Temperament: loyal, friendly
Lifespan: 10+ years
Maintenance: medium
Recommended for: families, young children, older adults

Appearance: With a sweet rounded face, big brown eyes and soft floppy ears the Cavalier is the ultimate "cute" dog. They are small, reaching only 31-33cm (12-13").
There are four colours:

Blenheim (chestnut and white)
Tri-colour (black, white and tan)
Black and Tan
Ruby (solid red).

They shouldn't be confused with the King Charles Spaniel, a dog with a shorter snout and is more reserved in nature.

Temperament: Known for their beautiful temperaments, Cavaliers are affectionate and compliant, tolerant of children and come highly recommended by many vets.

Health: Choose your breeder carefully when buying a pup. Responsible breeders are screening parents to eliminate known genetic problems such as luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps), eye defects and congenital heart problems.

Space/Housepet potential:

The Cavalier makes an ideal housepet, being small, quiet and unobtrusive. They are said to be easily house-trained and do not need a big backyard. A regular walk, however, is recommended.

Ideal owner: Cavaliers appeal to older people and young families alike, and are adaptable enough to fit in either situation. They need affection and may fail to thrive if kept outdoors. Puppies may be injured if left unsupervised with children under three years.

Grooming: The Cavalier needs bathing and a good brush for 15-20 minutes each week. When coming out of winter hair may be shed onto furnishings. The drop ears should be wiped clean and checked regularly to avoid infections.

History: Small spaniels have been favourites for many centuries with those people rich enough to keep a dog simply for pleasure, and not one that had to earn its keep. While it wasn't until the 1940s that Cavaliers were registered as a breed in their own right, they have had a rapid - and many would say deserved - rise in popularity to be Australia's 6th-most popular pedigreed breed.