You must already know Cockers are famous for not only their behaviors but also their hair, and pet parents are confused about finding the answer to – how often do cocker spaniels need haircuts? The correct answer fully depends on so many factors such as – the age of your dog, the characteristics of the dog’s coat and coat length, what are your preferences for styling it, and the amount of time you have to spend at home brushing the Cocker hair.
Besides that, if your Cocker is a show dog or an aspiring one then it must need a proper cocker spaniel haircut guide to follow. Once you know Cocker Spaniel grooming essentials and the basics of hair care routine the rest will be at your fingertip.
American Cocker Spaniel Grooming Basics
The American Cocker Spaniel hairs are longer, it often requires more care to keep them from matting and tangling. Like any other dog, the Cocker Spaniel dog needs regular Grooming to keep their hair clean. The American Kennel Club (AKC) advises daily brushing.
A healthy appearance for your Cocker can only be achieved by regular grooming. Tangled/matted fur is very common in Cockers which may hide infections and injuries underneath it. Additionally, a Cocker Spaniel’s coat is simple to let go of control.
Brushing
You need to brush your dog’s coat regularly. You can learn about exactly how often should you brush your dog if you want. Combing in the direction of hair growth while you comb your dog’s hair in small portions. When attempting to untangle mats, try to avoid pulling on the hair. Mats are clumps of underfur that have fallen out but haven’t been rubbed out. The AKC advises using a metal combing with relatively close-set teeth.
Take Care of Matting and Tangling
To give a nice haircut to your Cocker Spaniel you will need to have matt-free coats on your Cockers. When a dog’s fur mats, it congregates into a clump that resembles a solid mass. It’s difficult to explain, but if you own a dog of any kind and it gets matted fur, you will understand.
Only a portion of the hair will automatically fall out when your dog’s undercoat gets loose if it isn’t brushed out. The remainder will cling to and eventually matte the dog’s coat.
Tangles or tangling are much the same as what humans experience, particularly with longer hair.
When the hair is tangled, it becomes difficult to brush it or run your fingers through it without getting caught and yanking at the hair.
Bathing
Bathing your Cocker Spaniel once a month is an excellent idea. Especially if you two are out on a country stroll and he likes to play in the mud and muck. Additionally, an American cocker spaniel bathing guide could aid in removing trapped oils from the dog’s coat that would start to smell bad.
Giving A Professional Touch
You have the option of taking your dog to a qualified professional trimmer, or you can pamper your Cocker at home with the warmth and attention he deserves. Their basic grooming is simple to master and requires very little equipment. Our dedicated guide shows you how to properly trim your Cocker Spaniel at home.
Having an American cocker spaniel grooming chart will save you a lot of time and you surely won’t miss a grooming session, also this will help you to get along with finding the answer to the query of “how often do Cocker Spaniels need haircuts?”.
Understand The Cocker Spaniel Coats
The majority of cockers have single-coated. Their coats are smooth, consistent texture makes maintenance simple. It’s crucial to consider the American Cocker Spaniel’s coat texture. The coat has a texture that makes it simple to maintain and is silky, plain, or mildly wavy.
A Cocker Spaniel in a healthy coat requires at least three half-hour sessions of hair brushing every week. If you intend to maintain your Cocker in a long coat, you’ll need to change her hair free of mats and dirt.
Making Haircut Schedule for American Cocker Spaniel
It probably makes sense to make haircut schedules for your Cocker and take them to the groomer unless you are convinced that you can clip your dog’s hair. A monthly or six times-a-year haircut schedule for American Cocker Spaniel would be very helpful for any Cocker parents. This way you will know the answer to – “how often do Cocker Spaniels need haircuts”.
Working cocker spaniel haircut & Other Needs
The main similarity between a show and a worker is that both want to impress their masters. However, workers and shows have quite diverse predator drives, activity levels, and appearances.
The Cockers that are Working typically have straighter coats with feathers and they tend to be taller, and slimmer. Having a shorter length for the Working cocker spaniel haircut would be perfect.
Should working Cocker Spaniels have their nails clipped?
Working dogs like Cocker Spaniels do need frequent grooming. After working days, they need to be brushed frequently since the feathers on their coat readily attract dirt. They also need to have their hair and ears lightly clipped to keep them from looking scruffy.
When cleaning a working Spaniel, it is advised that use thinning shears other than scissors.
