Grooming
The Importance of Grooming
Every dog needs to be groomed but Cocker Spaniels can be high maintenance.
Their beautiful silky coat can be a magnet for every burr and stick in your garden and if not attended to, can cause your dog discomfort.
Getting you dog use to you touching them all over as you pat them is a great way to get your pup used to being handled and helps you to feel for any debris and know when a potential matt may be forming.
Grass Seeds
In these photos you can see the damage that grass seeds can cause. In the first photo the seed is easily removed but if not caught in time can easily turn into the second photo where you can just make out the grass seed that has become embedded in the skin. With tweezers you can still remove the seed from the second image but if not caught the seed will need to be surgically removed.
This is an issue with all dogs, keeping your dogs paws clipped short makes it easier to see potential issues. Getting your pup used to you looking between their toes at an early age will help you to keep them safe. Grass seeds can also become embed in the ears and even eyes so again especially after walks, giving your dog a good once over is always good practice.
Tools for thee job
If you want to keep the natural beauty of a cocker spaniel it requires work and perseverance.
Just giving a light brush is not enough. A cockers coat can be quite thick and if you don't make sure you are getting right through all that fur with a comb you may not realise that matts are forming.
Like anything having the right tools for the job is essential.
Areas most prone to matting are your dog's 'arm pits' and behind their ears.
Most groomers do not know how to 'strip' a coat and will suggest clipping. Which if that is what you decide to do is fine but understand that it will change the coat. If you want to maintain the look of your dog it will require you to find a groomer who can hand strip a coat, otherwise your dog's coat will be very hard to maintain.
Even going to a groomer every 4 to 6 weeks you will still need to do daily maintenance.
