The English Toy Spaniel originated in England and were bred to be a companion to people. It is thought that this breed is a mixture of the Pug or Pekingese with a Spaniel giving them the slightly pushed in face and the body of a smaller spaniel. These dogs were popular with English royalty and were found in various paintings from early English literature. The King Charles Spaniel (with black & tan colouring) is a variety of the English Toy Spaniel.
This breed has a pushed in face like that of a Pug or Bulldog, an under bite, and a wide nose with large nostrils. They have a compact yet solid body with soft fur and large floppy ears. This breed has a few different names for it depending on the colour of their coat. The black & tan variety is known as the King Charles Spaniel, the Blenheim is the white & red variety, the ruby colouring which is all red with a few white markings, and finally the Prince Charles which is the tri-coloured variety (black, white & tan).
The English Toy Spaniel is a shy, sweet and loyal little breed that loves human attention but can seem timid upon the first meeting. They make excellent family pets because they love children and will get along with other dogs and smaller pets very well.
