aspects, but one of the things it does not address is that there should be cushioning under the eye—to contribute to the dog’s soft, gentle aspect—helping to give that melting “look” that we come to know so well. Th e 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 without dome or peak; it should appear flat because of the high placement of the ears”—it usually appears flat only when the ears are at attention and framing the face of an alert dog. When the dog is at rest, there actually can be a slight rounding at the top of the skull (not a pro- nounced curve). Th is is perfectly accept- able in the breed. Th e Cavalier is not a breed that sin- gle tracks at the brisk trot. Rather, his rear legs move parallel to each other tho there is slight convergence when speed increases. Th ey should move straight and true—and angulation front and rear should balance so that reach and drive is maximized. Hackney 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 limitations. Note: the Cavalier was bred to be strictly a companion animal. Along the way his ancestry undoubtedly includ- ed some sporting and perhaps hunting breeds—with some breed historians sug- gesting lineage as diverse as the Spanish tru ffl e 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 to judges. Ideal carriage should not be much above the level of the back, with carriage between 2 and 4 o’clock being acceptable. But remember—males some- times will 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 for- give a tail that I deem to be a bit excitable, rather than put up a poorer conformation specimen. Remember, anyone of us can see a true gay tail in the air…it doesn’t take rocket science… but sometimes I think the easy criticism takes undue precedence
Tricolor male with excellent breed type.
Side gait showing excellent reach and drive.
crashing down if we reward the very best specimen who may be a bit outside the guidelines. Even the Standard reminds us that “slight variations are permissible.” Temperament and ring behavior is another area where the unwary judge may find himself wanting. I have encountered any number of judges who are convinced that the only good Cavalier is a Cavalier whose tail is constantly wagging. Now, a wagging tail is a very nice thing in our Cavaliers, and the tail DOES wag when the dog is in motion. But as judges we must remember that these animals are not automatons. When standing, many of them will wag sometimes and other times... not. As judges, it is up to us to dis- cern that the exhibits we like and want to reward are happy to be in the ring. We can
tell that by the expression in the eye, the willingness to do what the handler wishes, and overall “biddability.” Any single dog’s worth should NOT be measured in terms of wags per minute. Please understand that I am not advocating any Cavalier be rewarded for atypical behavior. Tempera- ment is the very essence of this breed—a glad, kindling expression, friendliness to all, and an abiding, happy outlook on life. Th ere are any number of ways to determine whether or not you are judging a happy dog. Wagging is perhaps one of them, but no Cavalier should be penalized because he forgot his ‘wagger’ at a crucial moment during judging. Quality is all. Th e head and expression of the Cava- lier is a quintessential part of his breed type. Th e Standard is explicit about many
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