaniel owners call them) in a puppy mill. The dogs bred in puppy mills usually have more diseases and health issues then the other dogs.

Another aspect to consider is that Cavaliers NEED human contact, and do not do well in kennels. Behaviour traits can come from too much time without contact, so much so that they may act as if they had been abused.

Notable Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

• Rex, pet of U.S. President Ronald Reagan
• Hopper and Harley, pets of Courteney Cox and David Arquette.
• Neal, pet of Liv Tyler
• Lauren Bacall had 2 Cavaliers
• Frank Sinatra had 4 Cavaliers
• Controversial Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn had two Cavaliers: Kenneth and Carla
• Jennifer Love Hewitt has 1 Cavalier
• Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden owned one Cavalier
• Jim Cramer of CNBC's Mad Money has a Cavalier named Maggie

Fictional Cavaliers:

• Elizabeth Taylor (née Princess Dandyridge Brandywine), pet of Charlotte York in Sex and the City

Picture of Ruby from Harriet - Thanks

Hello - This is a picture of our Cav called Ruby when we collected her at 10 weeks. Unfortunately we didn't realise at the time that the place we got her from was not very nice, although it seemed ok when we collected her, we have since found out that it has a bad reputation.  We have learnt the hard way as Ruby has been in and out of the vets since we bought her.  She has had Bronchial pneumonia to name but a few ailments and had to have an op on Christmas Eve to repair a big hernia that she had.  All that apart she is the most adorable dog to be around, and we all love her to bits.  She is the most lovely thing and loves nothing more than cuddles and the more she can snuggle into you the better. - Ruby started with her symptoms within a couple of days of getting her, so I feel like we saved her in a way as I doubt she would have received the treatment that we have given her had she not come home with us, and I would never be without her now.

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Cavalier Puppy sent in by John - Thanks

Here are a couple of pictures of our Cavalier taken on the day we picked him from a litter of 5. He’s 4 days old and we can’t wait for the weeks to pass until he’s with us. We may yet be having one of his Blenheim brothers as well !!! - Cheers - John

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Casey and Bracken sent in by  Olwen and Chris - Thanks Hello to all Cavi lovers.- This is Casey, our four year old Tri colour and Bracken a now 21 month old Blenheim. They are wonderful companions to my husband and l and we love them dearly. We live in North Wales UK, where this breed is very popular. When you buy one Cavi you always want more........so be warned! - From Olwen and Chris. Pictures of Pepper and Makaveli from Sinead - Thanks Pepper (the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) and Makaveli (the Tamaskan), owned by Sinead. Both boys are lovely dogs, they get on well with other dogs, cat's and children. I often take my dog's out to meet up with my friend's female Staffy and next door's two dogs, a Doberman and Lab (both male). Pepper can be shy around strange dogs as he was once attacked by one, but when he's warmed up to them, he's very happy. Makaveli is hyper, he loves to chase all animals, wanting to play with them, he's always trying to climb tree's (often getting stuck up them), diving into river's, and annoying wild deer! Both of my dogs are very loyal to me, great fun, and a wonder to have. Pictures of Ralphie and Suki sent in by Fitzgerald - Thanks These pics are of Ralphie (8weeks) and Suki (nearly 1yr) they both are the sweetest puppies and have given my family and I lots of pleasure, Suki has accepted Raplhie and happily eats and lets him share her bed. In this pic Ralphie has wrapped himself in my pink robe! He has only been with us a few days but has settled in perfectly. Suki is almost a year old and is a beautiful little dog, I was worried that she would take some time to get used to Ralphie but he has become a great playmate for her in such a short time hopefully they'll be the best of friends for years to come. Wiki Source

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Send a picture of your dog attached to this Email, tell us a little about him or her and we will show it here.

