English Toy Spaniel Breed Description

Introduction

These Spaniels and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels share identical early histories. In fact, they began as a single breed but underwent several changes to form two separate breeds. English Toy Spaniels enjoy lives of leisure: these are gentle, amiable lap dogs, calm and quiet, yet still playful and attentive. They are utterly devoted to their families. Exercise needs are minimal. The coat needs combing twice a week. There are four color varieties: black & tan, solid red with white feathering, white & red and tri-color. They do not do well in the heat. These dogs stand 10" at the shoulders and weigh 9-12 lbs.

History

Where these dogs began is a mystery, but all agree that happened somewhere in the Far East. Today, the best evidence points to Japan. They became the dog of choice for royalty as early as Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587); one eyewitness report of her execution at Fortheringhay Castle describes her English Toy Spaniel as staying by her side even then.

They may be best known as lap dogs (there are certainly lots of portraits of them in the laps of British royalty) but they are also excellent hunting spaniels for small game.

The American Kennel Club showed each of the four colors of these dogs as separate breeds before 1903; the following year, they decided to combine them into one breed which shows in two color varieties, King Charles and Ruby in one and Blenheim and Prince Charles in the other.

Description

In all aspects, very similar to the King Charles Spaniel. The large head is the predominant feature of these square-shaped toy dogs. Their muzzle is very short: longer than a Pug's but not by very much. This creates the typical profile of the Englishg Toy: a pushed back large black nose with extra skin under the eyes. Eye color is dark, either deep brown or black and eye-rims are also black. Well-defined stop and square jaw, which has a deep underbite. Long feathered ears hang close to the head. Tail has a natural screw, although docking was popular for many years, it is illegal in many countries today and losing popularity in others.

English Toy Spaniels have a long coat which can be either straight or somewhat wavy. They are feathered on the ears, legs, feet and chest front. Colors for the coat are as follows:

Blenheim: white with red markings
King Charles: black and tan
Prince Charles: tricolor consisting of white with black and tan markings
Ruby: A solid mahogany red (this may include a white patch on chest)

Temperament

Companion animals, these dogs are devoted to their humans and thrive in just about any setting. You'll get the best behavior from all toy breeds by training them like other dogs: imposing gentle yet firm discipline, and being sure the dog understands its position in the family pack. They are known for their intelligence, which means they learn quickly if the training process is interesting to them, so do change things around regularly to keep their interest rather than working by rote.

Health and Care

As with all short-faced breeds, these dogs may snore and/or wheeze. This can be problematic in hot weather, causing them to overheat. By the same token, they don't do well in extreme cold either. Temperate climates suit them best, and given their size, they can get plenty of exercise in even a small apartment or dorm room; however, they should be walked daily as it will help to avoid fussy behaviors that can occur in lap dogs.

Despite their long hair, they are only average shedders and their coat responds beautifully to regular brushing. Otherwise, just regular dental care and nail trimming is needed.

Be sure to get your English Toy Spaniel from a reputable breeder. Since they share a common ancestry with King Charles Spaniels, some bloodlines are susceptible to Mitral Valve Disease (MVD). Often, the onset of symptoms occurs late in the dog's life; for King Charles Spaniels, it is still a common cause of death. Like other toys, slipped stifle may be a problem. In this condition, the ‘knee' type joint above the hock in the hind leg slips; surgery may be required to reposition it properly. Eye and ears infections are common to all the short-faced breeds.

Colors

The English Toy Spaniel comes in four color varietiesThe Blenheim is a red and white dog. The coat is pearly white with deep red or chestnut markings in large, evenly distributed patches. Ears and cheeks are red, and there should be red markings around both eyes. They will have a blaze of white that extends from the nose up the forehead and ending between the ears. The Blenheim often carries a thumb mark or

Living Area

These are indoor dogs. They don't need a great deal of exercise, and they don't tolerate temperature extremes or pollution very well. They are perfect for apartment life. They should never be left outdoors in an unfenced yard. They are prone to chase after birds and could well leave the yard. Plus, at their small size they could easily be hurt by larger animals. English Toy Spaniels do not eat a great deal. They will eat between 1/4 and 1 cup of dog food each day, preferably fed in two meals. They are sometimes prone to being picky eaters, and feeding a little canned dog food mixed with their dry kibble can help them to be more willing to eat. However, since they are prone to dental problems, they should not be fed canned food exclusively.

Recognized By

CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR

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