The English Toy Spaniel, or Charlie, comes in four different colors to please your discerning palette. They come in multi-colored patterns which are sometimes referred to as "broken". They also come in solid colors. Each color of the Charlie has a different name. They were originally considered to be different breeds. However, they were consolidated into one breed in the late 1800's.
The Blenheim
The first Charlie is red and white in color. It is considered to be "broken" in color. It is a white dog with patches of rich red all over its body. It has red patches over its head and is referred to as the Blenheim color. They were named after the family of the Dukes of Marlborough. This family owned many of the red and white Charlies over the years.
The Prince Charles
The principle multi-colored or "broken" Charlie is sometimes commonly referred to as the "Tri". It is a white dog with patches of black all over its body. It has a tan lining over the eyes, the ears, and beneath the tail. It is preferable that this Charlie has black patches over both eyes.
There were several attempts in breeding to eliminate the white in the Charlie. It was thought that a Charlie without the color white would be more regal looking. These attempts resulted in two more dogs that are known and referred to as the solid colors. This is actually kind of funny as the more popular of these two really has two different colors on it! The "solid" color Charlies are not supposed to have any of the white color on them. However, occasionally the stray white patch of hair will find their way onto a "solid" Charlie.
The King Charles
Charlies who are Black with tan are known as the King Charles variety. These are the most popular color of the breed. They are considered to be a "solid" color. They are a black dog with tan highlights over their eyes and on their cheeks. They also have tan highlights on their legs and beneath their tail. They are named for King Charles I and II. This variety was said to be King Charles's favorite and he had a great fondness for them. He often would get into trouble for spending too much time playing with his beloved Charlies.
The Ruby
This Charlie is a rich mahogany red color. Occasionally there will be a few white hairs on their chests, but otherwise they are solid in their rich red color. The instances of white hair are few and far between and should not be held against them.
This dog is easy to care for and its coat remains shiny and sleek. There may on occasion be a slight wave to some of the coats of the Charlie. There are different lengths and thicknesses to the coat depending on which color variety you choose. The Prince Charles and the King Charles both have longer and thicker coats than the Ruby and the Blenheim varieties. Whichever color you choose, the English Toy Spaniel is sure to be worthy of your adoration.
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