Comments i love king charles they r very cute have a Cavalier Ling Charles Spaniel and he is soooooo adorable! His name is Bailey, he is a white dog with brown spots, and he is so energetic! The goods thing is that when the dogs are older, they get more lazy but they can also be very energetic! King Charles are the absolute BEST DOGS IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!! I seriously couldn't live without my five-year-old dog. I don't know one person in the WORLD who wouldn't love to have one of these dogs! I LOVE Cavaliers!!! They r sooooooo cute! but i'm not allowed to have one, 'cause my mum and dad won't let me. But i'm savin up for one anyway! The problem is though that all my friends say they have too many health problems, and that i shouldn't get one but i seriously want a puppy! X -PUPPYLOVER-X My Favourite dog is my king Charles spaniel he's 1 year old now and is really loving and sweet i think they all are hi again! I'm just writing to say my Cav ~ Jasper has just turned 1!!  he is so mad ~ but that's y we love him!! he barks at dogs or animals on the t.v, chases leaves, and stones!!  he even chases his own fluff on the floor!! does anybody else's Cav do this!! xxxxxx I have a Cavalier. he has just turned 1 year old! he's so cute!! he made my life complete!! i don't know what i would do without him! he gets so much love,  and he is definitely a lap dog!! :-} xxxxxx there gawjs XxXxXxXx I have the cutest dog in the whole WIDE WORLD. I'm serious. His name is Jake and he's just a big goofball begging for a hug. Be warned though, he steals your food. =3 Windsor our Cavalier King Charles is so cute! I think he knows that is so cute!  Cuddly!  Docile! The ultimate lap dog.  Truly our family's best friend!  SOOOOOOOOOOOO Cute! that dog is soooooooo cute i have a cocker spaniel they are gorgeous :D my dog is a cavalier king charles spaniel, his name is Argain the backwards of Niagara as in Niagara Falls. he learned fetch in one day and go, come, stop, down and up in two hours! he is the smartest dog on earth and he is mine! cute pics i love them all They are so cute the video was awww bless They are some very beautiful dogs and i wish i could have one like my aunt does they are playful and very sweet!!!!!!!! it is so totally cute i love king Charles spaniels my auntie has 3 of them they  are nice family pets if u wont a dog you got to get one as they are so soppy i love your dog he is so cute ; him lookin good I love Cavalier King Charles. They are friendly and great for all ages! i have a cavalier king charles spaniel called strawberry shortcake- named by my five year old daughter. she is the sweetest little puppy and loves cuddles and is always eager to please. great with kids- a real family pet. She is only 9 weeks old and already trained and crys to go outside for her business. the cutes little bleniem coat. ahhh Our friends have a sprocker spaniel puppy called Ruby it is 13 weeks old and is adorable.  We were thinking of getting a sprocker spaniel but we now we are thinking of getting a cavalier king charles spaniel so we are looking forward to getting it. - Holly I have a King Charles Spaniel her name is Chanel she is my answers to all my problems. When we go out she goes under the gate and barks and sniffs, even he. I have another King Charles his name is angel his overprotective but he always makes sure if anything is wrong he'll fix it. They are smart ones, can watch TV, there amazing and CUTE. when we went to the pet store to look at all the dogs available, our cavy stood out because he was getting beat up by a tenacious yorkie. he looked so sad =(, my fiancé wanted to get him so bad. I did not want a dog at the time. but i am glad that we did because he is the best breed I've ever had. such a loving and non aggressive breed. He loves to cuddle with anyone and everyone. Ever since I've had him I've recommended his breed to everyone! I have a cavalier king charles spaniel ruby. He's really cute and very obedient The dogs are so sweet. i have a Blenheim cavalier too. His name is Bobby and I can never again live without him. I got a 11 week old blenheim cavvy girl yesterday and she is so cute! Her name is Daisy and she loves cuddling up with my 2 year old daughter-they are best friends already!! She is doing really well with her paper training and I love her soooooo much! Hi all I'm from Ireland and I have a tri-coloured Cavalier King Charles called Bailey, he's my life, love him so much, always waiting for a big hug when I arrive home!!! King charles spaniel  is so sweet. I have a king charles spaniel, he is 3 years old. :) and he's happy all the time :D i gettin a king charles spaniel tonight and im really exited!!! I have a blenheim cavalier king charles spaniel and she is called Maisy she is adorable I have a tri-colour called Jimmy... he is recovering from surgery (for a luxating patella) he is crazy as ever though and can't stop jumping around... I love him to bits!! awesome dogs they are very cute!!!!!!!!  :) Our young Chesney is 12 weeks old and we have had him for 1 week.  He's already settled in and very cuddly.  