"I do believe that dog owners are nice people to begin with," says Laverty, a Willow Glen resident for the past two years.

And her belief was reaffirmed when she took her 3-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bijou, to this fall's Bark in the Park event in San Jose. There she met other owners of this special breed. Though dog owners are nice in general, she says Cavalier owners were exceptionally pleasant.

"I wanted to bring that part of the social experience to Willow Glen," says Laverty.

Laverty, her husband, Kevin Williamson, and Willow Glen resident Candy Richards placed a classified ad in Silicon Valley Community Newspapers asking all interested Cavalier Spaniel owners to meet with their pets at Peet's Coffee & Tea on Lincoln Avenue at a certain date and time.

The response to the ad was positive and on Nov. 2 the Willow Glen Cavalier Club was born, with seven owners and their dogs gathering for the first meeting.

The initial members chose the first Saturday morning of each month as the club's meeting time. The club's second meeting was Dec. 7, and another seven spaniels and their owners showed up.

Laverty said she was surprised by the turnout.

Gay Gayle brought Kekoa, a 7-month-old spaniel she bought from a breeder in Hawaii. Kekoa means "courageous one" in Hawaiian, she says.

Karen Pendl brought Maggie, whom she acquired from a breeder in Ireland.

Club co-founder Richards brought 7-year-old Kirby, who she acquired from a breeder in Scotts Valley, and Joan Moore brought 18-month-old Toby, who she acquired from a breeder in Lodi.

Richards says that creating the club was "an avenue to meet new people who have something in common."

But because the group has only met twice, comfort levels are still being established, she says.

"We've talked mostly about our Cavaliers," Richards said. "But some of us also discussed dog sitting and dog exchanges."

Richards says it's comforting to meet other Cavalier Spaniel owners who are interested in exhanging pet sitting duties because "you know your dog will be in good hands."

What distinguishes a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from other small dogs is they apparently come from royalty, have traditionally been pets of famous and powerful people, can be quite expensive—the average cost is $1,200—and breeders are very selective about their customers, according to K9web.com.

For Bijou—French for jewel—"I had to sign a contract, promise to have him neutered, not to breed him, and assure that I owned a fenced yard and had no children in the house," Laverty says. "Though that's not typical of all breeders, that's just what my breeder required."

But the owners all say the challenges of aquiring the dogs are soon forgotten because of the Cavaliers' natural temperament as a fun-loving pet that is good with children.

"They're great with small children," says Janice Chaffin, who, with her husband, Steve, brought 1-year-old Poco to the club gathering. "They have the personality of a golden retriever."

"With a little bit of cat mixed in," adds Moore.

Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer Best Friend: Max Pendl, 14, and his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Maggie, spent a recent Saturday morning with seven other spaniels and their owners hanging out at Peet's Coffee & Tea.

"Sometimes it's just too much to say 'Cavalier King Charles Spaniels,' " Moore says. "I just call 'em spaniels."

Royalty or not, Laverty knows that Cavaliers can also enrich the lives of people who are ailing, which is why she enrolled Bijou in the Furry Friends: Pet Assisted Therapy Services program.

"I believe loving a dog makes you a better, happier human being," Laverty says, "and I believe my dog can do that for other people, too."

She also believes that the Willow Glen Cavalier Club won't be exclusively for Cavalier owners but hopes it will be for dog lovers who are "generally nice people."

Richards says, "I anticipate that conversations will eventually grow beyond the Cavaliers and toward other things. I'd give it another two months, and we'll become a core group."

The Willow Glen Cavalier Club will meet again on Jan. 4 at 9 a.m. on the patio of Le Boulanger, 1351 Lincoln Ave. For more information, call Elizabeth Laverty at 408.291.0466 or email lavewill@aol.com.