and important diarist of the period, Samuel Pepys, shook his head in dis- approval. An unidentified courtier once reportedly quipped, “God Save His Majesty, but God damn his dogs.” THE MODERN ERA Except in the United States and Canada, to this day the breed is still known in all other nations as the King Charles Spaniel and must not be con- fused with its cousin, the relatively modern, more recently re-developed
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, recog- nized by the AKC in 1995. Although small in number, the English Toy Spaniel today is beloved by average citizens and is quite adaptable to most any modern-era living arrangement, town or country. American fanciers remain united under the stewardship of the English Toy Spaniel Club of America and by an unmovable dedi- cation to the preservation and protec- tion of this delightful, truly historic breed. Membership is a special privi-
lege which requires adherence to an enforceable “Code of Ethics,” under penalty of suspension or permanent expulsion from the club. With con- tinued advances in genetic research, attempting to identify and therefore possibly eliminate various recurring canine health issues, the future looks very promising. Let us work diligently to give to future generations a unique purebred dog worthy of its place in history and in our hearts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Richard LeBeau has lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since 1987. He attended college on a vocal music scholarship, graduating with a BA in German from Eastern Kentucky University after resident studies in Austria. Richard is a retired bass- baritone, having performed from 1988 to 2008 with the Pittsburgh Opera, and currently serves on the Pittsburgh Opera Board of Directors. Richard has raised and exhibited English Toy Spaniels for 33 years, with Beauprix as his prefix (“beautiful prize” in French). He has owned or bred 16 champions of record, including three mul- tiple Toy Group winners, Specialty winners, and two Westminster Kennel Club winners, in King Charles & Ruby and also Blenheim & Prince Charles Varieties of English Toy Spaniels. He has owned Boxers and a champion English Setter.
Richard was approved for English Toy Spaniels in 2010 and achieved Regular Status for the Toy Group in September 2022. He is also approved to judge English, Irish, and Gordon Setters, Manchester Terriers, French Bulldogs, and Poodles, and is provisional for Boston Terriers, Bull- dogs, Dalmatians, Finnish Spitz, Keeshonden, Norwegian Lundehunds, Schipperkes, and Tibetan Terriers. Richard has judged in Wales and England and has attended shows in Japan and Australia. A member of the English Toy Spaniel Club of America since 1990, Richard has served as its member-elected AKC Delegate, Newsletter Editor, and Trophy Chair. Additionally, elected by its membership, he judged the ETSCA National in May 2019. An avid historian, Richard’s articles have been featured in Royal Spaniels, AKC Gazette, The Millennium Book of the King Charles Spaniel, Top Notch Toys, and in overseas publications. His 2011 book about a legendary field champion English Setter, Count Noble: The Greatest Dog That Ever Lived, published by the Sewickley Valley Historical Society, is currently in its fifth printing.
Sources/Verification: *AKC Library and Archives, New York * Encyclopedia Titanica [public forum/internet repository of R.M.S. Titanic commentaries, official testimonials, and statistics] * Gladys, Duchess of Marlborough , by Hugo Vickers, publisher: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York, 1979 * The Diaries , Samuel Pepys [written from 1660 through 1669], variously published * The New York Times [Public Archives] *The late Phyllis Howlett Watson, former President of the King Charles Spaniel Club and personal assistant and friend to Mrs. Lillian Raymond-Mallock * Count Noble: The Great Progenitor , by Joe Kormuth of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, privately published, 1999 T op N otch T oys , J anuary 2024 • 45
The author wishes to thank the following: Norma Rosado-Blake, AKC Archives Meghan Lyons, Photographic Editor, AKC Publications Harton Semple, Director, Sewickley Valley Historical Society David Frei, Director of Communications, Westminster Kennel Club Joe Kormuth, Sporting Dogs and American Field Trials author and historian Elizabeth Wilson Peer for photographs of her great-grandmother, Susannah Roberts Wilson, and great-grandfather, B. F. Wilson. Heather Semple, Director, Duquesne Club Art Collection
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