“The head and expression of the Cavalier is a quintessential part of his breed type.”
Temperament and ring behavior is another area where the unwary judge may find himself wanting. I have en- countered any number of judges who are convinced that the only good Cav- alier is a Cavalier whose tail is con- stantly wagging. Now, a wagging tail is a very nice thing in our Cavaliers, and the tail does wag when the dog is in mo- tion. But as judges, we must remember that these animals are not automa- tons. When standing, many of them will wag sometimes, and other times... not. As judges, it is up to us to discern that the exhibits we like and want to reward are happy to be in the ring. We can tell this by the expression in the eye, the willingness to do what the handler wishes, and overall “biddabil- ity.” Any single dog’s worth should not be measured in terms of wags per min- ute. Please understand that I am not advocating any Cavalier be rewarded for atypical behavior. Temperament is the very essence of this breed—a glad, kindly expression, friendliness to all, and an abiding, happy outlook on life. There are any number of ways to de- termine whether or not you are judg- ing a happy dog. Wagging is perhaps one of them, but no Cavalier should be penalized because he forgot his “wag- ger” at a crucial moment during judg- ing. Quality is all. The head and expression of the Cava- lier is a quintessential part of his breed type. The Standard is explicit about many aspects, but one of the things it does not address fully is that there should be cushioning under the eye— to contribute to the dog’s soft, gentle aspect—helping to give that melt- ing “look” that we’ve come to know so well. The dark eyes are frontally
placed, round and full—never oblique. Another thing to keep in mind is that while the Standard says that the skull is “Slightly rounded, but with- out dome or peak; it should appear flat because of the high placement of the ears”—it usually appears flat only when the ears are alert. When the dog is at rest, there actually can be a slight rounding at the top of the skull (not a pronounced curve). This is perfectly acceptable in the breed. The Cavalier is not a breed that single tracks at a brisk trot. Rather, his rear legs move parallel to each other though there is slight convergence when speed increases. They should move straight and true—and angulation front and rear should balance so that reach and drive is maximized. Hack- ney action in front is not acceptable. Again, he may not be doing arduous tasks in the field, but he is built so that he could do whatever came his way (commensurate with his size limita- tions). Note: The Cavalier was bred to be strictly a companion animal. Along the way, his ancestry undoubtedly
included some Sporting and perhaps hunting breeds—with lineage as di- verse as the Spanish truffle dog! While he may exhibit some traits that acknowledge his roots, he was never intended to be anything but a lap dog and companion. Tail carriage is sometimes a sticking point for judges. Ideal carriage should not be much above the level of the back, with carriage between 2 and 4 o’clock being acceptable. But remem- ber, males will sometimes posture in the ring and raise the tail. As judges, it is up to us to decide what to do about that. Personally, I would forgive a tail that I deem to be a bit excitable, rather than put up a poorer conforma- tion specimen. Remember, any one of us can see a truly gay tail in the air (it doesn’t take rocket science), but sometimes I think the easy criticism takes undue precedence when we reward, instead, a dog with straight shoulders or sickle hocks. Bites in the Cavalier sometimes give both judges and breeders absolute fits! Our Standard says that “A perfect,
38 • T op N otch T oys , O ctober 2022
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