Welcome to the Dog Studio, where we discover there is more to dogs than meets the eye. I am your host Radek Blažo.
„Here lies Dash, the favourite spaniel of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, in his 10th year. His attachment was without selfishness, his playfulness without malice, his fidelity without deceit. Reader, if you would be beloved and die regretted, profit by the example of Dash.“
This is the epitaph on the grave of Dash, a beloved companion of young Queen Victoria. This dog was no other than the breed we dedicate this podcast to.
This is the story of a dog breed so deeply entrenched with royalty and nobility that it wouldn’t even have a name if not for a king. And in return, it shaped the queens and kings for generations. This is a story of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
For Queen Victoria, Dash wasn’t just a dog; he was a beloved companion. He was given to her when she was just 13 years old. Raised as the future Queen, she separated from other children. Yet, Dash was her constant companion, source of comfort and joy. She often mentioned him in her journals, describing him as a dear friend.
It is known that on the day of her corronation, young Queen rushed home to personally bathe Dash. This was her favourite time.
Victoria still had Dash when she met her beloved future husband, Albert. The story goes that she fell in love with Albert when she saw him playing with Dash in the garden. It was like the dog approved.
Dash died in 1840, and Victoria was deeply affected by his loss. He is buried in the gardens of Windsor Castle. To this day, many acknowledge the important role this dog played in shaping the young future Queen.
The story of Dash embodies the Cavalier’s spirit—loyal, playful, and endlessly devoted. But he was only one chapter in a much larger book of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s history.
Let’s turn the pages back even further to where this breed’s story truly begins.
Imagine the grandeur of a 16th-century royal court. There are gilded halls, sweeping gowns, big official occasions, castles filled with nobility and… small spaniels.
No one really knows how these little spaniels made their way into royal courts. We just know that they were everywhere.
Some believe their ancestors came from Asia, possibly linked to today’s Japanese Chins. They were probably crossbred with British spaniels. At the time, spaniels were bred for hunting, especially flushing birds from bushes. This mix likely led to the smaller, lighter dogs we know today, with a variety of color combinations.
If you watch a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel today, you’ll often see them instinctively „flushing,“ darting around, sniffing, and wagging their tails—just like their ancestors did when flushing birds into flight. But while we can guess at their origins, no one knows for sure how these charming dogs came to be. What we do know is that they found their place in royal courts and hearts.
Yet, they were not named cavalier, not even King Charles spaniels at the time. They were known as comforters.
These spaniels were small enough to be carried everywhere. Ladies of high statue loved them. And believed they were more than just dogs. They were cherished for their supposed healing powers. They comforted their owners, soothing their psyche and nerves. Often, they were placed on sick individuals while they slept in bed, thought to aid in quicker recovery. Some even claimed these dogs could ward off fleas—a true necessity in an era lacking modern medicine and hygiene.
There’s a touching legend about one such spaniel belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots. When Mary faced execution in 1587, her little dog stayed by her side, refusing to leave her even after her death. The dog was found curled up beneath her skirts, mourning her loss under the executioner’s axe.
While some dismiss this story as a myth, it beautifully captures the Cavalier’s unwavering loyalty—a trait they continue to display to this day.
The breed’s journey to royalty took a pivotal turn with King Charles II. Crowned in 1660, Charles was not just a king; he was a dog lover to his core. His passion for spaniels was so well-known that these dogs became synonymous with his reign.
He was always surrounded by many of these little dogs. And adored them so much, he was the one who gave them his name: Spaniels of King Charles, or King Charles Spaniels.
They followed him everywhere—court meetings, public appearances, and even Parliament. The king’s courtiers actually referred to these spaniels as “the real rulers of England”.
It’s said that Charles even issued a decree allowing his beloved spaniels into all public spaces, including the Houses of Parliament. No other breed of dog ever received this honor.
However, this may just be another urban legend. Some sources claim this law was never revoked and still applies today, while others say it never existed at all. My suggestion: don’t test it with your Cavalier the next time you visit London—it might not go well for you.
However, during the king’s reign, the spaniels held a great esteem, and this continued throughout his life. When King Charles II died of a stroke at the age of 54, it is said that he was surrounded by at least 12 spaniels on his deathbed.
The king liked all colors of spaniels; however, he adored the black and black-and-tan variety. Interestingly, the pure black Cavaliers no longer exist today.
The most popular color is Blenheim—a white dog with chestnut colored patches all over the body. There are no specific rules to these markings on the body. However, there is a special mark that only a few true cavalier lovers recognize. It so highly valued that it made it even to the official standard of the breed. This small detail supposedly marks these dogs as true descendants of royal blood. It is called a Blenheim spot.
The story dates back to the early 18th century during the Battle of Blenheim in 1704.
The Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, was away leading British troops fighting against the French. His wife, Sarah, stayed at their estate, Blenheim Palace. She worried, and anxiously awaited news of the battle. According to the tale, during this stressful time, Sarah kept one of her small spaniels by her side. And to calm herself down, she constantly stroked its head for comfort, as you would with the comforter spaniel near by.
