Animal register · DogIn the app

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Cavalier, CKCS

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small toy spaniel from Great Britain with long, feathered ears and a long, silky coat in four colours: Blenheim, ruby, black and tan, and tricolour. Its standard describes an active, graceful dog with a gentle expression — sporting, affectionate, friendly and fearless.

It needs about an hour of exercise a day, can live in a flat and is known to be good around children, though play should be supervised and it does not like being left alone. Its coat needs brushing more than once a week. UK sources name heart valve disease and a painful spinal condition linked to skull shape as the main health concerns, so breeders are asked to heart-test and MRI-scan their dogs.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated: 10 October 2026

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel — photo (AI) — AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Adult weight: 5.4–8 kg — FCI S103; 5.4–8.2 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S106; 5.4–8.2 kg — PDSA S108
Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Lifespan: median 9.99 years — Royal Veterinary College S71; more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S105

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

apartment livingS105
family lifeS108
families with childrenS108

Keep in mind:

shedsS105 S108
needs brushing several times a weekS105 S108
heart and spine — check health testsS105 S108 S110

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S105

Coat and grooming

Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S105

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

Lifespan: median 9.99 years — Royal Veterinary College S71
Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S105

Life stages

Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Height at the withers: 30–33 cm — PDSA S108
Adult weight: 5.4–8 kg — FCI S103
Adult weight: 5.4–8.2 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S106
Adult weight: 5.4–8.2 kg — PDSA S108

Training

No. 44 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
FCI standard no. 136, group 9 (companion and toy dogs); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S104

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel need?

According to our sources, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S105.

How long does a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is: median 9.99 years — Royal Veterinary College S71; more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S105. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S105; Adult weight: 5.4–8 kg — FCI S103; 5.4–8.2 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S106; 5.4–8.2 kg — PDSA S108.

How much grooming does a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel need?

Coat and grooming of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, according to our sources: Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S105; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S105; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S105.

Who is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as a good fit for: apartment living — The Royal Kennel Club S105; family life — PDSA S108; families with children — PDSA S108. Keep in mind: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S105 S108; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S105 S108; heart and spine — check health tests — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA, University of Bristol S105 S108 S110.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stage	Starts	Meals a day	Daily step goal
Puppy	arrives at 2 months	4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 2	1,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dog	month 9	2	6,000 steps
Adult	month 36 (3 years)	2	6,000 steps
Senior	month 90 (7.5 years)	2	4,500 steps

Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
Combing 4 times a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Royal Veterinary College, PDSA S10 S11 S14 S18 S19 S21 S24 S35 S45 S71 S105 S108

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

Heart disease caused by a weakening mitral valve is a big problem in this breed; it is often first noticed as a heart murmur, and breeding dogs should be heart-graded first. — PDSA S108
Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia, a painful condition with fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord near the brain, occurs in the breed and is linked to skull shape; it is diagnosed by MRI scan. — PDSA S108
Inherited eye conditions such as cataracts occur in the breed, and protruding or irritated eyes are a point of concern; eye testing and DNA tests are available. — The Royal Kennel Club S107

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1 K2
The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1 K9 K10
National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9 K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

DNA test for curly coat / dry eye syndrome (CC/DE) — The Royal Kennel Club S105
DNA test for episodic falling (EF) — The Royal Kennel Club S105
Heart screening for mitral valve disease — The Royal Kennel Club S105

Further tests for best practice

Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S105

Other screening schemes for this breed

MRI screening for Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia (UK: BVA/KC CM/SM scheme) — British Veterinary Association K17

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
S71Royal Veterinary College — VetCompass (O'Neill D. G. et al., SVEPM 2012 poster) — Longevity and mortality of dogs in England (poster; preliminary data of O'Neill et al. 2013, Vet J — see S17) (PDF)https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/VetCompass/Documents/Poster_SVEPM_2012_DONeill.pdf
S103FCI — FCI-Standard N° 136 — Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, EN (PDF)https://WWW.FCI.BE/Nomenclature/Standards/136g09-en.pdf
S104FCI — Breeds nomenclature — Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (136)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/CAVALIER-KING-CHARLES-SPANIEL-136.html
S105The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breeds A–Z: Cavalier King Charles Spanielhttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/toy/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel/
S106The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breed standard: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (last updated April 2025)https://www.royalkennelclub.com/breed-standards/toy/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel/
S107The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breed Watch — Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Category 2)https://www.royalkennelclub.com/activities/heritage-sports/dog-showing/judging-dog-shows/breed-watch-health-and-welfare-of-show-dogs/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel-category-2/
S108PDSA (UK veterinary charity) — Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed informationhttps://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel
S110University of Bristol — news (6 August 2014) — Skull shape risk factors could help in the welfare of toy dog breeds (on Mitchell T. J., Knowler S. P., van den Berg H., Sykes J., Rusbridge C. 2014, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology)https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2014/august/toy-dog-breeds-neurological-diseases.html
K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
K17British Veterinary Association — BVA/KC Chiari Malformation / Syringomyelia (CM/SM) Schemehttps://www.bva.co.uk/canine-health-schemes/cm-sm-scheme/

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

Ready for a pet?

Be among the first families to try PetPrep. We will email you when it is ready — nothing else.