Both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and King Charles Spaniel take their name from Charles II who had many toy spaniels. But he was not the only royal to have these dogs. His father Charles I also kept them as did his sister Henrietta of Orleans. After his death he was succeeded by his brother James II who also kept these small dogs. Mary Queen of Scots was alleged to have also owned one as too did Queen Ann and also Queen Victoria. The above painting by John Singleton Copeley shows the children of George III with their dogs. Pictured from left to right are Princess Mary, Princess Amelia and Princess Sophia. In more recent times Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon also owned a Blenheim Cavalier named Rowley.

Their house was quite spacious but rather shabby. Evelyn and Wilfred cared little for flashy furnishings and the latest mod cons. Their lounge contained several scratched and battered armchairs and numerous bean bags all for the use of their many cats and dogs. Their home was full of rescued animals. As well as the cats and dogs, there were parrots, rabbits and guinea pigs plus an assortment of cages containing hamsters, mice and gerbils. If any animal was in need of a home Evelyn and Wilfred would always oblige. They gained much satisfaction in turning their home into a sanctuary for waifs and strays.

Their garden was a fair size and was the home to quite a few rescue goats, but their latest addition was an elderly and somewhat scruffy old donkey. Nobody seemed to know his history, he was found tied to a post just outside the village. He had simply been abandoned. A local policeman knew that Evelyn and Wilfred were involved with rescued animals and asked if they knew of anyone that would be willing to give him a good home. Being such a soft touch they decided to take him in themselves.

When they brought him home all of their other animals took very little notice of him except for Treacle, a tricolour Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He seemed almost enchanted by the old donkey and immediately made friends with him and rarely left his side. This behaviour intrigued the other dogs. "Why does he constantly follow that old donkey around?" remarked Bacchus, the brindled Lurcher. "He’s a typical stupid Cavalier," replied Bertram, the old rescue Greyhound. "A very strange lad. I haven’t a clue as to why he wants to make friends with that useless beast." Despite the criticism Treacle would spend most of the day in the garden with the old donkey.

To help with the upkeep of feeding all their animals Evelyn and Wilfred would often buy and sell things at boot fairs and auctions. One day, after purchasing a number of items at a sale, they unloaded their wares in their back garden. From the back of their rusty old van they brought out a series of old jugs and vases, a few old clocks, some porcelain figurines and a rather old faded oil painting in a somewhat chipped and battered frame. On seeing this painting the old donkey became quite excited and let out a very loud neigh.

"See what I mean?" remarked Bacchus. "That donkey is completely nuts! I mean why get excited over such a grubby old picture? After all, you can’t eat it. And why Treacle hangs around with that old beast amazes me."

Wilfred though that he might make a few pounds on the old painting if the frame was cleaned up a bit. The picture was not that spectacular, just a country scene of a few trees and an old ruined castle on a hill. Until he had time to work on it Wilfred hung it on a hook in the hallway. The donkey, however, appeared very intrigued with the painting and would spend hours just gazing through the window at the picture. They had erected a horsebox in the garden where the donkey could sleep and quite often Treacle was to be found in there at the side of his new found friend.

It was just two weeks after they had acquired the painting that Evelyn was awakened early one morning by the wind blowing hard against the bedroom door. "What was that?" she cried out.

"What’s what?" Wilfred exclaimed.

"There’s a noise downstairs. I can hear something rattling."

Wilfred jumped out of bed and grabbed a big stick before cautiously opening the bedroom door and nervously creeping down the stairs. "There’s nobody here," he cried out. "But I think that we may have had intruders because the front door is wide open."

They switched on the light and began checking around. Nothing appeared to be missing and the cats and dogs were all snoozing on their beds except for Treacle who was nowhere around. They were quite perplexed as all the windows were closed and they always bolted the back door. However, the bolt had been opened from the inside and the latch was pulled up. "How could this have happened?" they wondered.

They went out to check the garden and found to their distress that the horse box door was wide open. When they peered inside they discovered the old donkey was missing but Treacle was fast asleep there. They spent the following day driving all around the area and questioning people in the village in the vain hope of finding the donkey. What they found most puzzling was the fact that the garden gate was still padlocked, so how could he have got out?

They finally went home, feeling both disappointed and perplexed. But the day of mystery deepened further when Evelyn casually looked at the painting. "That’s strange!" she exclaimed. "I’ve never noticed that before!"

"Noticed what?" enquired Wilfred.

"This picture", said Evelyn. "Under one of the trees is a unicorn. And look! I’m sure that the castle on the hill was an old ruin and yet it now appears to be restored in all its splendour. And there’s a rainbow in the sky. I’m certain that wasn’t there before!"

