It is recommended that you brush the coat of your Cocker Spaniel every day, and bathing it no more than once a month. Find out more about Grooming your Cocker Spaniel below in our detailed Grooming & Care Guide.
Table of Contents
How to Cut Cocker Spaniel Hair
For Show Dogs, no trimming of the Cockers coat is allowed (except for the feet) but for everyday styles, a ‘puppy cut’ trim is an option for this breed.
This would leave the hair 1-inch-long all over, and make grooming and cleaning easier.
This cut would last several months before growing out to an unmanageable length again.
If leaving your Cocker’s coat a little longer, it is recommended that you trim the feathering around the feet using an electric clipper to prevent issues with walking.
Groom your own Dog!
It’s actually quite easy to cut your own Dog at home. Find out more here.
Remember, you’ll also want to cut your Cockers nails regularly. Again this can be done at home using basic Nail Clippers such as these.
Brushing your Cocker Spaniels Coat
When brushing your dog, it is recommended that you use a medium-bristle brush and thoroughly brush through all of the coat in the same direction.
Remember – Cocker Spaniels Shed! A Good brush like this is highly recommended;
The Cocker Spaniel has an undercoat and outercoat, so take care to brush through both when grooming. This will detangle any knots and distribute the Cavalier’s natural oils throughout the coat. keeping it glossy, water-resistant and healthy-looking.
It is important to brush your dog and work out any knots in the fur before bathing.
Start by combing through your dog’s coat to get rid of any dirt or debris that may be stuck in his hair.
Regardless if the Coat is clipped or not regular brushing will help to keep hair clean and tangle free. It is a good idea to brush his coat before the bath as tangles can be hard to remove once the coat is wet.
How to bathe a Cocker Spaniel
You can easily give your Cocker Spaniel a bath at home. There is no need to pay a groomer if you follow these simple steps.
What you need
To bathe your Cocker Spaniel, all you need are a few grooming products a bath, or even your kitchen sink.
Top Tip, ensure you have everything you need at hand.
You should have;
- Pet Shampoo
- Comb
- Towels
- Cotton Balls
- Dog Treats
Because the Cocker Spaniel is quite small you can give him a bath in the kitchen sink relatively easily. But only do this if you think you can manage it safely. Ideally having two people around will make the task easier.
If you are worried that your dog will not stay calm and will try to jump out of the sink you may be better off using a bathtub or even the shower.
Preparing the Bath
To keep your dog from slipping, place a rubber mat on the bottom of the sink or the tub.
Make sure the water is warm but not too hot – Test it yourself first, a good idea is to place your elbow in the water to see how hot it feels.
Bathing your Cocker Spaniel
Be sure you are using a shampoo formulated for pets as the shampoos are designed with the Ph level of a dog’s skin in mind and it is different from a human’s.
Due to the Cocker’s natural oils which make it water-resistant, you may have to shampoo its coat twice in order to get it fully cleaned.
Lather the coat after wetting it with warm water.Ensure the shampoo is thoroughly rinsed out, or it may cause skin irritation.
Place cotton balls gently in your Cocker Spaniels ears so you can avoid getting water into the inner ear. Place them lightly in the ears and then use a damp cloth to wipe your dog’s snout and eye area.
When cleaning the face, do not use shampoo but instead use a wet facecloth. Pay particular attention to the areas around the eyes, which may have become stained with tears. Do not bathe your dog more regularly than once a month, as this may dry out the skin and cause irritation.
Remember that if this is a new experience for your puppy and you will want to make the process as enjoyable and calming as possible.
Rinse all of the shampoo out of your dog’s coat and wrap him up in a warm, dry towel. It is a good idea to have extra towels on had so you can get as much water out of his coat as possible.
Drying your Cocker Spaniel
Once the majority of the water has been soaked up you can let your fur baby air dry or you can speed up the drying process by using a blow dryer with a low fan setting and cool temperature.
Once out of the bath, towel dry gently and use a hairdryer on a low setting to finish drying. Be warned, your Dog may be startled by the loud noise of the hairdryer – A good idea is to set it on a low power setting initially.
You may brush the coat whilst drying, in order to give it a fluffier appearance.
Once a week, you should clean your Cocker’s ears to prevent infection. Do so by using dog ear cleaning solution along with a cotton bud and carefully wipe inside the ears, checking for any waxy build-up.
A Clean Cocker Spaniel is a Happy Cocker Spaniel
While your Cocker Spaniel may be frightened of the Bath at first, itwill quickly learn to tolerate regular bathing if you speak in a calm and soothing voice and provide lots of praise and treats during the process.
Though a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel does not generally get their coat trimmed or cut, you may want to check for hair between the pads on their paws. It is not necessary to trim the hair, referred to as slippers, but it is acceptable to do so if you want to keep your dog from slipping around on hardwood or laminate floors.
Make sure that you end the bath time with a fun reward for good behavior. Have a little play session with a favorite toy and make sure to give your Cocker Spaniel a treat and lots of praise for good behavior.
