Cavanese

The Cavanese is a combination of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Havanese, the latter being the national dog of Cuba. Havanese were developed from the Blanquito de la Habana - "little white dog of Havana" - which are now extinct. It is believed the Blanquito was cross-bred with other Bichon types, including the Poodle, to create the Havanese. They are believed to have been brought on ships along with the early colonists to Cuba and it is assumed that they were the dog of Tenerife, which is the common ancestor to all the Bichon family. The Spanish colonists in Cuba took a liking to the little dogs and kept them as companion pets in their homes. When Cubans fled to the United States during the revolution many left their dogs behind. However some made it to the United States and they were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1996 and are now one of the fastest growing breeds of dogs in the club. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was named after King Charles I of Britain in the 1600s who was known to always have one or more of his beloved spaniels by his side. Queen Victoria also owned one but developed a variation of the breed which today is called the English Toy Spaniel in America and the King Charles Spaniel in the United Kingdom. They were small with short, flat faces and a domed skull. In 1926, Roswell Eldridge of America sought to redevelop the breed as King Charles knew it, but he passed away before he saw his desire reach fruition. It did come to be though, with the parentage of a dog called Ann’s Son, who became the breed standard for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This lineage was accepted by the American Kennel Club in 1996 in the Toy Group.