Bertram nudged Bacchus and said, "What’s the betting that Treacle’s got something to do with all this. He’s a weird one, let’s find him."

They both ambled over to the horse box where Treacle was snuggled up on the hay. "Right!" said Bacchus. "What have you been up to? Don’t deny it. We know that you’re involved in that old donkey’s disappearance."

"He’s not an old donkey", said Treacle. "He is in fact a unicorn".

"What do you mean, a unicorn?" demanded Bertram. "He’s just a scruffy, moth-eaten donkey."

"No, you are very wrong," replied Treacle. "You see, us tricolour Cavaliers have secondary eyes. With these tan markings above our eyes we can see into other dimensions. As soon as they brought home the so-called donkey I was able to see straight away that he was a unicorn in disguise. Everyone else saw an elderly donkey with a grubby old coat, but I saw beyond his disguise. He was an elegant unicorn stallion with a brilliant white coat and a most exquisite golden horn. He had lost his way and needed to return home. A lone unicorn is highly vulnerable, hence the need for his disguise. When he saw that painting he immediately recognized it as his homeland so between us we hatched a plan to get him home."

"But how did you do it?" asked Bacchus.

"It was quite simple really. I nudged open the bolt and the latch on the door with my nose and then went and let the unicorn out. He came into the hallway and quickly evaporated into the painting."

"You mean to say that he is in the painting?" asked Bertram in puzzled amazement.

"No, that was simply the transition stage. He is now back home with his family."

Bacchus and Bertram were both stunned by Treacle’s confession. "Do you mean to say that it’s only tricolour Cavalier King Charles Spaniels that can see unicorns?"

"Not at all," replied Treacle. "We have the advantage of having these extra-sensory eyes in our tan markings, so it is easier for us. But anyone can see both unicorns and all sorts of other magical things if they really look hard enough for them. Peacocks have loads of eyes in their tail feathers and should be able to see a multitude of magical things, but sadly they are such vain creatures and never seem to look beyond their own show-off image."

"When I look at things I always look beyond the obvious. If a human picks us up and we look into their eyes we see more than just two round watery beads of either brown, green, blue or hazel. What we see is love, affection, heartache, pain and all sorts of things. You’ve simply got to look beyond the obvious. You need to appreciate that light, no matter how dim, is precious in a world that is dark. If you are looking for beauty there is no need to travel long distances, just gaze at a flower and look closely at a tiny petal. And remember that the sight of a shooting star is so very brief, but their short duration does not make them any less spectacular. If you truly believe in something you are able to open a door into a world of wonder and miracles. And you never know, you might even find a unicorn!"

(And here’s a poem about Unicorns)

A unicorn surrounds himself with myth and mystery,
He’s steeped in ancient legends from the dawn of history.
I so wanted to see one so I went down to the zoo,
I looked in every cage and pen but there were none on view.
Then I saw a man standing there in a uniform.
I said to him, "Excuse me Sir, where’s the unicorn?"
He smiled and said, "You won’t find one kept in any zoo,
There are folk who say they don’t exist, but I know that they do.
They can’t be kept in cage or hutch or even in a stable.
You need to keep them in your dreams, that is if you are able.
In this world of turmoil, of anguish and of strife,
His horn is like a beacon that brightens up your life.
You need him there to guide you, he’s your conscience when you’re bad.
You need him when you’re happy, but more so when you’re sad."
I said, "What pet store sells them? I’d love to have one too."
He said, "Just close your eyes and wish and one will come to you."
So now I have a unicorn, a real fantastic pet.
I keep him in my deepest dreams, have you got your one yet?
                                                            (Dennis Homes)

Can dogs suffer with hay fever? The answer is ‘Yes!’ Some of the symptoms are similar to those suffered by humans, but dogs also show some unique canine symptoms. Dogs with hay fever are often very itchy all over their bodies. The itching is sometimes followed by a rash on the dog’s face and feet. Over time, the hair over the dog’s eyes and on his feet may actually begin to thin because he’s scratched so much or chewed his feet so often. These symptoms indicate an atopic allergy, or one that is caused by an inhaled allergen that causes skin, rather than respiratory, problems.

In addition dogs with hay fever may also have watery eyes, runny noses and they may sneeze, but these symptoms are less common in dogs although they are probably more familiar to human hay fever sufferers than the skin problems. Hay fever is a seasonal allergy in both dogs and people, causing the greatest problems during the summer and early autumn. Although symptoms of canine hay fever can develop at any point in a dog’s life, they are most likely to begin when your pet is between one and three years old.

