Cocker Spaniel Grooming Tips & Styles

Owning a dog is a big commitment, and ensuring that you give them the right care can be tricky at times. Grooming is one of the most important parts of your dog’s care routine, and once you get the hang of it, it should be a breeze.

In this guide, we’ve laid out all of the information and tips you need to groom your Cocker Spaniel and keep them looking their best.

Do Cocker Spaniels Need Haircuts?

They’re known for their luscious and silky locks, and the Cocker Spaniel will need a haircut to keep the hair looking and feeling healthy.

How often do Cocker Spaniels need a haircut?

The Cocker Spaniel’s coat does tend to get pretty long, but how often you trim it comes down to your own preferences about your Cocker Spaniel’s appearance. They shed seasonally to prepare themselves for colder or warmer temperatures, so they aren’t reliant on being trimmed to be comfortable.

However, the hair on their ears, the top of the head and in between their paws can get a bit tufty and scruffy, so you may want to trim this fairly regularly, at least once every six weeks, to keep them looking neat and tidy.

Cocker Spaniel haircut styles

With all that beautiful hair, there is a wonderful selection of different haircuts you can choose for your Cocker Spaniel.

The Puppy Cut

This is one of the simplest American Cocker Spaniel grooming styles in which all of the dog’s hair is trimmed to the same length. You can make it a bit more interesting by cutting the hair to slightly different lengths.

The show cut

This is a traditional Cocker Spaniel grooming style that’s mainly used for dogs who perform in dog shows. To achieve this look, the upper body is trimmed closely, and the hair on the skirt and ears is left longer.

The Cocker cut

This style is similar to the show cut, but the skirt is cut shorter, and the hair on the head is also trimmed neatly. The length of the hair on the ears is up to you.
 

How Do You Groom A Cocker Spaniel At Home?

Grooming your Cocker Spaniel is a cost-effective way to maintain your pet’s coat. An added benefit of grooming your dog at home is that you’ll get some extra bonding time with them.

Here are all the essentials you’ll need to cover when grooming your Cocker Spaniel.

Brush and comb their coat regularly

Dog owners can use a slicker brush to gently work out the tangles in the coat. This will take more time if they have particularly long hair.

Now, use a de-matting tool or a steel comb to loosen up any matted fur. These are two of the most useful Cocker Spaniel grooming tools, so make sure you have them at home.

Trim the head

Once your dog’s coat is matt and tangle-free, start trimming the hair on your dog’s head using your dog clippers or shears. Make sure that you don’t put the clipper blade too close to your Cocker’s eyes.

Use a comb to lift the hair away from your dog’s body as you trim it to keep the cut even.

Trim the back, legs and feet

Now, use the clippers to trim the hair on your Cocker’s back, legs and feet. Make sure to use the same technique that you did for the head by picking up the hair with a comb as you trim it.

This should reduce the chances of any hair getting caught in the blade, which can be quite painful for the dog.

Final Trim

Now, go back over the coat with the clippers and remove any remaining stray or loose hairs to make the trim nice and even.

Once you’ve removed any loose hair, you should give your Cocker Spaniel a nice, long bath to get rid of any remaining loose hair and then dry the coat off with a blow dryer.
 

Cocker Spaniel Additional Grooming Requirements

While grooming your Cocker Spaniel at home is an intentional way to spend more time with your dog and save some money, it doesn’t stop at grooming the coat. Here are the additional grooming requirements for the Cocker Spaniel.

Nail clipping

Nail clipping is essential! Your dog is on their paws for most of the day and needs to have trimmed nails. Your dog’s nails have a sensitive nerve called the quick, which, if injured, can cause a lot of pain and bleeding. Trimming their nails helps the quick recede and lessens the chance of your dog getting seriously hurt.

How to do it

First, inspect your dog’s nails to find where the quick is. This is skin that is underneath the nail, which you need to be careful not to cut. Make sure you have some styptic powder ready to stop the bleeding if you do accidentally cut it.

Now, firmly grip one of your dog’s paws and use nail clippers to cut the nails down to around 2mm in front of the quick. Once all the nails are trimmed, you can use a nail filer to smooth over any sharp edges.

How often should you trim the nails?

You’ll know it’s time to trim your Cocker’s nails when you can hear them clicking on the floor as they walk.

Bathing

There’s nothing worse than a stinky dog smell lurking around the house, so giving your Cocker Spaniel a regular bath is needed.

How to do it

To begin with, you should use a slicker brush to remove any loose dog hair from your Cocker’s coat. Then, fill the bathtub with lukewarm water.

Then, place some cotton balls in your Cocker’s ears to prevent any water from getting into the ear canal and lower them into the bath.

Once they’re in, use a dog shampoo and gently rub it all over your Cocker’s coat. Then, give them a good rinse and apply some dog conditioner to the hair, and then give them another rinse.

Once you’re done bathing them, use a soft towel to dry their entire body and make sure none of the hair remains wet.

How often?

Generally, a Cocker Spaniel will only need a bath around every two months. However, if your dog gets very dirty or a bit smelly, then it’ll definitely be time for them to be bathed.

Cleaning your dog’s ears

The Cocker Spaniel’s floppy ears are quite prone to developing infections, so cleaning them is an important part of their grooming routine.

To do this, fill an applicator with an ear-cleaning solution and pour a few drops into one ear at a time. Then, rub the bottom of the ear gently for 2 minutes.

Once this is done, clean out the ear with a cotton ball. If you notice any strange odours coming from either ear, then you should take them to a vet, as this may be a sign of an ear infection.

How often?

You should make sure to check and clean your Cocker Spaniel’s ears at least once a week.
 

FAQs

When should you first groom a Cocker Spaniel?

You should begin grooming your Cocker Spaniel as soon as you bring them home, as this will help them to get used to the routine and will also help the two of you bond.

How often should I bathe my Cocker Spaniel?

You should bathe your Cocker Spaniel about every two months or when they get dirty. They will most likely need a bath after long walks in muddy terrain or if they’ve been swimming.

Do Cocker Spaniels require professional grooming?

Your dog shouldn’t need to go to a professional groomer, as it’s fairly easy to groom your Cocker Spaniel properly at home.

If you’re worried about cutting your dog’s hair yourself or simply don’t have the time to do it, then a trip to a groomer may well be worthwhile.

Should I shave my Cocker Spaniel for summer?

Some owners do trim their Cocker’s coats in preparation for summer, but the Cocker sheds seasonally, and its coat is designed to regulate its temperature during warmer months.

So, cutting your Cocker’s coat for summer isn’t a necessity, and the choice is yours.
 

Final Thoughts on Cocker Spaniel Grooming

Establishing a regular routine is the best way to keep on top of your Cocker’s grooming, and it’s also a great way for you to bond with your pooch. Now that you have all the details you need about grooming your Cocker keeping, so they spick and span should be easy.