We are thinking of getting him a friend, do you think this would be ok at such an early age? i lovo very very very very much this dog!!!!!!!! he is fantastic...!! since i last wrote in to tell you my dog charlie (11 year old) has died i could not be without a cavvy  so i have a black and tan boy arnie now 12 weeks i love him to bits but you don't ever replace or forgot the one you lost. i wish they were mine I'm having my  tri-colour Cav puppy on Sunday...I cant wait, she is sooooooo cute & her name is Darcy. I love her already xxxx I have 2 cavvys, a blenhiem 6mths called bennie, and i have a tri-coloured, called blu. There my babys! I got my 9month old Blenheim cavalier 3 weeks ago and i am soooo in love with her she's my best friend. I have also began the searching for another cavalier i think a male this time. I need a prince for my princess My Blenheim King Charles Spaniel Called Missie, she is Only 3 Months Old, I Have Had Her From Being 10weeks Old And she's Adorable. She's So Playful And Loves The Attention. She's Perfect!! I got my King Charles when I was 7 and called him Mickey, he was the cutest thing I'd ever seen! I'm now 17 and I still think Mickey's the most gorgeous dog ever!!! :-) From Amy and Mickey, North Wales xxx i have a blenheim cavalier who is only 3 months old called lucy !! she is the most lovable adorable prettiest most beautiful dog in the world !! we got her when she was 6 weeks and she instantly fell in love with us and especially our 2 year old rottweiler bella who she loves to play with  ! their beds are next to each other and bella barks and barks until lucy comes and cuddles up next to her! bella protects lucy as if she is her own daughter she guards lucy in the park and starts barking if a stranger comes over to stroke lucy ! they are soo cute together !!! i love them both more than anything and they are the cutest lovable playful dogs in the world ! we just got a Blenheim cavalier who is 8 weeks old !! his parents are both show dogs and have one too many crufts prizes to even count !!! and so he is the most beautiful dog on this planet and such a sweet natured puppy !!! he loves to kiss cuddle and just play ! i took him out to the shops and i couldn't walk a step without a crowd of people coming over to say : OMG OMG OMG HE IS THE MOST CUTESTTTTT DOGGG IVE EVERR SEEN !! and one person said omg he is wayyy cutert than his own cavalier i just want him . and another person tried to steal him  from me ! ha soo funny !! but i will lovee himm foreverr and he already has a new bestt friendd  !! he is my life and i will ever stop loving him !!!!!!!! my black and tan cavalier is only 3 months he is so cute and very mischievous his name is lucky and i love him to bits My two week old Blenheim Cavalier king Charles puppy  is so cute we are going to call her pebbles, and we are getting her on the 3rd of January as she has to be with her mum for 8-10 weeks. My sister, Jennifer and me, Lauren are going to be the best owners in the whole wide world! We are going to love her so  much as she will be so special to us.  COMMENTS BY LAUREN AND JENNIFER we have a gorgeous 14 week old cavalier. she is bleinhem and is called Jasmine. she loves playin with our 7 year old lab cross, sasha although sasha can get grumpy with her and tell her off. they curl up together by the fire. i think they will be great friends!! i have 1 <3 i ave a ruby colour coat spaniel shes loverly nd sweet but very norty and she is called ruby thanks! beautful dogs i lovee king charles  !1 Cavalier King Charles are so kute I wish I had one. I love King Charles, I have 2 and my nan has 2, they are so cute They are perfect dogs to have i have an overgrown cavalier and he is called rufus . he has grown to the size of a springer spaniel!!! we love him loads because he is very obedient and he loves cuddles!!! they r sooo cute we might get 1 :-) I want one so badly they are so cute!! - Claire To the owner of Hunter; We also have a Cavalier with long legs but don't worry as they will appear to get shorter as he grows older. Some tend to look quite lanky until they are about two years old but also some are naturally taller than others. They are lovely dogs so give him lots of cuddles. We have a black and tan pup called Hunter who is completely maverick, absolutely beautiful, mad as a hatter and very affectionate. I would love to send in his picture but don't know how! He has very long legs, and I would love to know if other cavs have long legs too, as our old dog, Sam had much shorter legs! i love the 4 day old pup it is so cute Just to say my Blenheim King Charles (Charlie) was my baby, he died one week ago and i miss him so much, they are lovely & faithful dogs, the best. Charlie was 11 years, I wish they could live forever They are my favourites love them :-) <3 ;-) i've got a king charles called louis and is the cutest puppy ever he's practically a celebrity where i live! lol cwute! Thank you King Charles 1 for the King Charles spaniel! cavalier king Charles dogs are so sweet! Good dog, we love it! <3 ckcs are the cutest dogs eva we are getin 1 in about 2 months yey i cnt wait i have a beautiful king charles blenheim called Joshua he is six and has given  me so much joy.  He is the sweetest dog anyone could wish for. My cavalier is a water maniac, he loves to wade in deep rivers ducking into the riverbed to grab large stones, boulders or bricks out to the river bank, he does this for ages is this strange? cutest dog ever We hav a Blenheim, his name is Charlie nd he is so sweet, he is onli 6 months nd dis is tha most special fing ive eva had in mi life! I luv him more than anythin i wuld want! I have a 6 month old male Cavalier K C Spaniel, his name is Chenin, he is the sweetest thing ever. Very smart, we can't wait to show him because he is so adorable. We have 2 Cavaliers, a Black & Tan called Megan and a Blenheim called Molly.   