Cocker spaniel haircut: types and procedure

Some dogs' coat requires particularly careful grooming. Combing, preparing for the show, grooming the cocker spaniel are just these not very pleasant, but absolutely necessary duties of the owners. Compulsory grooming takes time, but allows you to maintain the abundant coat of the pet in show condition. However, even if the dog is not planned to be sent to a dog show, a properly selected haircut will help ensure the animal's comfort both in winter and in summer.

English and American Cocker Spaniels need professional grooming. It includes thorough combing of the wool, washing it, removing tangles. In addition, the dog needs trimming of the back, working out the silhouette with thinning scissors, regular hygienic treatment of certain parts of the body.

There is a certain standard of appearance that all Cocker Spaniel dogs must obey.

Here it is permissible to reduce the length over the entire body or create a stylish "skirt" on the lower part of the body.

The mandatory elements of the breed (show) Cocker Spaniel haircut are as follows:

• the shortest possible hair on the head, upper part of the ears, neck;
• long and lush tips of the ears;
• shoulders and back with awn of natural length without undercoat;
• lush feathering on the lower abdomen, front and hind legs.

It is impossible to achieve the desired result without proper, thorough grooming.

In addition, each of the breed lines - English and American, has its own characteristics, which must also be taken into account.

The first haircut of an American Cocker Spaniel should be when the dog is 2 months old. After that, a full grooming is performed once a quarter, a hygienic trimming of the contours is performed every 14-21 days. When cutting, a convex, protruding chest, a fluffy underskirt is formed. On the front neck, cheeks, lips, chin of the dog, skull, in the upper part of the ears, the length of the hair is trimmed with a machine up to 1 mm.

Along the contour of the skirt and on the chest there is a section of wool 1-2 cm long. The upper part of the body is sheared with the removal of the undercoat, stripping is performed twice a month - manual removal of dead hair. The tail and genital area are cut as short as possible.

Unlike its American counterpart, the English Cocker Spaniel has a less lush coat. In his grooming, a significant part of his work is taken up by trimming the back and neck area. A haircut always starts from the dog's head, the upper part of the skull is treated with a trimming knife, the length on the bangs, mustache, beard is worked out with thinning scissors.

The machine cuts the transition from forehead to muzzle against the fur, removes hairs from the cheeks, around the eyes, on the back of the nose and lips. The long hairs inside the ears are cut off with thinning scissors, and they also form a drop in the lower part of the hem.

The back and top of the neck are worked through with a trimming knife. As a result, the awn should be slightly convex, straight and short. On the upper thighs and elbows, the coat is trimmed; in black dogs, thinning can be additionally applied. In the area of ​​the anus, a short section is cut, a smooth line is formed between the ischium and the tail.

In the area of ​​the paws of the English Cocker Spaniel, the hair is sheared according to a certain scheme. On the hind legs, the length is kept up to the hock, everything below is shortened. On the front legs, the hair is clipped from the sides, the feathers are kept at the back, cut off at an angle of 30 degrees. Short sections are trimmed.

All existing types and patterns of Cocker Spaniel haircuts are selected based on the status of the animal. Show dogs, producers need only breed format. In particular, clipping of hair on the back and upper part of the neck with a clipper is excluded - such a dog will not be judged by the judges.

And also absolutely for all dogs a hygienic haircut is relevant, including:

• cutting off excess hair on the ears;
• shortening of hairs above the line of the claws, between the pads of the paws;
• removal of the cover in the groin area, around the anus;
• thorough combing out of the animal, shearing mats vertically.

The procedure must be repeated at intervals of 2 times a month. In this case, the dog will maintain a well-groomed, neat appearance.

For adult cocker spaniels, modern grooming salons offer several options for haircuts.

1. Long skirt trimming — exhibition standard. The dog retains the most luxuriant coat along the lower contour of the body.The back and neck are kept awn of natural length, trimmed to remove undercoat and dead hairs. The dog looks great, well-groomed and impressive.
2. Trimming with a mid-length skirt... Suitable for periods between shows, while breastfeeding puppies. The shape and general silhouette is preserved, but the length of the hair on the legs and lower abdomen, chest is significantly reduced. The dog looks well-groomed and tidy, retains the main breed characteristics.
3. Short skirt stripping. Used in summer, it makes it easier to care for working animals, young and old dogs. The dead hair on the body is plucked out by hand, the line of the ears is shortened along the contour, rather shortly. The legs retain their feathering, but they are much more modest than usual, the line of the abdomen corresponds to its physiological location.
4. Short haircut with poodle feet. A convenient solution for pets. Minimizes possible discomfort in caring for the animal. Emphasizes the features of the silhouette of the dog, and the head and neck are also trimmed "like a poodle" - with lush pom-poms on the ears, expressive eyebrows and a "hat".

For processing any type of Cocker Spaniel coat - worker, decorative - you need the following list of devices:

• height-adjustable grooming table, complete with power extension;
• a special clipper for dogs, adapted to the length and hardness of their coat;
• straight hairdressing and thinning scissors;
• nozzles for a typewriter (with thinning, other features);
• wool brush;
• comb with frequent teeth - for processing the cover on the back;
• a comb with rare teeth - for parsing long strands;
• hair dryer for drying wool;
• towel;
• leash and collar if the dog tries to escape.

Home grooming also consists of grooming, which is carried out between haircuts.

Correctly selected shampoos and conditioners will help keep the exterior of the animal as close as possible to the requirements of the breed standard.

The Cocker Spaniel grooming scheme is quite simple and versatile, especially when it comes to grooming rather than preparing for the show. Even the owner himself can cope with it if he has appropriate experience in handling scissors and a typewriter.

It is better to acquire the first experience of grooming under the guidance of an experienced professional or in the company of an assistant who is ready to help with fixing the animal in the desired position.

Consider a Cocker Spaniel home grooming scheme.

1. The dog is placed on the table. You should first wash your pet. Further, his wool is dried, carefully combed with a special brush.
2. A thick comb is used to comb the area of ​​the back and upper part of the neck.
3. Long feathers and a skirt must be disassembled into strands. A rare comb is used here, tangles are disassembled, if present.
4. With a trimming knife or manually, trimming of the croup, trunk, sides is performed. The remaining long hairs can be straightened out with thinning scissors.
5. The hair clipper trims the hairs inside the ears on the outside in the upper third.
6. On the pads, between the toes, the hair is cut off with scissors. You can combine the procedure with shortening the claws. The tips are trimmed to the pulp.
7. After completing the grooming, the dog can be washed, repeat the drying process with a hairdryer, avoiding the use of an excessively hot jet of air.
8. The contour is leveled, all transitions between individual sections of wool with different lengths are smoothed.

Knowing how to trim a cocker at home with a clipper can save you money on professional grooming and provide your pet with the necessary hair care.

For information on how to cut a breed Cocker Spaniel, see below.