 In 1903 , the Kennel Club attempted to amalgamate the King James ( black and tan ) , Prince Charles ( tricolour ) , Blenheim and Ruby spaniels into a single breed called the Toy Spaniel . The Toy Spaniel Club , which oversaw those separate breeds , strongly objected , and the argument was only resolved following the intervention of King Edward VII , who made it clear that he preferred the name " King Charles Spaniel " . In 1904 , the American Kennel Club followed suit , combining the four breeds into a single breed known as the English Toy Spaniel . The Japanese Spaniel was also considered a type of toy spaniel , but was not merged into the new breed and was recognised as a breed in its own right . 
