Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs English Toy Spaniel

Photo: Mapovfille

Photo: Eric Sonstroem from California, USA

Side by side

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

English Toy Spaniel

Adult weight

5.4–8 kg (12–18 lb)1

3.6–6.4 kg (8–14 lb)2

Lifespan

Median 11.8 years3

No sourced figure

Fully grown

10 months, both sexes4

Group

Companion & toy5

Companion & toy6

Coat

Long coat5

Long coat6

Shedding

Sheds through the year

Grooming

Daily brushing

Exercise

A modest amount

Health

Dry eye (far more likely); Corneal ulcers (much more likely)7,8

Dry eye (far more likely); Balance disorder (much more likely)7,9

Class

Lap dog

Which suits you

Size

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is larger on average: about 6.7 kg (15 lb) as an adult, against 5 kg (11 lb) for the English Toy Spaniel.

Temperament

They differ most on loyalty (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: friendly with everyone; English Toy Spaniel: sticks close to its people) and on independence (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: keen to work with you; English Toy Spaniel: cooperative, with its own ideas).

Alike

Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.

Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.

Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Companion & toy · Small

In temperament the Cavalier is affectionate, gentle and sociable, keen to stay close to its people and seldom shy or aggressive.

English Toy Spaniel

Companion & toy · Small

In temperament it is gentle, affectionate and playful, quieter than many toy breeds, and can be reserved with strangers. It is usually calm indoors and attaches closely to those it lives with.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel page →The English Toy Spaniel page →

Breed traits

Day to day

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

English Toy Spaniel

Activity

Happy with modest walks

Intelligence

Differs

Learns readily, likes games

Easy-going, simple routines

Handler demand

Suits a first-time owner

With people

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

English Toy Spaniel

Affection

A lap or leaning dog

Loyalty

Differs

Friendly with everyone

Sticks close to its people

Independence

Differs

Keen to work with you

Cooperative, with its own ideas

Around the home

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

English Toy Spaniel

Sensitivity

Needs a calm, predictable home

Voice

Quiet

Prey drive

Usually fine with small pets

Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour10. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home11,12.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes

Summary

Detail

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel grows to the heavier adult, about 6.7 kg against the English Toy Spaniel's 5 kg.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

English Toy Spaniel

More comparisons

Compare the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs English Cocker Spaniel American Cocker Spaniel vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs Shih Tzu All breed comparisons →

Sources

1
American Kennel Club. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed standard. ↑
2
The Kennel Club. English Toy Spaniel breed standard. ↑
3
McMillan et al., 2024. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531 (VetCompass). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
4
Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.8.2027S
5
FCI. Breed standard no. 136. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/136g09-en.pdf
6
FCI. Breed standard no. 128. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/128g09-en.pdf
7
O'Neill et al., 2021. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: an epidemiological study. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13382
8
O'Neill et al., 2017. Corneal ulcerative disease in dogs under primary veterinary care in England: epidemiology and clinical management. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1186/s40575-017-0045-5
9
Radulescu et al., 2020. Vestibular disease in dogs under UK primary veterinary care: Epidemiology and clinical management. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15869
10
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
11
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
12
American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/screening-puppy-buyers-how-top-breeders-find-the-best-homes/
13
Salt et al., 2017. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182064 (WALTHAM). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182064

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