How long does a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel live?

The listed lifespan for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is 12–15 years.

How tall is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel?

The listed height for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is 12–13 in.

Is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is 5 out of 5.

When is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel full grown?

The growth size band for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is 8–12 months.

Toy Group

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small dog in the Toy Group. Adult weight is 13–18 lb, height is 12–13 in, and the listed lifespan is 12–15 years. AKC describes the temperament as Affectionate, Gentle, Graceful.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog — Photo: NNeilAlieNN · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan12–15 years

Weight13–18 lb

SizeSmall GroupToy Group

Height

12–13 in

Energy

3 / 5

Shedding

2 / 5

Grooming

2 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

5 / 5

The breed record

Across 45 single-size small breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 13.5 years is about the same as the 13.6-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 15.5 lb is about the same as the 16 lb average for those small breeds.

The listed origin is England. The coat is described as silky, wavy, medium. The AKC energy score is 3 out of 5, 0.3 points below the group average of 3.3 for the Toy Group. Shedding scores 2 out of 5, so loose hair is limited. Grooming scores 2 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 5 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 12 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in 8–12 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): very small dogs reach maturity at 8-12 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Patella Evaluation, Hip Evaluation, Cardiac Exam, and Ophthalmologist Evaluation. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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