There are several simple steps that you can take at home to help alleviate the effect hay fever has on your pet, from grooming to limiting what they come into contact with. Firstly, if you have a dog that likes to run through flowerbeds or roll in the grass, consider keeping them on a lead as pollen can cling to their fur and cause irritation. Each time your dog has been outside it’s advisable to wipe their paws and face to help remove any pollen that is clinging to their fur. This can be done with ordinary baby wipes or specialist ones that can be bought at a variety of pet shops. It is also common practice to groom your pets with a specialist brush that helps to strip not only the top coat but also the under layers of fur that may hold pollen which could irritate them. You could also soak their feet in Epsom salt and water to relieve any itchy skin.

It is also important that pets are kept well-groomed throughout the pollen season and giving them a weekly bath to help get rid of any lingering pollen. Lastly, it is important that any bedding or surfaces that your pets come into regular contact with are cleaned to prevent the hard work spent ridding your pet of pollen going to waste. This can be done with sprays or simply a spin in the washing machine. If your pets suffer from severe hay fever there are medications designed specifically for pets. Before giving these to your pets however it is advisable to consult your vet.

We’ve mentioned Lungworm in the pages in the past but sadly it’s becoming more and more a problem here in the UK. Last winter was very wet in most parts of the country and in the South East the average temperature was higher than average and many areas in the South had hardly any snow. The end result has been a massive increase this summer in the amount of slugs and snails as the mild and wet winter has enabled vast numbers to survive; and it’s slugs and snails that carry lungworm. Until a few years ago Lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) was virtually unknown in Britain. It first emerged in France but has since spread to many countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas. When it was first noticed in the UK it was mainly confined to Wales and the South West of England, but it is now endemic in many parts of England and there has also been quite a number of cases reported north of the border in Scotland. It was first noticed in Scotland in 2008. Although it is now fairly widespread the actual numbers of dogs that get the disease is fortunately still very low. However the massive increase in the slug and snail population this year could cause a dramatic increase in affected dogs.

Although slugs and snails give off a foul tasting substance as a defence mechanism to prevent them being eaten some dogs appear to ignore this! Some of these molluscs are very small and accidental consumption can easily occur. Also contact with the slime trail in food bowls or on toys may be sufficient to cause infection. It is therefore wise to regularly check your garden for these creatures and dispose of them. But please do not use slug pellets as these can also be dangerous to dogs if consumed. The lungworm larvae takes several forms as it develops within its host. It is first picked up by the slug or snail and if this is eaten by a dog it grows and then migrates from the dog’s gut to the pulmonary artery via the bloodstream. The pulmonary artery is a large blood vessel attached to the top of the heart leading to the lungs. The developing larvae then grows into the adult parasite in the pulmonary artery and lays eggs which move to the lungs via the bloodstream. In the lungs small nodules are formed containing eggs and larvae. These nodules cause many of the symptoms of lungworm disease by damaging the lungs and if not treated early can prove fatal. Dogs infected with lungworm can spread the parasite into the environment as the larvae of the parasite are expelled in the dog’s faeces. This increases the chances of other dogs becoming infected.

To find out how widespread lungworm is in your area go to the following website and put in your postcode:
www.lungworm.co.uk/lungworm-map/

On April 15, 1912, the legendary, ill-fated ship RMS Titanic sank. It remains, to this day, the most famous disaster in maritime history. There were approximately 2,223 passengers aboard the ship, of which 1,502 perished. Besides humans, a dozen dogs were aboard the ship on its luckless maiden voyage. Just three survived.

How were three dogs saved in lifeboats when there wasn’t enough room for all the human passengers? The three dogs that survived the Titanic disaster were all extremely small it is probable that no one even noticed them when they were carried aboard the lifeboats. Two of the dogs were Pomeranians, the third was a Pekinese. One little Pomeranian was named "Lady" and was bought by Titanic passenger Miss Margaret Hayes in Paris. "Lady" shared a cabin with Miss Hayes and was wrapped in a blanket and carried onto a lifeboat by her when the order was given to evacuate.

The wealthy banking family the Rothschilds owned the other Pomeranian that survived. The Pekinese was named "Sun Yat-Sen" and was brought on board by the Harper family (of the New York publishing firm Harpers & Row.) Only first class passengers had dogs aboard.

One family even received an insurance payment in the amount of $300 (about $7000 today) for their two dogs that didn’t survive the sinking of the ship. Wealthy passenger William Carter was traveling with his wife, Lucille, and two children. Their daughter Lucy’s King Charles Spaniel was insured for $100 and their son Billy’s Airdale for $200.

The children begged to take the dogs when evacuating, but Carter insisted they were too big and assured his distraught children that their dogs would be fine in the ship’s kennel. When the dogs perished, the insurance company made good on both claims.