King Charles Spaniel Care

The King Charles Spaniel--also called the English Toy Spaniel or simply the "Charlie"--is a small-sized, lovable breed that's often confused with its cousin, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. And while the two breeds share many similarities, Charlies are a little smaller in size and more timid in temperament than Cavaliers. One thing it has in common with the Cavalier, though, is that King Charles Spaniel care doesn't require too much work.

Below you'll find plenty of details on caring for a King Charles Spaniel: puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. For answers to all your questions about King Charles Spaniel care and maintenance, keep reading!

As with any breed, consistent King Charles Spaniel exercise is vital to this breed's health, happiness, and longevity. As quintessential lap dogs, Charlies aren't all that energetic, and will usually be fine with a couple of short walks and a bit of playtime each day.

Specifically how much exercise does a King Charles Spaniel need on a daily basis, though? The typical adult KCS, depending on its age and overall activity level, will require 30-45 minutes of proper physical activity a day. You can begin exercising your Charlie puppy at three months of age by taking it on short (5- to 10-minute) walks, then increasing the walks' length and frequency as the pup grows.

A few precautions to consider when exercising your King Charles Spaniel: first, puppies younger than nine months old shouldn't participate in activities that include a lot of jumping, running, and navigating of stairs, as doing so can injure their still-developing joints and bones. And regardless of age, it's best to keep your Charlie on a leash when in public. These little dogs are naturally curious and have a pretty high prey drive, so they'll often run off to chase interesting-looking critters like birds or butterflies if given the chance; a leash will help curb that tendency when you're out and about. Charlies also form very strong bonds with their owners, and easily suffer separation anxiety if left alone--which means these dogs benefit much more from activities in which at least one of their human family members also takes part. And finally, the King Charles Spaniel is brachycephalic, meaning it has a short nose that doesn't cool the air it breathes as well as other longer-nosed breeds; this condition can cause a Charlie to suffer heat stroke in extremely hot weather. So it's best not to exercise your Charlie in sweltering temperatures, and be sure to provide the dog with access to fresh water at all times.

Safeguards aside, it's good to exercise a King Charles Spaniel every single day. Though not the most active breed, a bored or restless Charlie will exhibit behavioral problems like fussiness, disobedience, excessive barking, and general unhappiness. Consistent exercise, then, will keep your Charlie happy--and you'll be happier as well! A few exercise ideas:

• Walking: Two 15-minute walks per day is a good target
• Fetch: Can be played indoors or out
• Hide-and-Seek: Great indoor activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Dog Park: Your Charlie will enjoy the company of other dogs
• Blowing Bubbles: A Charlie will love "attacking" the bubbles you blow

When indoors, it's a good idea to give your Charlie access to one or more balls or toys that will allow it to burn off excess energy. It's also recommended that you establish a consistent exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks after breakfast and dinner and a play period in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, care needed for these dogs is low to moderate overall. King Charles Spaniel shedding is fair, and drooling is basically a non-issue.

Charlies have medium- to long-haired, silky coats that shed year-round. But how much does a King Charles Spaniel shed overall? In short, not a whole lot. Owners say that frequent brushing will help--and it'll also help a Charlie's coat from matting and tangling so easily. Owners may need to vacuum the floors and use lint rollers on clothes and furniture from time to time to pick up stray hairs, but it's not a constant need.

A King Charles Spaniels may drool a bit in anticipation of food or when especially hot and panting, but that's about it. If your Charlie is drooling excessively, it may be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care might be required.

The King Charles Spaniel diet, as with every dog, needs to include food that has plenty of animal proteins and carbohydrates for energy, vitamins and minerals for digestive and immune health, and omega fatty acids for coat and skin wellness. This means that the best food for King Charles Spaniels is premium dry food, specifically the kind made for small breeds, because it contains balanced amounts of the above-listed ingredients that a Charlie will need on a daily basis. Cheap, generic foods are not recommended for this breed, because they're made up mostly of empty "filler" ingredients that won't keep the dog healthy for the long term. High-quality kibble like Natural Balance Ultra Premium Small Breed and Now Fresh Small Breed Adult Recipe is best.

And how much of this premium food will your Charlie eat? As you can imagine, these little dogs won't need much. The typical adult KCS, depending on its age, size, and activity level, will require about ¾ cup of dry food per day, divided into two meals. A Charlie puppy, again depending on its age, will need about ½ cup per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months of age. For further info on feeding a Charlie from puppyhood through maturity, here's a King Charles Spaniel feeding guide:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing in a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a bit more adult food to the mixture, until the dog is eating it entirely.

It's best to stick to the above-listed portions if possible. King Charles Spaniels have a fairly high tendency for obesity, and constantly overfeeding your Charlie will easily make the dog fat, leading to joint, digestive and breathing problems. You can help control your Charlie's weight by establishing regular feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps, and by not leading food in the dog's bowl all the time, thereby allowing it to eat anytime it wants. It's better to put your Charlie's bowl down only at mealtimes, then pick it up a few minutes after the dog begins eating.

If you're worried your Charlie is overweight, give the dog this simple test: run a hand along its side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time. Reduce your Charlie's daily food consumption by one-fourth, and add an extra walk or play period to its daily exercise schedule.

A majority of veterinarians, breeders, and owners agree that the best food for a King Charles Spaniel is premium dry kibble. This high-quality food, while more expensive and harder to obtain, contains the nutrients your Charlie needs to live a longer, healthier, happier life. Cheap, generic food is not recommended for this breed, because it contains mostly empty "filler" ingredients that are unhealthy, are harder for the dog to digest, and may even shorten the dog's lifespan if consumed on a consistent basis.

Charlies will do best with premium food that's formulated for small breeds. Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, and Eukanuba are recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium small-breed food.

Hot and cold environments are not at all good for King Charles Spaniels. Due to their cross-bred Pug noses that over the centuries have created respiratory complications, the cold and hot air they breathe does not have time to warm up or cool down. Along with their propensity for not needing much exercise, being out in the cold is very bad for them, whereas overheating comes easily if the weather is very hot.