Should a Cocker Spaniel be Shaved?
Cocker Spaniels need grooming from time to time due to their physical appearance. Shaving a Cocker Spaniel requires following several steps. The special procedure of performing a Cocker Spaniel haircut assures you of a perfect outcome. The unique steps usually prevent you from ruining the thick beautiful coat of the dog.
Our Top Cocker Spaniel Grooming Tips
There are several tips to follow to achieve the best results in your final groomed Cocker Spaniel. Below are some of the main tips that you may follow:
Invest in a Good Comb and a Brush
The best brush and comb means you have an easy time during Cocker Spaniel grooming. A good brush needs to be able to brush your dog’s hair and remain comfortable. The same scenario about comfort applies the same when it comes to the comb.
The comb should not hurt the dog at all times. If your dog is too uncomfortable, combing the hair may not be as simple as it’s supposed to be. The brush and comb should also not damage the natural feel and texture of the Cocker Spaniel’s hair.
The brush you use to groom your dog should also not be very weak. An excellent example of a soft brush is the slicker brush. This type of brush feels good on a dog in that it may not even ruin the natural pattern of the hair. However, this type of brush may help in getting the job done. The mats and knots may remain intact all the time.
Comb Your Spaniel’s Fur Everyday
After selecting the best brush, you must brush your dog’s hair daily. Daily brushing of your Cocker Spaniel fur makes the hair tangle free and soft at all times. In case you don’t have the time to brush your dog’s hair every day, you may do it at least after every three days.
If your dog finishes more than three days without routine Cocker Spaniel grooming cuts, the fur may get into very bad shape. The hair may eventually begin picking up harmful dust and dirt from the floor and everywhere the dog passes.
Don’t Comb Through Comb Tangles and Mats
When brushing your Cocker Spaniels hair, you may run into different knots and tangles. When you meet these tangles, it is wise to leave them alone since brushing may remove them. If you comb out the knots and mats, you may ruin the natural pattern of your dog’s hair.
The one safe method of dealing with the mats and tangles is to bring a unique metal pin into action. This metal pin slowly picks through mats without putting the dog’s fur in any danger. When using the mat, remember to begin from the ends of the hair and go all the way up, approaching the skin.
Use Shampoo of the Highest Quality
Cocker Spaniels are at a very high risk of developing skin issues. The skin of this dog breed is highly sensitive, primarily due to its thick coat. Itching and skin discomfort are the main issues if your Cocker Spaniel’s skin gets infected. The best shampoo eases the risks of skin infection and other skin problems.
The best dog shampoo you use should also have several skin-protecting properties. This shampoo also needs to have gentle ingredients that may add some benefits to the dog’s skin. This kind of shampoo is essential when performing short Cocker Spaniel haircuts.
To be entirely sure which dog shampoo is best for your dog, you may try several. After using the dog shampoo, you need to monitor the dog closely and see how it reacts to the shampoo. If the Cocker Spaniel responds negatively, you may change to another. You need to test these shampoos to find the best for your dog.
Groom and Wash Your Cocker Spaniel With Much Care
You should be aware that this dog breed is prone to infections, mostly in the ears. Because of this reason, you need to be extra careful when conducting the grooming process. If you do not know much about grooming and washing your Cocker Spaniel, you may consider leaving this task to a professional.
Your Cocker Spaniel has thin and delicate skin around the ear. Brushing this section without much care may result in other problems. When cleaning the ear section of your Cocker Spaniel yourself, it is essential to remember to use a small metal pin.
The unique metal pin carefully removes the tangles and knots while protecting the ear at the same time. When your dog’s ear seems to have a specific infection, it would be wise to leave it for a while. Don’t groom any place near the ear with an illness.
Have a Consistent Grooming Schedule
Anything you positively do to your Cocker Spaniel needs to be more regular. The same frequent scenario must apply when it comes to the grooming process. Remember that the mats and tangles begin to appear when you skip the process for a few days. Bathing and brushing the Cocker Spaniel is also essential.
There is another crucial advantage of cleaning and brushing your dog more frequently. The benefit is that this grooming process bonds together you and the Cocker Spaniel. Remember to be more consistent, especially when shaving dogs in summer.
