Imagine how deflated British breeders must have been when an American issued a challenge at their dog show –  complete with a nice financial prize –  to undo what they’d spent years trying to accomplish?

This,  in essence, is what happened to King Charles Spaniel exhibitors at the 1925 Crufts dog show. Mr. Roswell Eldridge longed to see the long nosed “Charlies” he’d seen in paintings, only there weren’t any. Not at Crufts, and not, evidently, in the whole of England. Eldridge issued a challenge that was published in the Crufts catalogue the following year: He would present £25 to the first place dog and bitch that were of the “old type” of King Charles Spaniel each year for the next three years.  His ad read:

‘Blenheim Spaniels of the Old Type, as shown in pictures of Charles II’s time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed with spot in centre of skull.  First prize of £25 in Class 947 and 948 are given by Roswell Eldridge Esq., of New York, USA.  Prizes go to nearest to type required.’

Today, £25 would be worth about $1372.50, and in 1926, £25 was especially attractive. Still, breeders had spent years breeding for the flat faced King Charles Spaniel; not only was there little interest in going backwards, but anyone taking part in the contest was roundly ridiculed.

A challenge, however, is a challenge, especially when there’s money riding on it. As the story goes, only a couple of “takers” showed up that first year, but interest grew, and in time, a small band of breeders worked together recreate the “original type” King Charles Spaniel.

The prize was eventually awarded in 1928. That same year, the small group of breeders of the “original type” King Charles Spaniels formed a club for their “new” breed. They still wanted to be associated with the King Charles Spaniel since many of the breeders had bred back to the original type by using the long faced dogs unwanted by other kennels. To distinguish their dogs from the short nosed King Charles Spaniel, however, the breeders added the word, Cavalier,” to their breed’s name and voila, the “Cavalier King Charles Spaniel” was born.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Painting by Hazel Morgan
Stockbridge Gallery
http://www.dogsinart.com