ABOUT OUR CHOCOLATE CAVALIERS

Did you know that before 1928, Cavaliers were accepted in multiple colors, including chocolate and black & white? After 1928, it was prudently decided to limit Cavaliers to four classic colors. However, this did not mean that chocolates and all blacks were not born; they were.

 

Unfortunately, many Cavaliers with these coats were destroyed at birth by breeders concerned about their reputation, thinking buyers would view these dogs as unhealthy or indicative of poor breeding practices. Yet, many Cavaliers displaying the classic "acceptable" coat colors still carried these extraordinary genes.

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The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel descends from a small toy spaniel depicted in many 16th, 17th, and 18th-century paintings of northern Europe. Famous works like the 1853 painting "Tre Vänner" by Siegwald Johannes Dahl vividly display a chocolate Cavalier, and Richard Ansdell's 1815 painting "Two King Charles Spaniels in a Landscape" shows black & white Cavaliers. Additionally, the 1635 painting "The Three Eldest Children of Charles I" by Sir Anthony Dyke depicts the children with their two chocolate and white Cavaliers.

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​King James I received several small toy spaniels as a gift from the Emperor of Japan. His son, King Charles I, continued to enjoy these friendly little dogs, and they roamed freely in the castle. When King Charles II came to the throne, the dogs were so adored that they were with him at all times. He even slept with them and allowed them to whelp puppies in his bed!

 

These spaniels, known as King Charles Spaniels, were mostly red and white or black and white, with a known solid black one. In the 19th century, they were crossed with the Pryame to bring about the black and tan color, and later with the Miniature Toy Trawler to create the solid ruby spaniels.

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In the early days, breed standards were not recognized, and toy spaniels generally had flat heads, pointed muzzles, and high-set ears. By the mid-19th century, the English standardized the appearance of these spaniels, creating what we now recognize as the modern King Charles Spaniel. In the early 1900s, breeders attempted to recreate the earlier version of the breed, successfully bringing about the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

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The Cavalier breed came to the USA around 1940-1950. In 1952, it is believed that Sally Brown received her first Cavalier from Lady Mary Forward in England. Although the AKC did not recognize the breed at the time, Sally Brown formed the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, USA, in 1954. The AKC fully recognized the breed in 1996 amidst great controversy.

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In a copy of a 1983 book written by Evelyn Booth titled "All About Cavalier King Charles Spaniels." While Booth exhibits her own biased opinion on coat and eye color, she confirms that chocolates, black & whites, and all black Cavaliers existed in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s, with the growing popularity of Cavaliers, two USA breeders saw the beauty in chocolate Cavaliers and began breeding them, preserving the chocolate lines. Almost all chocolate CKCS in the USA today can trace their lineage back to these two original breeders.

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Evelyn Booth also noted that black & whites and all blacks, though uncommon, could be easily found. These colors have grown in population with select preservation breeding by a small handful of breeders in the USA. Import regulations have softened, allowing new lines of Cavaliers carrying the required genes to be imported into the USA. Black, chocolate, and black/white Cavaliers have also been found in Europe, Australia, China, and other parts of the world.

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With the cost-efficient and readily available DNA testing of the last 5-7 years, the visual abundance of chocolates and black/whites has increased. It has been proven that these colors are not more or less prone to health issues than classic-colored Cavaliers. They carry the same health risks as any other Cavalier.

 

The AKC allows the registration of:

- Blenheim

- Ruby

- Black & Tan

- Tri (Black & White with tan markings)

- Black & White (no tan markings)

- Chocolate & Tan

- Chocolate & White with Tan Markings (Chocolate Tri)

 

Currently, chocolates cannot compete in AKC conformation shows but can participate in some agility competitions. Owners or breeders must submit color photos with any AKC chocolate registration before it is accepted, and chocolate males intended for breeding must also submit a separate DNA sample to the AKC.

 

Responsible breeders work diligently to increase the health of Cavaliers. As people become more aware of the breed and their fantastic coat colors, it is wonderful to see the public welcoming back chocolates and black/whites, and actively seeking them out. These colors are not a fad nor are they the result of mixing with other breeds; they represent the true heritage of Cavaliers. 

 

In the past decade, Cavaliers have seen a 735% increase in AKC registrations, more than any other breed. So, the next time you see a Cavalier of another color, appreciate the hard work, diligence, and efforts of breeders and past Cavaliers who have preserved these unique genes.