Rinse Your Cocker Spaniel Properly
There is always a problem with rinsing any hair that is much thicker and longer than usual. The situation is quite the same when it comes to Cocker Spaniels. You need to rinse this hair as much as possible using water. Using large amounts of water to rinse your dog saves the breed from a lot of problems.
When cleaning a shaved Cocker Spaniel, the equipment you use, such as the shampoo, conditioners, and other components, may remain in the dog’s coat. Even though some conditioners and other cleaning components are skin-friendly, they may still irritate the dog.
The irritation comes when the shampoo and conditioner residues remain on the skin for a long time. The Cocker Spaniel may also pick dirt around as it moves if you haven’t rinsed the fur correctly. Rinsing with a lot of water also helps the skin kick out any excess oils on the dog.
Find a Professional Groomer
For more high-quality cleaning, it may be essential to find a professional. This move could be your last solution if you have less time. With a professional groomer, you may not have any worries about the natural state of your Cocker Spaniel when it comes to cuts, bathing, or brushing.
If you opt for a professional to complete your dog’s grooming task, you need to find someone who deals with Cocker Spaniels. This dog breed has specific needs, unlike most other dog breeds. Only a professional Cocker Spaniel groomer can do this job as perfectly as it should be.
How to Groom a Cocker Spaniel
You may achieve the best results by brushing little sections of the dog’s coat at a time. Brushing should take place going in the direction of the hair. When conducting Cocker Spaniel grooming, always avoid pulling the dog’s fur. Pulling the hair may cause injuries that may lead to infections in the dog.
You may encounter some form of matter, especially if your dog wears a harness. Remember to remove the harness and get rid of all these mattings. Use a good bristle brush to brush all the loose hair from the coat.
Before and After Cocker Spaniel Grooming – What You Should Know
There are several beneficial things that you need to keep in mind before and after Cocker Spaniel grooming this dog breed. After grooming the dog, you must also be aware of some facts. Before grooming, you need to know about the equipment. The leading equipment for shaving Cocker Spaniels are:
- Bristle brush
- Trimming scissors
- Undercoat rake
- Furminator
- Slicker brush
After conducting the Cocker Spaniel grooming process, it is vital to bathe it with good dog shampoo. The shampoo prevents itchiness that may come after cutting the hair. You may also consider applying some ointments and other oils to avoid grooming skin issues. The creams also deter bugs and other biting insects that may attack the dog.
Other Cocker Spaniel Cuts
When conducting a Cocker Spaniel grooming activity, there are several cuts that you may select:
- Elegant show Cocker Spaniel cut: This style is quite long and classy, making it perfect for most of these dogs. This style is luxurious, and you may spot it at special events and dog shows.
- High and tight Cocker Spaniel cut: This is a little more standard and even. This style requires trimming at least every week for the best results.
- The short hair cut: This type of cut entails building up a contrast between the short hair around the body and the face. This cut creates a nice look that quickly shows off the dog’s face. The style is also easy to maintain since it does not require a lot of supervision.
- The sheep Cocker Spaniel style: This cut is among the most unique Cocker Spaniel hair cuts. The style makes the dog appear like a sheep at some point, just as the name suggests.
- The retriever style: This style makes the Cocker Spaniel appear like a darker golden retriever. Some people believe this style makes the dog friendly, like a Golden Retriever.
- The shaggy hipster Cocker Spaniel style: This cut involves maintaining the length of the hair at the paws. The level of hair at the paw section remains relatively long. The size of the hair at the head, feet, and legs also remains long.
- Classic Cocker Spaniel cut: This type of cut is simple to take care of, and the dogs also look beautiful. The style is typical in high-end dog shows and competitions.
- The straight Cocker Spaniel cut: For the best facial appearance for your dog, this style is the best to go. This cut makes the coat around the face seem super straight and even.
- The showstopper Cocker Spaniel cut: As the name suggests, this style brings the whole show to a standstill. This cut is best for dogs going to competitions and exhibitions. The elegant appearance of this type of cut is irresistible.
