Okay, seriously… you guys aren’t gonna believe this.
So I’ve always loved Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, right? Like, obsessed. I follow the pages, I’ve had a few, I know the colors—Blenheim, ruby, black and tan, tri-color. That’s it. That’s the breed. End of story.
Or so I thought.
Until one day I saw a picture of a chocolate Cavalier.
And listen—I’m not even exaggerating—I thought it was photoshopped. I was like, “what the heck am I looking at?” It was absolutely stunning. Same face. Same ears. Same little soulful eyes. But this deep, rich, mocha coat that literally looked like it came out of a chocolate truffle box. I couldn’t stop staring.
So naturally, I got curious. I started Googling. At first, I thought maybe it was a mix, or a fluke, or something rare.
Nope.
Turns out, chocolate and black Cavaliers are 100% real. Not only that—they’ve actually been around for hundreds of years. The first chocolate and white Cavalier was even registered with the AKC back in 1996. And guess what? Cavaliers were only added to the AKC in 1994… which means chocolates have been there from the very beginning.
So I’m like… why don’t we ever see them??
That’s when things got weird.
I started reaching out to some breeders to ask if anyone had chocolate or black puppies. And you guys… I was shocked by the responses I got.
Some of the “reputable” breeders literally trashed them. Like, full-on said they’re not real Cavaliers. One told me they were “a disgrace.” Another said they were “ruining the breed.” Like… wait, what?? You’re mad about a coat color?
So obviously that made me dig deeper. Because the hate was SO over-the-top it felt personal.
That’s when I found out there’s this whole under-the-radar group of breeders who’ve been fighting for years just to be allowed to show these dogs. Like… fighting just to exist in the breed community. And let me tell you—they’ve been bullied, shut out, harassed, and straight-up blacklisted for it.
I was honestly sick over it. These dogs are sweet, healthy, beautiful—and the breeders who love them are being treated like trash. Over a color.
And here’s where it really gets insane.
There’s a national club—the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club (ACKCSC)—that’s supposed to represent the breed. But instead of helping or even listening, they’re completely ignoring these colors. Like, won’t even talk about them. Won’t meet. Won’t open the books. Won’t even acknowledge the club that’s been trying to do something good.
That club? It’s called CKCS United. They’re the only ones standing up for chocolates and blacks, and they’re doing everything the right way—UKC recognized, health testing, education, legit research. And the ACKCSC won’t even give them the time of day.
I’m sorry but… what??
This isn’t just sad. It’s disgusting. It’s like dog-world racism. These colors are being erased, and the people trying to preserve them are being bullied into silence. And nobody’s talking about it.
Well… I am now.
Because this is wrong. And we don’t have to just sit here and watch it happen. These dogs need advocates. These breeders need support. And the Cavalier world needs a serious reality check.
So yeah. I started this just thinking, “what a pretty dog.”
Now I know better. And I can’t un-know it.
If you love Cavaliers—really love them—you owe it to yourself to look deeper.
Because what’s happening to these chocolates and blacks?
It’s not just unfair.
It’s shameful.
And if this is what they’re doing out in the open…
just imagine what else they’ve been hiding.
