FCI-Standard N° 128  / 28. 11. 2003 / GB
KING CHARLES SPANIEL
ORIGIN : Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 29.10.2003.

UTILIZATION : Companion and Toy.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs.
Section 7 English Toy Spaniels.
Without working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Refined, compact and cobby.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Happy, intelligent, toy spaniel, with distinctive domed head.  Reserved, gentle and affectionate.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Large in comparison to size, well domed, full over eyes.
Stop : Between skull and nose well defined.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Black, with large, wide-open nostrils, very short and turned-up to meet skull.
Muzzle : Square, wide and deep, well turned up.
Lips : Exactly meeting, giving nice finnish.
Jaws/Teeth : Lower jaw wide.  Bite should be slightly undershot.  Protruding tongue highly undesirable.
Cheeks : Not falling away under eyes, but well cushioned.
Eyes : Very large and dark, set wide apart, eyelids block square to face line, pleasing expression.
Ears : Set on low, hanging quite flat to cheeks, very long and well feathered.

NECK : Of medium length; arched giving proud carriage of head.

BODY :
Back : Short and level.
Chest : Wide and deep.

TAIL : Docking optional.
Docked : Well feathered, not carried over or above level of back.
Undocked : Well feathered, not carried over or above level of back.  In overall balance with the rest of the dog.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Legs short, straight.
Shoulders : Well laid back.
Elbows : Close to rib cage, neither turning in nor out.
Pasterns : Firm.

HINDQUARTERS : Sufficient muscle to give positive driving movement.
Stifles : Well bent.
Hock joints : Well let down and defined.
Hocks : Straight viewed from behind, turning neither in nor out.

FEET :  Compact, well padded and feathered, toes well knuckled, round cat shaped foot, well cushioned.  Occasionally central pad and nails fused together.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Free, active and elegant, driving from behind.  Sound movement highly desirable.

COAT

HAIR : Long, silky and straight, slight wave allowed, never curly.  Legs, ears and tail profusely feathered.

COLOUR :

• Black and Tan : Rich glossy black, with bright mahogany-tan markings on muzzle, legs, chest, linings of ears, under tail and spots over eyes.  White patch on chest undesirable.

• Tricolour : Ground pearly white, with well distributed black patches, brilliant tan markings on cheeks, linings of ears, under tail and spots over eyes.  Wide white blaze between eyes and up forehead.

• Blenheim : Ground pearly white, with well distributed chestnut-red patches.  Wide, clear blaze with the « spot » in centre of skull, should be a clear chestnut red mark about the size of a penny.

• Ruby : Whole coloured, rich chestnut red.  White patch on chest highly undesirable.

WEIGHT :  3.6-6.3 kg (8-14 lbs).

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

This amended breed standard will become effective from April 2004.