- The hipster Spaniel style: With this type of cut, grooming involves pulling some amount of hair into a vertical ponytail. Many people usually attempt to give dogs of other breeds this style. You may easily spot the style almost everywhere, but the best species with this type of cut is the Cocker Spaniel.
- Tight curls Cocker Spaniel style: This style brings these dogs a bright, stunning look. With this style, the hair appears fuzzy, but a closer look reveals something else. This style brings out the perfect balance, appearance, and upkeep.
- The smile for camera cut: This is the best style that can bring out the perfect difference that haircuts bring to Cocker Spaniels. The cut involves clearing more of the hair around the face. You can see the cute-looking puppy with much room near the facial area.
- High-maintenance Cocker Spaniel cut: This style falls under the most beautiful dog cuts. However, you need to perform trimming every day to keep having that awesome-looking dog. The daily trimming process costs a lot, just as the name suggests.
How to Cut a Cocker Spaniels Hair
Performing the Cocker Spaniel haircut gets easier when you follow a few steps. Below are the main steps that you may observe to trim the Cocker Spaniel successfully:
Choose Style You Wish to Trim Your Dog
There are several types of cuts that you may choose for your dog. The most common cut of all is the puppy cut. This cut is popular since it is a short Cocker Spaniel haircut. After selecting the best cut for your dog, you may proceed.
Brush and Comb the Dogs Hair
Using a pin brush, slowly brush your Cocker Spaniel’s hair. You may use a comb with wide teeth when brushing the dog’s hair. The wide teeth spacing of the comb prevents it from harming the dog during the grooming procedure.
When brushing and combing the hair, you must remember that Cocker Spaniels have two layers of fur. One layer of the hair is under the coat, while the other is at the outer section of this coat. You need to correctly brush through these two coats since most people tend to forget about the second coat and only touch the outer layer.
You must start by brushing the neck to the back and the dog’s tail. After the rear, you may go to the legs and the other lower sections. As you brush these sections, make sure you go with the direction of the hair growth.
If some hair gets tangled up on the comb or brush, you may use scissors to cut your way through. When using scissors to cut through this hair, make sure you are super careful not to cause any damage to the hair.
Shave Cocker Spaniels Head, Neck, and Face
Using good quality clippers, hold your dog’s muzzle and begin cutting from the bottom eyelid to the nose section. While shaving a Cocker Spaniel, you need to control the skin’s taut to eliminate any skin folds. The skin folds may make you nick the skin accidentally.
Cocker Spaniels have large and floppy skin. When shaving around this area, you must pull and hold the ear back to have an easy shaving task. Start the shaving process, firm the ear’s opening and go all the way forward and down to the lips. While shaving the ear and area, be careful not to nick the skin by mistake.
Shave the Dogs Ears
When shaving this section, you must flip the ears into a backward position. Shave only the top area of the ears and avoid shaving the entire hair around this place.
Shave the Back, Tail, and Belly
Using a seven-blade, shave from the back section of the dog’s head. Make sure you go with the direction of the hair. After shaving, confirm if any area of the hair still needs trimming. If some places need trimming, and you complete the task, comb the tail and trim again until the section is even.
Trim the Hair Around the Feet
Many people may forget about the hair around the feet section when grooming the Cocker Spaniel fur. To trim the feet correctly, hold the paw using one hand firmly. Comb all the hair around this section, following the direction of the hair growth. When trimming the feet’ hair, remember not to use clippers.
When trimming, move in a circular motion, and be careful not to clip the paw by accident. After cutting, comb the hair again to get the best results. Combing allows some hair to still cover the nails even after combing.
Info on Cocker Spaniel Shedding
This dog breed sheds just moderately. The shedding level of the Cocker Spaniels and other variants of this breed is the same. The English Cocker Spaniel and the American variant are all the same regarding the shedding status. In most cases, these dogs shed a lot during fall and spring.
The changes in temperature and light usually affect the shedding level in all Cocker Spaniels. You must trim your dog at least every day during the shedding season to make it comfortable.
A Final Word
Shaving a Cocker Spaniel enhances the natural look and improves its health. Grooming this dog may be simple when you follow the information above.