GROOMING YOUR COCKER SPANIEL

The Cocker Spaniel requires regular care and ideally daily or every other day brushing to stay in top shape. Their long, silky coat is prone to tangling and matting but is easy to maintain with a quick five minute grooming routine each day. These dogs love the attention so grooming really is simple and easy. If the dog is being used for hunting or in the summer seasons many people clip the Cocker Spaniel in a sport or puppy cut for easy care. The Cocker Spaniel is one breed that can tolerate frequent bathing and seems to really enjoy the whole process. Use only good quality dog hair products to avoid allergies and skin irritations.

To groom the Cocker Spaniel start with a pin brush or wide toothed grooming comb and begin at either the neck or the rump area. Groom only in the direction of hair growth never up or forward. Try to section the hair and thoroughly groom each section before moving on to the next. Once all the long hair on the body and legs has been groomed finish with a slicker brush to get out any fine tangles. In rare cases it may be necessary to clip out a particular tangle, but try to do this as infrequently as possible to keep the coat looking even. The head and ears should be groomed with a soft bristle brush and with great care to avoid causing the dog any discomfort.

The eyes and ears of the Cocker Spaniel will need special care. The eyes should be carefully cleaned with a water dampened cotton cloth. Do not use soap or any other products unless approved by your vet. Tearing is commonly a sign of an eye problem such as entropion or ectropion (rolling in or drooping of the lower eyelid) that causes eye irritations leading to excessive tearing. Removing any debris from the eye will help fight any infections. The eyes should be checked for any sign of wax build up or foul smelling discharge that can indicate an ear infection. Always take care when cleaning the ear and ever clean past the outer ear. The vet can flush out the ear if required.

Be sure to check the toenails and clip or trim when necessary and brush the teeth using dog tooth products on an every other day basis for good dental health.