Judging the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, December 2021 issue.

Judging the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

I had the great fortune to be a guest on May 2, 1997 at the first Cavalier King Charles Spaniel National Specialty, hosted by the ACKCSC in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. The entry of 188 held many exceptional specimens, but what captivated me was the demeanor of the dogs. Particularly in the Specials Class, all of the exhibits seemed to be wagging in unison. I had never experienced such a happy breed of dog. This simple trait of a “tail in constant motion” gives ample indication as to why the Cavalier is such a joy to own, breed, show, and judge. A judge will often be met by a sniff, a lick, dancing front paws or even a bit of chatter. We ask new judges not to dismiss this as amateur handling, but to understand it as a trait that breeders treasure and encourage.

There are many excellent articles on judging this Royal Breed, and I struggled over what new approach to take. The Cavalier is defined by its beautiful head and its gentle, welcoming, and affectionate personality. Otherwise, it’s a fairly generic dog.

The Cavalier should give a first impression of grace and elegance, gay temperament with royal dignity, and yet maintain the same fearlessness and sporting character of its larger cousins. The natural, silky coat must never appear trimmed or sculpted.

The correct Cavalier is a small, well-balanced dog of 13 to 18 pounds and 12 to 13 inches in height that approaches squareness, although the measurement from point of shoulder to point of buttock is slightly longer than the height at the withers. Also, the distance from withers to elbow equals that from elbow to ground.

Substance and bone are moderate and in proportion to size. A proper Cavalier should not be weedy, coarse, too large, or too small. Be aware of size. There’s a tendency toward bigger dogs, which will make the correct-sized dog appear small. In all things, quality is the bottom line.

Correct head type is an essential element of this breed and makes its first impression. Here is where knowledge of breed history and origin is important.

The short nose, deep stop, and globular head of the English Toy Spaniel is the antithesis of the Cavalier. The Cavalier must have a soft, melting expression. This is achieved through a flat-appearing skull, the frontal placement of large, round eyes with slight cushioning, framed by high-set ears.

The eyes must be large, round, dark brown, lustrous, and welcoming. Light eyes, prominent eyes, or eyes surrounded by white are a serious fault as they detract from the expression. All of the trust and gentleness of the Cavalier’s soul is communicated through its lustrous, limpid eyes.

Ears and ear set are very important and often misjudged. Ears should be set high and not too close together, with long leathers and silky hair. Cavaliers can use their ears when alert, stiffening the leathers and fanning them forward to frame the face. Some examples of typical Cavalier heads and expressions include a lovely young female head in repose, a young female alert, and an alert male. All demonstrate lovely heads.

This forward movement of the ears will also raise them to a straight line across the topskull. When at ease, the ears may relax and make an otherwise correct skull appear rounded.

The adage “examine them on the table but judge them on the ground” could never be truer. Don’t expect an exhibit to wag on the table—although they may. Use the table to check bites, ear leather, layback of shoulder, and reinforce opinions formed from observation on the ground.

Approach the dog with a light heart and hand. Cradle the head with both hands, gently check the bite, feel the topskull and origin of the ear, ear leather, and move on to the neck and shoulder.

A scissors bite is preferred, but a level or slightly undershot bite in a young dog could be overlooked, as many correct by 18 to 24 months. Avoid using a heavy hand, as it has ruined many a good Toy dog.

A perfect neck has a slight muscular arch at its crest and is of sufficient length to allow the head to be carried proudly. The neck should slope gracefully into well-laidback shoulders. Upright shoulders will promote a steeper head carriage, a shortened stride, and an incorrect gait. There is a growing tendency toward upright shoulders and some shortened upper arms.

A well-balanced dog should appear square but is slightly longer than tall. The breed should never appear long and low, nor should it be up on leg. Long backs and short legs are becoming too common.

The chest should be moderately deep and reach the elbows, with a slight swell. Cavaliers are short-coupled, meaning there is a short distance from the last rib to the hip or loin. Hindquarters should come down from a good, broad pelvis, very slightly sloped to give an attractive tail carriage.

The topline is level—end of discussion. The tail is a projection of the spine and should be level with the topline, carried between two and four o’clock, with three o’clock being ideal. Males, in particular, will posture and flag when excited, but they will drop the tail back naturally when relaxed.

Cavaliers come in four lovely colors. Blenheim has rich chestnut markings on a clear pearly white ground. Tricolor has jet-black markings on a field of pearly white, with rich tan markings over the eyes, on the cheeks, inside the ears, and under the tail. Black and Tan and Ruby are whole-colored varieties. Heavy ticking on broken colors is a fault, as are white spots on Rubies and Black and Tans.

The Cavalier is meant to be shown naturally, free-stacked. The only trimming permitted is the hair growing between the pads on the underside of the foot. A trimmed dog is to be so severely penalized as to virtually eliminate it from competition. Judges are expected to respect and enforce this section of the Standard.

The Cavalier should be moved on a loose lead and at a medium trot. The breed is free-moving and elegant in action, exhibiting good reach and drive, covering ground while maintaining a level topline.

Cavaliers do not single-track at the trot, although there is some tendency to converge as speed increases. Coming at you, the front legs should also be straight and true; they should not be out at the elbows or exhibit paddling.

In profile, the balance of the dog should be obvious, making an elegant picture from nose to tail in one flowing movement. Proud head carriage, good arch of neck, good reach, and proper use of the hindquarters are essential. Remember, the tail should be in constant motion.

Enjoy the experience of this Royal Spaniel.