Previously we had Holly a Blenheim and her daughter Hayley a Tri-colour.  Holly was 16 when she died and Hayley was 12years.  We will never be without a Cav in our home, they are a unique breed that no other breed could live up too!! I have a Cavilier King Charles she is Blenheim and her name is Sasha she loves everyone she is so cuddly and she is soooooooo cute we love her to bits at night time she sleeps the way humans do. Sasha is scared of other dogs because when she was little we toook her to the park and we let her of the lead. Then a staffi chased her out of the park and bit her leg. We love sasha. oxoxoxox I have a cavvy called missy she's months old and is adorable. she's slightly mad as she does nothing but chase fly's all day but at night she just wants to curl up with you and fall asleep...let alone take up all the room!!! i have a tri called meribel and she is so affectionate, she was 1 last week and she is just the sweetest thing you ever saw these dogs are very cute I reeaalllyy want a cavvy but my mom won't let mee get a dog yet so im still waiting. Im just kida worried about the sicknesses they get and i want it to live for long time so i might get a different dog but cavvys would still be my fave kind of dog i have  blenheim ckcs and he just got stolen from us. he is 5 years old! :'' ( m getting a king charles spaniel puppy after i come back from my holidays. i want a tan and white one which is a boy and im going to call him harry! when i am older i'm definitely gonna have one a white and ginger called holly and a black and ginger 1 called tyler cute xxxxxx i have a king charles spaniel they r gorgeous I love cocker spaniels me x My Toby is the sweetest little thing you will ever meet. He is a ruby cavalier who has a luxating patella... fingers crossed he won't need surgery. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE buy responsibly. These dogs are great and substandard breeding practices should not be tolerated! If your dog has a problem (like mine) DO NOT BREED THEM. They will give you years of joy! Luxating patella, or trick knee, is a condition in which the kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location. It can be caused by some form of blunt trauma, or may be a congenital defect. Patellar luxation is a common condition in dogs, particularly small and miniature breeds. The condition usually becomes evident between the ages of 4 to 6 months. Diagnosis is made through palpation of the knee. X-rays are necessary in some cases. The luxating patella often causes no or very slight symptoms. There may be intermittent limping in the rear leg. Osteoarthritis can develop secondarily. The more serious stages require surgery to correct, if the animal has difficulty walking. Additional help can be given with the use of pet ramps, stairs, or steps. These can help the dog travel from one place to another, especially up and down, without adding any pain or damage to the patella. Source Please make sure that you get you Cavalier from a reputable breeder and not from a puppy farm or unrecognised dealer. I have a Tri-coloured Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, he is now 11 weeks and really sweet, affectionate and happy. His name is Harry! My mum owns his sister- A Blenheim coat called Ellie. i gots a cavviee 2 and its black and tan !! I have a tri color cavvy because i saved him from a junkie...he was left in a room for 4 days with no food or water, i rescued him and he is one of the best things that has happen to me..i love him!!! We have a king cavalier and his name is Boomer, he's ruby colored and we love him!!! i am about to be getting 2 puppies of them!!!! i can't wait We have a King Charles..his name is Jack and he is gorgeous. He is our first dog and we all love him to bits...especially Michael and James our two sons. He is great fun but very cheeky and mischievous....go out and buy one...you won't be sorry. I have a cavvy, she's a tri-colour, she's beautiful and i love her to bits!! i've got one These are such wonderful dogs!! i have a dog like that he is fully brown with a white stripe down his face he is called snoopy and i love him!! aw the video is so cute, i don't know if there listed but shih poos are my favourite dogs, there adorable too I like the dog's really that's why I have two of them a little and a big one they are Blenheim's, their name's are Bella and Fleur (Holland names) greetz rick de graaf Holland aww they are gagus i would really like to get one awwwwwwww!!! I am going to be getting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and I cannot wait! Very cute Jennifer Love Hewitt's Blenheim Cavalier's name is Charlie even though it's a she. She was named after the Peanuts character. when I'm older i really want one!! I have a King Charles Spaniel he's the light of my life.  I had him because I'm at home all day alone while the children are at school and I just wanted some company he's the best thing i've ever bought, we are soul mates. how cute!!! i like it:)=)