Cavalier Colors
How many colors are there really?
The 12 AKC Registration Colors of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes 12 coat color designations for registration in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. However, only four colors are included in the official AKC breed standard and are eligible to compete in conformation (dog shows).
It is important to understand that AKC registration and the AKC breed standard are not the same thing:
- AKC Registration records a purebred dog’s pedigree, identity, and coat color.
- The AKC Breed Standard determines which dogs may compete in conformation.
As a result, all 12 colors can be registered with the AKC, but only four are eligible for conformation competition.
The Four Standard (Show-Eligible) Colors
These are the four colors recognized by the AKC breed standard.
1. Blenheim
- Rich chestnut markings on a pearly white background.
- May display the desirable “Blenheim spot” centered on the forehead.
- The most common Cavalier color.
2. Tricolor
- Black and white coat with rich tan points over the eyes, cheeks, inside the ears, and beneath the tail.
- Should have a clear white blaze and balanced markings.
3. Ruby
- Solid rich red (ruby) coat.
- No white markings are preferred, although a small white chest spot is sometimes seen.
4. Black & Tan
- Jet black coat with rich tan markings above the eyes, cheeks, chest, legs, and beneath the tail.
- White markings are considered undesirable.
The Eight Additional AKC Registration Colors
These colors occur naturally through inherited recessive genes—primarily the liver (chocolate) gene—and can be registered with the AKC using the appropriate color designation. They are not currently accepted for conformation competition.
5. Chocolate & Tan
- Chocolate (liver) replaces black pigment.
- Liver-colored nose.
- Hazel or amber eyes.
- Rich tan points.
6. Chocolate Ruby
- Solid chocolate (liver) coat.
- Liver-colored nose.
- Hazel or amber eyes.
- The chocolate equivalent of a Ruby.
7. Chocolate Tricolor
- Chocolate and white coat with tan points.
- Liver-colored nose.
- Hazel or amber eyes.
8. Chocolate Blenheim
- White background with rich chocolate patches instead of chestnut.
- Liver-colored nose.
- Hazel or amber eyes.
- May display the traditional Blenheim spot.
9. Chocolate & White (No Tan Points)
- White coat with chocolate patches.
- No tan markings.
- Liver-colored nose.
10. Black & White (No Tan Points)
- Black patches on a white background.
- No tan markings.
11. Solid Chocolate
- Entirely chocolate (liver) coat.
- Liver-colored nose.
- Hazel or amber eyes.
Note: Some breeders use Solid Chocolate and Chocolate Ruby interchangeably because they appear nearly identical, while others distinguish them based on pedigree, shade, or how the dog was registered.
12. Solid Black
- Entirely black coat.
- No tan markings.
- A naturally occurring but uncommon color.
Why Can’t the Other Eight Colors Be Shown?
The AKC allows all 12 colors to be registered because they naturally occur within the breed.
Conformation shows serve a different purpose. Judges evaluate how closely a dog matches the official breed standard. Since the Cavalier breed standard lists only Blenheim, Tricolor, Ruby, and Black & Tan, dogs registered in any of the other eight colors are not eligible to compete in conformation.
However, these dogs may still participate in many AKC performance events, including:
- Obedience
- Rally
- Agility
- Scent Work
- Fast CAT
- Therapy work
- And many other AKC sports for which they qualify
Why Is There So Much Confusion?
Many people—including experienced breeders—believe Cavaliers only come in four colors because those are the only colors seen in the show ring.
In reality, the confusion comes from mixing up breed standards with registration.
The additional eight colors are AKC-recognized registration colors, but they are not breed-standard colors for conformation.
This does not mean they are mixed-breed Cavaliers or cannot be registered as purebred dogs.
The Ongoing Debate
The topic of non-standard Cavalier colors remains one of the most discussed issues among breeders.
Many long-time breeders believe Cavaliers should only be bred in the four traditional colors because those are the colors established in the breed standard.
Others point out that modern DNA testing has confirmed that recessive color genes—particularly the chocolate (liver) gene—exist within purebred Cavalier bloodlines. When inherited in the correct combination, these genes can naturally produce puppies in colors outside the traditional four without introducing another breed.
Historical records also describe liver-colored toy spaniels in England during the development of the toy spaniel breeds in the 18th and 19th centuries. When kennel clubs later established official breed standards, only four colors were accepted for conformation, while the rarer recessive colors were excluded from the show standard.
