The King Charles Spaniel belongs to the ninth group in this classification: pleasure and companion dogs. Their level of activity and aggressiveness is greatly reduced compared to the breeds of the previous groups. They are generally easy-going. The King Charles Spaniel joins more precisely the seventh category of this group dedicated to English Spaniels.

Of Asian or Spanish origin, the King Charles Spaniel already existed in the 16th century in England; the ladies at the court of Elizabeth I hid it under their skirts. But it was with King Charles II that this breed received the most favor. He had a very special affection for them. It was in honor of this king that the breed was named King Charles. The King Charles suffered a slow decline and even almost disappeared in the early 1950s.

The profile of the King Charles is refined and rather compact. It is obviously one of the small breeds with a size of 26 to 32 cm and a weight ranging from 3.6 to 6.3 kg. Its body and limbs are short but muscular. Its head is round, its muzzle square and broad with a very short and upturned nose. Its lower jaw is wide. His eyes are large and dark. Its ears are very long. Attached low, they fall flat against the dog's cheek. The King Charles has long, silky, straight hair, sometimes wavy but never curly. The limbs, tail and ears bear abundant fringes. There are four coats accepted in the King Charles standard: black and tan, tricolor (white, black and tan), Blenheim (white and chestnut red) and finally, Ruby (unicolor chestnut red). The King Charles may present a little-known anomaly from most veterinarians given the rarity of the breed: syndactyly or “sticky fingers” syndrome. This is particular in the King Charles and does not cause any hindrance to the dog's development or walking. He may have three nails on two fused fingers. The only way to “cure” this abnormality is to monitor nail growth and trim. That’s just grooming. Another characteristic is the length of the tail. it can be long, medium long, short or non-existent. When the tail is non-existent, we speak of an anuran dog. On the one hand, this gives a more compact appearance to the dog, closer to the original standard of the breed in England since it is now forbidden to dock tails. But it is still necessary to ensure that there is no problem of insensitivity which comes with age and which could cause fecal and/or urinary incontinence due to the fact that the last vertebra(s) (s) are not well welded, possible presence of Spina Bifida Occulta. The tail can be straight or bent. Very often, the fact that the tail is bent, presenting “a knot”, is not seen at first glance because the slight bend is hidden by the growth of the hair. This is due to the fact that in the “making” of the breed appears the Pug with the “curled” tail.

The King Charles is a rather rustic dog because it has remained as close as possible to the original breed. The eyes should be watched because they are globular and do not have the length of the nose to protect them from obstacles. He may present at birth with microphthalmia - one or both eyes smaller than normal - which often causes blindness in the affected eye, or in any case low vision. He can also be affected by Mitral Valve Decease (MVD), pathology which affects the mitral valve (heart) even if it is much rarer than in its cousin the Cavalier King Charles. As in all brachycephalic breeds (characteristic of breeds with a shortened skull) you can also encounter syringomyelia (cavity within the spinal cord) which causes serious neurological disorders. He is a couch dog but you must also let him relax. build muscle to avoid kneecap problems that could arise due to lack of muscles.

The King Charles is an endearing dog, devoted, affectionate, but also reserved and well balanced. This is a golden character! Very cheerful, he likes to play with children. He can be a bit of a barker and has remarkable flair. His education poses no difficulty but must be done gently so as not to rush him. With a little patience, you will obtain great results. Be careful though with his very assertive character which will sometimes push him to defy prohibitions. He is definitely an apartment dog. It requires little exercise.