No one would ever think that a small and adorable dog like a cocker spaniel was used for a not-so-adorable hobby—hunting. Well, at least, that’s the dog’s history. Today, the cocker spaniel is a good companion dog. Besides being adorable, this dog is known for its nice and curly hair. You may consider its hair of good quality but this hair is also the reason why you need to clip the cocker spaniel regularly. If not, your dog might become uncomfortable about its coat and become temperamental.
Clipping your dog is so easy that you don’t need any professional help. Just follow the steps below and continue practicing with the clipping. But before you do that, bath your dog first and make sure that it is thoroughly dry. Do the clipping outdoors and place a sheet of paper or tablecloth on the area. This will keep the mess in one place and cleaning will be easy after clipping.
- Trim for the head part. Groom the cocker spaniel’s face and other part of the head like the ears. The shortest comb in the clipper set will be perfect for this. Combing will also make sure that the fur strands are ready for a nice trim.
- Start trimming the fur from the top. Next will be the back of your dog’s head. Continue trimming until the ears. Trim strands on the underside of the ears. Jaw and cheek area will be the last on the trimming list.
- Chest trimming. From the chin, continue trimming to the dog’s chest. But first, comb the hair on that part first to get a cleaner look.
- Trim the back, sides, and legs. For this, you will need the medium-sized clipper attachment. Again, comb the coat before clipping. Start trimming from the cocker spaniel’s back part and then continue trimming on its sides. During summer, cocker spaniel owners usually trim their dog’s legs and paws. Doing so is believed to make the dog feel cooler.
- Trim to perfection. Almost all that needed trimming are already done. Comb the dog’s coat again and check for any unevenness or awkward fur length. This step permits you to cut more fur until you get the perfect look that you want for your dog.
Familiarize the function of each tool in the clipper set. It is part of your job as your dog’s personal groomer. Below are some tools and their function:
- Large pin brushes are used for brushing the dog’s coat.
- Matting comb and slicker brush are for removing the mats.
- The pair of scissors is used for the feet, leg feathering, and between the feet pads.
- Steel comb will be great for the entire coat.
- The #10 blade is used for trimming fur on the head, ears, front neck, pelvis, tail, and around the anus.
There are more tools in the clipper set and each of these has its unique use. Don’t worry because you will discover the different uniqueness of each tool every clipping session with your cocker spaniel.