Health and Coat Color
One of the biggest misconceptions is that the eight additional AKC registration colors are unhealthy or genetically inferior.
They are not.
A Cavalier’s coat color alone does not determine its health or genetic quality. A Chocolate & Tan, Chocolate Blenheim, Black & White, Solid Black, or any of the other additional registration colors is not inherently less healthy than a Blenheim, Ruby, Tricolor, or Black & Tan.
Like every Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, dogs of all 12 colors can inherit breed-related health conditions such as:
- Mitral Valve Disease (MVD)
- Syringomyelia (SM)
- Eye disorders
- Patellar luxation
These conditions are influenced by genetics, pedigree, and responsible breeding practices—not coat color.
Responsible breeders prioritize:
- Comprehensive health testing
- Sound temperament
- Correct structure
- Overall genetic quality
Color should never take precedence over health.
The Bottom Line
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has 12 AKC registration color designations, but only four are recognized by the AKC breed standard for conformation competition.
The remaining eight colors occur naturally through recessive genetics, can be registered with the AKC, and are just as capable of living healthy, happy lives when responsibly bred.
A Cavalier’s color does not determine its health—its genetics and the responsibility of its breeder do.
B- Locus vs K- Locus
Understanding the K Locus in Cavaliers: Solid Black, Black & White, Black & Tan, and Tricolor
You are referring to the K locus (the dominant black/brindle/non-solid pattern locus), not the B locus. The K locus is what determines whether a Cavalier can express a solid black coat or whether other coat patterns, such as tan points, are visible.
In dogs, the K locus (CBD103 gene) controls how certain coat patterns are expressed:
- Kᴮ (dominant black) — produces solid eumelanin (black pigment) and blocks the expression of tan points and many other patterns.
- Kᵇʳ (brindle) — allows brindle striping.
- kʸ (non-dominant/non-solid) — allows other pattern genes, such as tan points, to be expressed.
Solid Black Cavalier
A solid black Cavalier typically carries the Kᴮ allele, which overrides the normal pattern expression.
Possible genetic examples:
- Kᴮ/Kᴮ
- Kᴮ/kʸ
The Kᴮ allele prevents the tan-point pattern from being displayed.
Appearance:
- Completely black coat
- No tan eyebrows, cheeks, chest, or leg points
- No traditional Tricolor pattern
Black & White Cavalier (No Tan Points)
A black and white Cavalier may also carry the Kᴮ allele, but the coat is interrupted by white spotting.
The dog is still genetically black-based, but the white spotting pattern creates white areas on the coat.
Appearance:
- Black patches
- White blaze, chest, feet, or body markings
- No tan points because Kᴮ prevents the tan-point pattern from showing
How This Differs From Black & Tan and Tricolor
Black & Tan Cavalier
A classic Black & Tan Cavalier does not have dominant black.
Typically:
- kʸ/kʸ
- at/at (tan-point pattern)
Because there is no Kᴮ allele blocking the pattern, the tan points are expressed.
Appearance:
- Black body
- Tan eyebrows
- Tan cheeks
- Tan chest, legs, and under-tail markings
Tricolor Cavalier
A Tricolor Cavalier is essentially a Black & Tan pattern with added white spotting.
Typically:
- kʸ/kʸ
- at/at
- Plus white spotting (often associated with the S locus)
Appearance:
- Black coat
- Tan points
- White markings
The Key Difference
The main difference is that the Kᴮ allele can hide the tan-point pattern, while a traditional Black & Tan or Tricolor Cavalier allows the tan-point gene to be displayed.
This is why two Cavaliers can both genetically carry black pigment but look completely different. The K locus controls whether the underlying pattern is visible, while other genes determine the actual pigment color and markings.
Can a Kᴮ (Dominant Black) Cavalier Carry Chocolate?
Yes. A Cavalier with the dominant black allele at the K locus can still carry the recessive chocolate gene at the B locus.
The K locus and B locus are separate genes, so they are inherited independently.
Example:
Kᴮ/kʸ + B/b
This dog would:
- Appear black because of the Kᴮ allele
- Carry one copy of the recessive chocolate allele (b)
- Not be chocolate itself
The dog is a black dog carrying chocolate.
Can a Kᴮ Dog Be Chocolate?
Yes, theoretically, but only if the dog has b/b at the B locus.
