The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a favourite toy breed amongst dog lovers. Its silky and slightly wavy coat and its friendly demeanour epitomise grace and beauty in animal form.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can be made up of various colours. If you want to learn more about this breed’s colours, you’ve come to the right place, as this guide will explore their different colourings.
The most common coat colours include Blenheim (chestnut and white), tricolour (black, white, and tan), ruby (solid red), and black and tan. Blenheim is particularly popular among enthusiasts.
While these colours are the most recognised, variations like solid black or variations with more white markings can also be found.
The toy breed has three coat patterns with around 8/9 colour combinations. The patri-colour and tri-colour patterns give each dog a slightly distinct appearance. The Black and Tan Cavalier King is the least common, followed by the Ruby as second in rarity. These are also usually the most costly because of their rarity.
The Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was named after the Blenheim Palace in the UK. They have a base coat that’s pure white, with chestnut markings along their body.
The rich chestnut colour covers the eyes and ears, leaving white around the muzzle and between the eyes. This blaze of white is sometimes interrupted by a chestnut spot on their foreheads. This is called the ‘Blenheim kiss’ or the ‘Blenheim spot’.
Blenheim spaniels are the most popular colour amongst this breed. Their popularity has resulted in Blenheim being the most bred colour amongst breeders, which is also why they are the most common colour.
These dogs have jet-black bodies with tan highlights above their eyes, around their cheeks, and under their nails and tails. Some also have tan markings on their legs and inner ears.
Black and tan Cavaliers are part of the patri-colour patterned Cavaliers and have a complex gene combination. This variety is the least common Cavalier King, followed by the Ruby. These are also usually the most costly because of their rarity.
Tri-colour Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a stunning coat pattern of three colours.
White is generally the base coat colour on the body, with black around the ears and eyes. However, some dogs have black as the primary colour and chestnut spots throughout the fur. Tan markings usually cover the eyes, cheeks, and the inside of their legs and ears.
These are Tri-coloured variations with a tan base coat and deep chestnut markings.
The Ruby Cavaliers are one of two whole-coloured Cavalier Kings. It has a rich red colour throughout the entire body. They have no markings, and there’s a slight variation between the shades of red, with some dogs being coppery and others mahogany.
Many Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have the Piebald gene, responsible for creating the multi-coloured coat pattern. This is also why most Cavaliers have white markings on their toes, chest, tail, and face.
The Merle Cavalier King has irregular colour patches that are more toned down in colour than its purebred mates. They also tend to have blue eyes or mismatched eye colours. This results from the M-locus gene (the merle gene), which isn’t in purebred Cavaliers.
White cavaliers are the result of a lack of colour. These are the albinos of their breed, and they have white hair because their coat has no pigment.
The Black and Tan, Ruby, Blenheim, and Tricolour Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are the only colours recognised by the ANKC. Other substandard colours can’t compete and are seen as ‘faults’. White marks on the Black and Tan and Ruby dogs are also considered undesirable ‘faults’ by judges
All Cavaliers are beautiful, and each variety has a different appeal. If you gravitate towards brighter colours, maybe the Blenheim, White, and Tricolour Cavalier Kings are for you. Ruby, Black and Tan, and Merle might suit those who like dull or dark tones.
The Merle Cavaliers face the risk of certain health problems because of the M-Locus gene, including the possible degeneration of retinal cells resulting in blindness.
The Blenheim’s coat will get richer in colour as it ages, and it may develop freckles in the first 12 months. The black markings on the Tri-colour cavalier king will grow over the white. This may even cover the blaze, depending on its width at birth The white fur on the Black and Tan Cavalier King also diminishes, except for some small hairs on the chest and feet.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a wide variety of colour options, and you’ll definitely be able to find the perfect one. Keep in mind that colour doesn’t determine the personality of your dog. So, regardless of the colour, any Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will be a welcomed addition to your family.
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