Grooming Cavaliers

Grooming Your Cavalier

Very bad hair day!!!

Cavaliers are adorned with medium-length coats that are silky to the touch and may be slightly
wavy. Adult Cavaliers have feathering on their ears, chest, legs, feet and tail.

When considering grooming your dog keep in mind that all dogs are unique. What my dogs like in terms
of grooming may be different than what your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel prefers. And they change
as they get older. I have had puppies that hated to be groomed when they were young but now
they love it. So be patient and be flexible with your Cavalier.

Cavalier Coats

Start grooming Cavalier Spaniel puppies early so they become accustomed to it, but don't get frustrated if
they won't sit still for too long. In the beginning their coats are fairly short anyway. Just work at getting them
used to the concept. (And rewarding them with a treat after grooming sessions will help the process along.)

The feathered hair on the ears and legs is prone to tangling, so check those areas frequently for
mats that need to be gently combed out. Trim the hair between the pads on the feet and clean your
Cavalier's ears regularly. The only real difficulty is keeping white paws looking pristine instead of dingy.

Cavaliers are average shedders.

They don't need any special trimming or clipping;
in fact, it's preferred for the feathering to remain
natural, although some people trim the
feet for neatness' sake.

Others of us like the furry-footed hobbit look.

Some owners of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have their dogs coats clipped, particularly in the summertime. There's nothing wrong with that if you have a companion pet, rather than a show dog.
If you choose to have your Cavie's coat clipped, their coat will grow back in thicker and coarser.

As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation
on the skin, in the ears, nose, mouth, and eyes, and on the feet. Eyes should be clear, with no redness
or discharge.

Your careful weekly exam will help you spot potential health problems early.

How to give your Cavalier a bath at home

Cavaliers generally don't need bathing very often.
Our rule of thumb for bathing them is do the
sniff test, if they are stinky its time for a bath.
For our dogs depending on the time
of the year that is normally every 4-6 weeks.

It is very important that you only use a shampoo
that is formulated for dogs. Human shampoo
should NEVER be used on dogs.

It is also a good idea to groom your Cavalier before a bath, because tangles and mats are almost
impossible to remove once wet.

Since Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are small dogs, and their coats are traditionally never clipped, it's unnecessary to pay a professional groomer to give your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel a bath.

Follow these simple steps to give your dog a bath at home.

First, collect the various materials you'll need to
have everything close at hand before you begin.
Grab your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's comb
or brush, pet shampoo, several clean towels,
some cotton balls, and a few tasty treats.

If your Cavalier is still a puppy, you'll want him
to learn that bath time is nothing to worry about,
so take time to help him adjust.

To a small Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the
prospect of being lifted to the kitchen sink and
doused with water may be more frightening than
you think. Keep your voice calm and soothing,
talk your new puppy through the process
with lots of praise, and of course, a few
well-timed treats.

It will pay off in the long run if your Cavalier
King Charles Spaniel becomes a happy participant, rather than becoming frightened or resistant.

Begin by grooming your pet's coat to remove loose dirt, mats and snarls. Tangles in your Cavalier's
coat can become nearly impossible to remove after his coat is wet! This is also a good time to examine
your dog's skin for any bites, scrapes, or irritations you may wish to bring to your vet's attention.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are the perfect size for bathing in the kitchen sink. However, if there's
any chance your pet won't stay calm and obedient, then don't take a chance that he will jump away from
you and fall from your kitchen counter to the floor. If your pet is too wiggly, bathe him in the bath tub instead.

Place a rubber mat or a small wet towel on the
bottom of the sink or bath tub. This will keep your
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from slipping on the porcelain and will help him feel more at ease.

Test the water temperature yourself before beginning to wet down his coat. If you are using the kitchen sink, the spray hose is a great convenience. If you're bathing your Cavalier Spaniel in the bath tub, then you may want to use a plastic pitcher.

Rub in a shampoo specifically designed for dogs.
Don't use your own personal shampoo. A good
quality dog shampoo takes into consideration that
a dog's skin has a different Ph level than
their human master's skin.

If your dog has any kind of skin irritation or similar condition, consult your veterinarian about the
right shampoo for your pet.

Avoid getting water in your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's eyes and ears. Gently placing cotton balls
in his ears will help keep his inner ear dry. Instead
of wetting down your Cavalier's face, use a warm,
wet washcloth to carefully wipe his snout and
the area around his eyes.

Rinse all shampoo out of his coat thoroughly and wrap him in a clean towel . Change towels as needed
to blot up as much water as possibly from
your Cavalier's coat.

Then you can either let your pet "air dry" or use
a blow-dryer to speed up the process. If you choose
to blow-dry your Cavalier, use a low fan setting and cool temperature setting to avoid burning his skin.

Praise him and give your squeaky clean Cavalier King Charles Spaniel a treat as a reward for good behavior!

Grooming tools

Basic grooming tools include a straight comb,
a soft brush, a pin brush (slicker), a shedding
tool (Fur-minator) and nail clippers.

Again, not all of these may be necessary. Our
dogs will only tolerate a soft brush and a
"Fur-minator" (which is a life saver) shedding tool.

Experiment with your pet over time to
see what works best.

Clipping your Cavalier's nails

This is the one thing that everyone usually
dreads. When I got my first dog I was absolutely terrified to clip his nails. Over the years however it
has become a breeze. We give our dogs a treat
after each nail clipped so our dogs have learned to associate getting their nails clipped means they
get one of their favorite things........ food.

Your puppy will have their nails clipped several
times by the time you take him/her home. When
we clip nails we are always gentle with them and talk softly giving lots of kisses and praise as we clip them.

