SPANIELS (TOY)—BLENHEIM, KING CHARLES, PRINCE CHARLES, AND RUBY.
(From Modern Dogs.)
Ruby Spaniel. Prince Charles Spaniel.
Origin.—Shrouded in mystery. The King Charles spaniel derives its name from the second monarch of that name, and the Blenheim from the family seat of the Duke of Marlborough. The colors were originally black, tan, and white for the first breed, and orange or red and white for the second.
Uses.—Essentially pet dogs, though at one time the Blenheim was used for hunting birds.
[*] Scale of Points, Etc.
King Charles, Prince Charles, and Ruby.
| Value. | |
|---|---|
| Symmetry, condition, and size | 20 |
| Head | 15 |
| Stop | 5 |
| Muzzle | 10 |
| Eyes | 10 |
| Ears | 15 |
| Coat and feathering | 15 |
| Color | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
Blenheim.
| Value. | |
|---|---|
| Symmetry, condition, and size | 20 |
| Head | 15 |
| Stop | 5 |
| Muzzle | 10 |
| Eyes | 5 |
| Ears | 10 |
| Coat and feathering | 15 |
| Color and markings | 15 |
| Spot | 5 |
| Total | 100 |
Head.—Well domed, and in good specimens absolutely semi-globular, sometimes even extending beyond the half-circle, and absolutely projecting over eyes, so as nearly to meet upturned nose.
Eyes.—Set wide apart, with eyelids square to line of face, not oblique or fox-like; large, lustrous, very dark in color, so as to be generally considered black; their enormous pupils, which are absolutely of that color, increasing the description.
KING OF THE BLENHEIMS
Mrs. F. Senn’s, 278 West Eleventh Street, New York.
Stop.—Well marked as in bulldog, or even more so, some good specimens exhibiting a hollow deep enough to bury a small marble.
Nose.—Short, well turned up, without any indication of artificial displacement; color of end black, and both deep and wide, with open nostrils.
Jaw.—Lower jaw wide, leaving plenty of space for tongue and for attachment of lower lips, which should completely conceal teeth; also turned up or “finished,” so as to allow of its meeting end of upper jaw, turned up in a similar way.
Ears.—Long, so as to approach the ground; in an average-sized dog they measure 20 inches from tip to tip, and some reach 22 inches; set low on head; heavily feathered. In this respect the King Charles is expected to exceed the Blenheim, and his ears occasionally extend to 24 inches.
Size.—The most desirable size is about 10 pounds.
Shape.—In compactness of shape these spaniels almost rival the pug, being decidedly cobby, with strong, stout legs, broad back, and wide chest.
Coat.—Long, silky, soft, and wavy, but not curly. In the Blenheim there should be a profuse mane, extending well down in front of chest. Feather well displayed on ears and feet, where it is so long as to give appearance of their being webbed; also carried well up the backs of the legs. In the King Charles, feather on ears is very long and profuse, exceeding that of Blenheim by an inch or more. The feather on tail (which is about 3½ or 4 inches) should be silky, and from 5 to 6 inches in length, constituting a marked flag of a square shape, and not carried above level of back.
DUKE OF CHESTER
Mrs. F. Senn’s, 278 West Eleventh Street, New York.
King Charles Spaniel.
Color.—Varies with the breed. The King Charles is a rich, glossy black and deep tan, without white; tan spots over eyes and on cheeks, and the usual markings on legs, are also required. The Blenheim must on no account be whole-colored, but have a ground of pure, pearly white, with bright, rich chestnut or ruby-red markings evenly distributed in large patches; ears and cheeks red; a blaze of white extending from nose up to forehead, and ending between ears in a crescentic curve; in center of this blaze there should be a clear spot of red, size of a sixpence. The tricolor, or Charles the First spaniel, should have the tan of the King Charles, with markings like Blenheim, in black instead of red, on a pearly white ground; ears and under the tail should also be lined with tan. The tricolor has no spot, that beauty being peculiarly the property of the Blenheim.
The only name by which the tricolor, or black, white, and tan, in future shall be recognized, is Prince Charles.
That in future the all-red toy spaniel be known by name of Ruby spaniel; the color of nose to be black. The points of the Ruby to be same as those of King Charles, differing only in color.
Black-and-tan spaniels with markings of white shall be entered in Prince Charles class, and red spaniels with white markings must go into Blenheim class.
