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Dogs of all nations / a complete work, profusely illustrated, bearing on the world's different varieties of the dog, grouped under their several nationalities, with descriptive matter explaining the characteristics and utility of each cover

Dogs of all nations / a complete work, profusely illustrated, bearing on the world's different varieties of the dog, grouped under their several nationalities, with descriptive matter explaining the characteristics and utility of each

Chapter 35: TOY SPANIEL
By Walter Esplin Mason
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About This Book

The work presents a comprehensive, illustrated breed handbook that catalogs dog varieties grouped by nationality, providing concise descriptions of appearance, coloration, proportions, and utility. Entries focus on measurable traits—size, head, ears, eyes, tail—and general conformation, often noting standard colors, typical weights and working aptitudes; bitches are noted as slightly lighter. The text favors practical identification over theory, aiming to assist enthusiasts and breeders with accessible breed standards and comparative notes rather than exhaustive pedigrees or histories.

TOY SPANIEL

Weight: Not exceeding 10 lbs.

The color of this dog varies with his breed, there being four varieties: A. The King Charles; B. Tri-color, or Prince Charles; C. Ruby; D. Blenheim.

The King Charles is a rich glossy black, with deep tan spots over the eyes and on the cheeks.

The Tri-color or Prince Charles should have the tan of the King Charles with markings like the Blenheim in black instead of red, on a pearly white ground, the ears and under the tail should be lined with tan, and he has no “spot.”

The Ruby is a rich chestnut red and a few white hairs intermixed on his chest carries great weight against him, as they do on the chest of the King Charles.

The Blenheim must on no account be whole colored, but should have a ground of pure pearly white, with bright, rich chestnut or Ruby markings, evenly distributed in large patches, and should have a spot on the forehead.

Strictly speaking this breed might, with some justice, be classed with the Spanish breeds, as unquestionably the King Charles Spaniel originally hailed from that country, but since the early part of the seventeenth century certain families of the English nobility have affected him and it is equally true to assign the production of the other three varieties to their influence and breeding operations.

The King Charles’s compactness of shape almost rivals that of the Pug. He has a broad back and wide chest. The head is well domed, and in good specimens is semi-globular, and the skull should project over the eyes, so as to nearly meet the upturned nose. The eyes are set wide apart, are large and dark, with enormous pupils. The stop is well marked, some good specimens exhibiting a hollow. The nose is short and well turned up and should be both deep and wide with open nostrils. The ears must be long so as to almost touch the ground, are set low on the head, and be heavily feathered. The coat is long, silky, soft and wavy, but not curly. In the Blenheim there should be a profuse mane. The feathering should be well displayed on the ears and feet, and on the King Charles the feathering is very long and profuse. The feathering on the tail (which is cut to the length of three or four inches) should be silky, forming a marked “flag” of a square shape, and must not be carried above the level of the back.