The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, also known as the Cav, Cavalier, and the Cavie, is a breed of dog in the Toy Group. The original Cavalier gained its name because they were a favorite of King Charles I. The dog breed is most well known for being the perfect lap dog, and it is even referred to as ‘the love sponge.’ The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was approved by the AKC in the year 1995.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, along with the Pug, is perhaps the largest toy dog breed. Though clearly a lap dog, fully grown adult Cavaliers tend to fill a lap rather amply. It is nonetheless quite small for a spaniel, with fully grown Cavaliers roughly comparable in size to adolescents of more conventional spaniel breeds.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a highly affectionate dog breed. Most dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can suffer from a number of severe genetic defects. Two possible genetic conditions, mitral valve disease and syringomyelia, can be both severe and very common. It is very important to adopt Cavalier puppies from a reputable dog breeder who screens all their breeding dogs for these conditions.