How to Groom an English Cocker Spaniel

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Electric clippers
Slicker brush
High-protein shampoo
Steel combs

Step 1:
Use electric clippers to trim the dog's back if your English Cocker Spaniel is a house pet. Never trim the back hairs on a show dog. Most dogs of this breed have a flat and silky coat, but some Cocker Spaniels have coats with a more cotton-like texture that require extra attention.
Step 2:
Find grooming training to learn how to brush the undercoat and topcoat if you've never done it before. Brush out the coat using a slicker brush and steel combs. Make sure to brush the undercoat thoroughly. Lift up the topcoat so you can see the undercoat more clearly while brushing.
Step 3:
Remove shed hair and mats before you bathe your dog. The English Cocker Spaniel has a very substantial double coat that can easily tangle. The mats and tangles only get worse if they become wet. If you don't properly care for your dog's coat, the matting can produce knots in the undercoat which are extremely painful to remove.
Step 4:
Bathe or dry shampoo the dog as needed. Use a shampoo that is rich in protein and a cream rinse to give the coat an extra sheen.
Step 5:
Blow dry the coat after bathing. Comb the hair out very well while it's drying and again after it's dry.
Step 6:
Look inside the ears for signs of infection and for grass seeds. English Cocker Spaniels are very susceptible to ear infections, especially during the summer months. Check their ears constantly during this time. Ticks and burrs can cling to their low-hanging ears and eventually cause deafness.

Tips & Warnings

English Cocker Spaniels have a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years of age.
Breeders originally developed the English Cocker Spaniel to hunt woodcock birds. This is the origin of the breed name.

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