When the news of victory arrived, it is said that her spaniel gave birth to puppies at home. Each of them was bearing a distinctive chestnut-colored mark that looked like a thumbprint on their white foreheads. This marking became known as the „Blenheim Spot“ and is still a cherished trait in the breed today.
When Queen Mary I. took the English throne in 1689, she and the nobility began to favor more exotic-looking dogs. Breeds from the Orient, like pugs and Japanese Chins, gained popularity. With their round heads, big eyes, and short noses, these dogs were bred with King Charles Spaniels, leading to significant changes in the breed.
The goal wasn’t to alter the King Charles Spaniel—it was simply that people preferred different types of dogs. At the time, purebred breeding wasn’t a concept, so mixing breeds to create the look you wanted was perfectly acceptable. However, this had a critical consequence for the once-beloved breed of the king.
By 1920s, the original King Charles Spaniel disappeared entirely! They were nowhere to be seen or found. It seemed like the breed was completely gone!
And just when it seemed like the story was coming to an end, everything changed once again. This time, it took an American man to make it happen. And when history changes, a lot of money is often involved as well. This story is no different.
Meet Roswell Eldridge, an American dog fancier with a passion for history. A wealthy businessman, he was an admirer of England and visited the country quite frequently. As a well-known art lover, he spent much of his time studying the works of old masters.
During one of his visits in the 1920s, he made his way to a Crufts dog show. Being a devoted dog enthusiast, Roswell noticed something troubling—there were no spaniels at the show resembling those depicted in portraits of King Charles II. Puzzled, he revisited the artwork he cherished and confirmed his observation: the once-beloved dogs of a king looked completely different in modern times.
This realization sparked an idea. Determined to revive the original breed, Roswell decided to take matters into his own hands.
He placed an ad in the catalogue of Crufts dog show in 1926 offering £25 to anyone who could present a spaniel resembling the old type. This was a considerable sum at the time. In today’s money, that sum would be about $2,500.
His description was precise:
„Blenheim Spaniels of the Old Type, as shown in pictures of Charles II’s time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed, with a spot in the center of the skull.“
This was something breeders could not overlook. As anyone involved in dog showing knows, there are no cash prizes at dogshows. So, this was a golden opportunity!
The advertisement was accompanied by a painting by Sir Edwin Landseer titled “The Cavalier’s Pets.” The title referenced King Charles II, who was often called the Cavalier King.
Breeders eventually realized that sometimes these „ugly“ long-nosed dogs with flat heads were still being born in their litters. However, they never took any interest in them and usually sold them as pets. Now, what was once considered trash had become a treasure.
Once dog breeders set out to create something, they work hard to make it happen. This effort wasn’t without its quirks, of course. In fact, breeders participating in this contest faced much ridicule in their attempt to revive the breed to its original form.
The money contest was originally set for three years and was later extended for another two. This led to the creation of dogs so vastly different that they seemed like a completely new breed.
The fanciers of the old-type spaniels decided to form a club and establish them as a new breed. Since King Charles II was often called the „Cavalier King,“ the term „Cavalier“ was added to distinguish this original type from the modern King Charles Spaniel. The first breed standard was created and strangely enough it was based on the famous painting Cavalier’s Pets.
Unfortunately, the story of the revived breed has a bittersweet ending. The man who set out to recreate the old type, Roswell Eldridge, passed away in 1928 at the age of 70. Just a month before Crufts. He never got to see the results of his challenge prizes.
Yet, his legacy and determination are still mentioned today, as he is the man who changed the breed, even though he never saw the outcome of his vision.
The breed that separated from the old type is now a distinct breed called the King Charles Spaniel, or English Toy Spaniel in America. They have flat faces, round heads and eyes, and look different from the original type of the breed.
Interestingly, the name „King Charles Spaniel“ was almost changed. In the early 1900s, the British Kennel Club attempted to merge all colors of the breed under the name „Toy Spaniel.“ However, this was met with widespread protest. In the end, the proposal was vetoed by King Edward VII, who intervened in favor of keeping the name „King Charles.“ As a result, the more generic name was rejected in England and the breed kept its original royal name.
Today, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is celebrated worldwide. They’ve been companions to presidents, like Ronald Reagan’s beloved Rex, and have even starred in pop culture, gracing screens in Sex and the City.
These dogs aren’t just pets; they’re storytellers, carrying centuries of history in their soulful eyes and wagging tails.
In fact, the official American standard even mentions this in their description: saying The Cavalier is always supposed to move with its tail in constant characteristic motion when the dog is in action. This basically means the dog´s tail should never stop wagging.
Next time you meet a Cavalier, remember—you’re looking at a living piece of history, a dog that once walked the halls of kings and queens, bringing joy, comfort, and companionship.
Thank you for joining us on this royal journey through time. If you enjoyed today’s episode of The Dog Studio, be sure to follow us, leave a review, and share this podcast with your friends.
I am Radek Blažo. Until next time, enjoy your dogs!