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Brushing Your Dog

How To Brush Your Cocker Spaniel's Coat For Professional Results

Brushing your dog can be very rewarding - it can be hard work, but it's certainly worth the effort. When freshly groomed, the Cocker Spaniel is a very handsome dog.

The Cocker Spaniel's coat is medium to long, with long silky hairs on the top of his body, and a soft short undercoat below.

Brushing your dog's coat regularly will help to prevent tangles.

It will also help to remove dirt and any material that your dog may have picked up during his walk - burrs, leaves, twigs, and other such debris, which, if left, could cause matting.

Regular brushing also helps to disperse the natural oils throughout his coat.

As an added bonus, brushing your dog will help to strengthen the bond between you.

Your Cocker Spaniel's coat should look shining and glossy; if it's not, it may be a sign of worms or an inadequate diet. If you are at all concerned about the condition of your dog's coat, take him to see your vet for a diagnosis.

If you want to groom your Cocker Spaniel properly, and to a professional standard, you will need the best dog grooming tools for the job.

Brushing Your Dog - How Often?

Most Cocker Spaniels will need to be brushed at least every two or three days, although if your dog is walked in the countryside, you may need to brush him more often.

If you're not sure how often you need to brush, begin by brushing your dog's coat every couple of days. If the brush is picking up lots of fur, increase the grooming to every day. If the hair on the brush is sparse, then decrease your brushing to twice a week.

Brushing Your Dog - Tangles, Knots And Matting

Areas most prone to tangles, knots, and matting, are your dog's 'arm pits', behind your dog's ears, his rear end, leg feathers, and chest.

Using a metal comb, gently tease out any tangles and knots. Begin teasing at the ends of the hair and slowly work up towards the skin - this should remove most tangles without too much effort.

What Is Matting?

Matting is made up of your dog's undercoat which has loosened and become 'matted' in his topcoat. Brushing your dog's coat regularly will help to keep matting to a minimum.

If your dog wears a harness, he may be more susceptible to matting in areas where the harness may cause friction with his coat. Always check for matting after removing his harness.

Grass and plant debris can become trapped in a mat, making matters worse. Always check for burrs and other plant material immediately after returning from a walk in the countryside.

How To Remove Matting From Your Dog's Coat

It's important to remove mats as soon as possible, because, if left, they can create a warm, moist area next to your dog's skin - an ideal environment for bacteria and yeast, leading to infections and sores.

If you think your dog may have an infection, please take him to see your vet for diagnosis and treatment.

If your dog's coat is heavily matted, tackle as many individual tangles as you can in one 'sitting' and then let him rest. Your dog may become uncomfortable if you try to comb out too many at once, and he may not be so willing next time around.

Work on one mat at a time. Work slowly and carefully - most important of all, work gently. Try to pull mats apart with your fingers to loosen the hair, as this can sometimes make combing easier.

If a mat gets wet, it will tighten even more as it dries - it's advisable therefore to remove mats before bathing your dog.

You can try using a conditioner on the mat. Leave it for a while before you try teasing it out with a dematting comb or the prongs of a steel comb.

The slicker brush can be used to remove small mats, by gently pushing the wires into the mat and moving the brush from side to side in a gentle 'rocking' motion. Repeat this several times and then try brushing it out. Be careful to keep your hand between the mat and your dog's skin so you don't hurt him.

If the above doesn't work, try cutting the mat into 'strips' with a pair of sharp hair scissors, and then brushing each strip with a pin brush or a steel comb. If you hold the strip at its base as you're brushing, you won't pull your dog's skin.

If cutting the mat into strips doesn't work, as a last resort, you could cut it out. You will need to be very careful though - particularly if the mat is very close to the skin.

Don't cut across the mat with scissors as you may also cut your dog's skin. Slide the blade of a pair of scissors down the hair in the direction of growth. This will give the hair a more natural appearance when the mat has been removed.

If you're not too confident about removing the mat with scissors, you might like to visit a professional groomer and have them cut it out for you.

General Instructions For Brushing Your Dog

Brushing your dog should be fun for you both - try to keep it light, and be gentle.

Your dog will come to resent his grooming sessions if you are too rough with him, and pull at his hair.

If you keep your dog mat and tangle free by grooming him every day, it will be easier and more enjoyable for you both.

If you intend to show your Cocker Spaniel, you will need to hand-strip his coat, or use a stripping knife. Your dog groomer can show you how to do this, or will do it for you. Brushing your dog can be carried out either on the floor or on a raised surface, depending upon how he behaves and how comfortable you feel.

We sometimes brush Max (our golden Cocker Spaniel) at nigh time when he's lying quietly on the floor; however, our preference is to brush him on a raised surface as it affords easier all-round access and it's kinder to your back.

Place a rubber mat, or a non-slip bath mat onto a table or similar raised surface to prevent your Cocker Spaniel from slipping.

When brushing your dog, don't rush; take your time and be very gentle, particularly when trying to tease out any tangles or mats, otherwise your dog may not stand still for very long.

Using a pin brush, begin at the front and brush small sections at a time in the same direction that the furs grows, quietly checking for fleas or ticks.

Check for parasites each time when brushing your dog; don't wait for the tell-tale signs of scratching.

Work your way along one side, from head to tail, and then brush the other side, taking care to reach and remove any dead undercoat. This should help to prevent mats forming in the first place.

If you find a mat or a tangle, try gently teasing it out with a steel comb, pin brush, or slicker brush, as explained in detail above.

Reward your dog with praise throughout and offer him an occasional treat.

We strongly recommend you begin brushing your dog at an early age to accustom him to being handled and brushed. Here's how to acclimatise your Cocker Spaniel puppy (or dog) to being groomed.