Never lose patience with your puppy and if they get jumpy just gently hold them down (this also teaches them you are the alpha) while you clip each nail.

My adult dogs fight to be first for their nails clips because we have trained them that
each nail clipped = 1 cherrio. We recommend using some sort of a treat that your dog
likes when clipping their nails, our treat just happens to be a single cherrios.

Our dogs lie down quietly watching that jar of cheerio's, just waiting for my hand to reach in and grab
their reward. They are so focused on getting their treat they forget that they are getting their nails clipped.
When it comes to nail clipping time I have to lock up whatever adults are not getting nails clipped at
that time because they all want up on the bed at same time to get nails done........ of course
we know its only for the treats but hey whatever works right?

If your Cavalier has white nails it is much easier
to clip them. (Well easier then black nails).
You can actually see the pink area on
the nail which is called the quick.

You will be clipping their nail just above
the pink quick as you see marked on the
picture to the right.

If your Cavalier has a black nails (some of my Blenheim dogs have one or two), make sure
that you don't clip the quick as it will be
harder to know/see where it is.

We recommend clipping all the white ones first
so you will know approximately how much nail
growth there has been since their last clip. Then
judge carefully on the black nail the same amount
of growth. Better to leave that nail a little longer
then clip a quick which makes your dog panic.

Cavaliers need their nails trimmed once or twice a month if your dog doesn't wear them down
naturally. If you can hear them clicking on the floor, they're too long. Short, neatly trimmed nails
keep the feet in good condition and prevent your legs from getting scratched when your
Cavalier enthusiastically jumps up to greet you.

How to Clean your Cavalier's Ears

Cavaliers have long, floppy ears and tend to get more dirt and debris in their ears than other short-ear
breeds. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, in particular, have a tendency to develop 'musty' smelling ears
since their long, silky ears minimize air circulation and tend to trap moisture and dirt in their ear canal.

It's a good idea to make ear cleaning part of your grooming ritual. If neglected, dog's ears can
become itchy and bothersome to your pet, and ultimately painful and infected and stinky.

Caring for your dog's ears is quite easy. Buy a alcohol-free, non-irritating ear wash made specifically
for dogs. Pull back your dog's ear, moving the hair out of the way. Insert the tip of the bottle of ear wash
into his ear canal. Squirt enough solution into your pet's ear to partially fill the ear canal. Massage
the base of your pet's ear for a few seconds to help dislodge ear wax and debris. Then, use a cotton
ball or pad to wipe away the excess liquid and dirt. Repeat until the cotton ball comes away clean.

Never use a q-tip or force anything too deep in your pet's ears.

Dental Hygiene

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are subject to plaque and gum disease just as humans are. Without
a regular regimen of cleaning your dog's teeth, you
may be exposing your pet to more than just bad
breath and periodental disease. Bacteria in your d
og's mouth can be picked up in the bloodstream,
resulting in heart and kidney problems and
infections in other areas of the body.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies are born
without teeth. Their puppy teeth begin to fill in at
about 4 -5 weeks of age and will be replaced
by their adult teeth at around 4 months old.
Consult your Vet as your dog gets older about professional dental cleanings. But there’s a lot
you can do at home too.

You can also teach your dog to allow you to brush
his teeth. This will take patience on your part and
time but if you are gentle and consistent your
puppy will learn to let your brush their teeth.

Begin with teaching your puppy just to open his
mouth. Say the command “OPEN” and gently open
his mouth for a second. Over time, teach him to
let you open his mouth for longer periods of time.

Next, rub your index finger around his teeth to get him used to the idea of having his teeth brushed. You
can put a little peanut butter on your finger so he’ll like the idea even better! Finally, buy a pet toothbrush
and flavored toothpaste from your Vet or at your local pet store. Ideally brush his teeth every other day.

Allow your pet to become accustomed to
having his teeth cleaned gradually.

Start by letting your Cavalier lick a little bit
of the toothpaste off your finger. Let him get
used to the taste. With a dab of toothpaste on your finger, run your finger along the gum line, moving your finger as if it was a toothbrush. You may need to place your free hand on top of your dog's muzzle to hold his head steady as you insert your finger into his mouth.

Choose a regular time of day for brushing your
dog's teeth and be sure to accompany the
experience with lots of praise and perhaps a
treat when you're done.

Some pet owners like to use a "finger brush" as
the next step in the progression. These are little
rubber sleeves you can buy at most pet stores that
slip over your index finger and have a short
bristle pad on one side.

Putting a little toothpaste on the bristle pad, slide
your finger - with the finger brush on - into
your pet's mouth and move along the teeth.

Finally, introduce a soft bristled toothbrush to your Cavalier King Charles. A human toothbrush is fine,
as long as it has soft bristles, or you can get a pet toothbrush from your Vet or local pet store.

Use the index finger of your free hand to gently pull
your pet's lips or cheek aside, in order to allow space
for you to slide the toothbrush into his mouth.

Start by cleaning the front incisors and, as your pet
become familiar with the process, move along the sides to the back teeth, eventually brushing the entire mouth.

Periodically, your Veterinarian may recommend a professional cleaning for your Cavalier
King Charles Spaniel's teeth. Though professional cleaning can be expensive, and is performed
under general anesthetic, it may be necessary to maintain your dog's health if your at-home
dental care has not adequately prevented tartar build up and gingivitis from forming.

Final thoughts on grooming your Cavalier

Begin accustoming your Cavalier to being brushed and examined when he's a puppy. Handle his
paws frequently — dogs are touchy about their feet — and look inside his mouth and ears. Make
grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you'll lay the groundwork
for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he's an adult.

Part of above article from Life's Abundance