For a dog to produce chocolate (liver) pigment, it must inherit:
- b/b
A dog could theoretically be:
- Kᴮ/Kᴮ + b/b
The K locus controls the pattern, while the B locus controls whether the pigment is black or chocolate.
So the dog may still have the dominant black pattern, but the pigment produced would be chocolate instead of black.
Why This Matters in Cavalier Breeding
A dominant black Cavalier that carries chocolate can produce chocolate puppies if bred appropriately.
For a puppy to be chocolate:
- It must inherit b from both parents
- Resulting in b/b
Example:
Black Kᴮ/kʸ B/b × Chocolate kʸ/kʸ b/b
Possible puppies:
- B/b → black puppies that carry chocolate
- b/b → chocolate puppies (depending on K locus inheritance)
Summary
A solid black or black-and-white Cavalier does not automatically mean the dog cannot carry chocolate.
The genes have different jobs:
- K locus = controls coat pattern expression
- Determines whether black is solid, patterned, or allows tan points to show.
- B locus = controls black versus chocolate pigment
- Determines whether eumelanin is black or brown/liver.
A black Cavalier can hide recessive colors, including chocolate, because the K locus controls what pattern is displayed while the B locus controls the pigment color.
Classic Colors
There are 4 main classic colors.
Top left to right are your solid colors: Ruby and Black/Tan color.
Bottom left to right are your parti colors: Blenheim and Tri color.
(These are my dogs or dogs I have produced)
Chocolate Solid Colors
There are 2 main solid chocolate colors.
Pictured are my two solid chocolates, my Chocolate/Tan and Chocolate Ruby.
Chocolate Parti Colors
There are 2 main parti chocolate colors.
Pictured is my Chocolate Tri color. The other parti is a Chocolate Blenheim. The chocolate blenheim (not pictured) is a blenheim color with a chocolate nose and hazel eyes.
Classic Vs Chocolate
Chocolate Tri vs Classic Tri
(I own the chocolate tri and the classic is one I produced)
Classic Vs Chocolate
Classic Vs Chocolate
Classic Vs Chocolate
Chocolate Ruby vs Classic Ruby
(I produced both puppies)
Classic Vs Chocolate
Classic Vs Chocolate
Classic Vs Chocolate
Chocolate/Tan vs Classic Black/Tan
(I produced both of these puppies!)
Welcome to Malu Lani Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Breeder
Other colors
Other colors, we do have our first solid black cavalier, this is her Scarlet.
Colors not pictured are the solid chocolate as well as the Black and White (no tan points) and Chocolate and White (no tan points). A quick google search will show you pictures of these colors. These colors are ones that I would love to eventually get in the future.
Solid White Colored
White colored cavaliers are 100% cavaliers but are born with albinism. This is a mutation in the genetic makeup. These dogs are just as pretty and make wonderful pets, but they should NOT be bred. Majority of the time, pure white cavaliers are born blind and/or deaf. I have never produced an albino but I know it could potentially happen as genetics are a funny thing. The picture posted was found off of Pinterest with no watermark, so I'm not sure who the dogs belong to in order to give credit for these beautiful pups.
Merle Colored
Although the merle colored cavaliers are beautiful to look at, but they are not 100% CKCS. The merle color had to be introduced by another breed that carriers the color. If DNA says 100% CKCS, this is because it takes five or more generations of mating back to a purebred CKCS to show 100%. Additionally, merles often have health problems. The picture posted was found online from petland along with no watermark, so I'm not sure who produced the pups in order to give credit for these beautiful pups.
I do NOT breed merles.
Clown Face Cavaliers
This is what is referred to as a mostly white cavalier with a clown face. Clown face is when one eye has color around it and the other eye has only white around it. This puppy I whelphed a few years ago. As you can see, she has one brown eye, two brown ears, and a brown lozenge spot. The rest of her body was solid white. She was born completely healthy and lives with a wonderful family as a pet. The parents were not paired again as they through too much white in my opinion.
Somatic Mutation
Somatic Mutation
This is just a mutation in the body cells after the embryo begins to grow. It is similar to a birthmark. Looking at the picture, the somatic mutation (birthmark) is the black pigment with the red circle around it. I've never produced a pup with a somatic mutation, but never say never as this could happen as we can't stop mutations.
Announcement for 2026
No puppies at this time.
Please contact us if you are interested. I respond faster to text or emails.
(601)498-1390 or malulanicavaliers@gmail.com
Updated 08/22/2026