FCI-Standard No 128

KING CHARLES SPANIEL

Kennel Club, London 1994     
F.C.I. Standard No. 128

GENERAL APPEARANCE - Refined, compact and cobby. 

CHARACTERISTICS - Happy, intelligent, toy spaniel, with distinctive domed head. 

TEMPERAMENT - Reserved, gentle and affectionate. 

HEAD AND SKULL - Skull large in comparison to size, well domed, full over eyes.  Nose black with large, wide-open nostrils, very short and turned-up to meet skull.  Stop between skull and nose well defined.  Muzzle square, wide and deep, well turned up, lower jaw wide, lips exactly meeting, giving nice finish.  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. 

MOUTH - Bite should be slightly undershot.  Protruding tongue highly undesirable. 

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

FOREQUARTERS - Legs short, straight.  Shoulders well laid back, elbows close to rib cage, turning neither in nor out. 

BODY - Chest wide and deep, back short and level. 

HINDQUARTERS - Sufficient muscle to give positive driving movement, stifles well bent, hocks well let down and defined.  Straight viewed from behind, turning neither in nor out. 

FEET - Compact, well padded and feathered, toes well knuckled, round cat shaped foot, well cushioned, pasterns firm.  Occasionally central pads and nails fused together. 

TAIL - Well feathered not carried over or above level of back.  Docking optional. 

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

COAT - 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. 
Tri-Colour - 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. 

SIZE -  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. 

NOTE - Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.