Once you know the answer to the question – “how often do Cocker Spaniels need haircuts?” you can try on some of the styles of haircut from the following list –
Puppy Style:
Most Cocker Spaniels have a puppy cut because it needs the least amount of upkeep. Maintaining a short coat on your dog makes grooming simpler and helps avoid tangles or knots. In the heat of the summer season, keeping the dog’s hair short helps them to keep cooler. This style will keep the cocker spaniel haircut short in length and make it easier to handle.
Basic Styled Cocker Cut
Similar to the puppy cut but lengthier is the conventional cocker cut. The dog’s face and body fringes hair are left about two inches long with the cocker cut. The hair is kept short on the back and is neatly cropped around the eyes and muzzle. The cocker cut requires daily brushing and frequent bathing due to its length. With its flowing fur, clean full legs, and beveled feet, the cocker trim is ostentatious. The cocker cut’s characteristic crown is short and brushed over the skull. The curly bottom third of the spaniel’s huge ears is left to frame the face after the top 1/3 of the leather is trimmed off.
The Princess haircut:
The conventional, traditional Cocker Spaniel hairstyle is uncommon since it is challenging to maintain. The dog’s hair falls to the ground in this cut. Dogs receiving this hairstyle have the option of having their hair straightened or left curly after being blow-dried.
Catwalk haircut:
Similar to conventional haircuts, a groomer can also perform a catwalk haircut. To get a cascading look, the hair is trimmed in layers. Similar to the conventional cut, this needs additional upkeep.
Winter haircut:
Our hair changes as the seasons do, just like fashion. If we were canines, we would choose longer, thicker fur in the summer and shorter, lighter fur in the winter to keep us warm. When it’s cold outside, this coat will keep your dog extra cozy, and the trimming all around the legs and feet will keep dogs from getting too muddy. To us, it sounds quite cozy!
Remember while choosing the haircut you should definitely go for the most comfortable American cocker spaniel haircut that is low maintenance. Cocker Spaniels are so adorable that they look fantastic with just about any haircut, in all honesty.
You must practice every day to keep and maintain the catwalk haircut. Every day, you should detangle and brush your dog’s coat, inspect the underbelly for debris or filth, clean it, and style your dog as if it were a princess then use a special brush.
Understand – How often do cocker spaniels need haircuts?
Keeping a regular observation on a few things might help you to know when to go for a haircut –
- Checking the hair growth rate
- Knowing the breed
- Knowing about their bathing habits
- The coats characteristics
FAQ
1. Do Cocker Spaniels Need a Haircut?
Obviously, Cocker Spaniels do need haircuts. The Cocker Spaniel’s hair grows faster than usual. It is a basic need for Cocker spaniels that you meticulously groom regularly. Because of their thick and lengthy hair texture, the Cocker Spaniel hair ends up twisted or matted if you skip hair cutting/grooming. It is best to use a metal comb because they effortlessly glide through the spaniel’s coat.
2. How Do You Maintain a Cocker Spaniel’s Hair?
To maintain the good and healthy hair of Cocker Spaniels following a routine is essential. Combing Cockers’ hair, washing them with quality shampoo, and trimming the excessive hair every 4-6 weeks can maintain a Cocker Spaniel’s Hair. Besides that, food habits plays also an important role in Cocker’s hair maintenance.
3. How Often Should a Cocker Spaniel be Bathed?
It is mostly advised that a Cocker Spaniel should be Bathed at most once a week. And if it’s too often for you then you can give them a bath at least once a month.
4. Can a Cocker Spaniel be Left Alone for 6 Hours?
Different dogs have a different amount of tolerance rates. Cockers are very patient but you should not leave a Cocker puppy for this long. Your adult or senior Cocker Spaniel may leave alone for 6 hours. But the advice here is you train them gradually rather than just suddenly leaving them for 6 hours.
5. Does Shaving a Cocker Spaniel Ruin Their Coat?
There is a higher possibility that shaving a Cocker Spaniel will ruin its coat. Because Cockers are coated, in the long run, shaving can be harmful to their coat.
Shaving will enhance the regrowing rate of their undercoat hairs, and occasionally it will force on the slower-growing guard hairs. This will result in altering a dog’s coat’s texture and color, making it look uneven and unappealing.
Final Thought
Taking good care of your cocker spaniel is unquestionably necessary. Your pleasant dog will become the topic of the neighborhood once it becomes a routine for you. Whatever haircut you choose it should be done by someone professional to ensure a flawless result.
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