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The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel鈥檚 medium-long luscious coat and silky, feathery ears signal royalty. Keeping this breed at their elegant, tangle-free best calls for a little time and some routine upkeep.
But there鈥檚 no need to worry. At 13鈥�18 pounds, this toy dog is easy to lift and portable enough to bathe in most kitchen sinks or home bathtubs. You can also forget about heavy-duty clipping, trimming, and fluffing.鈥� Cavaliers are a natural breed with a single coat,鈥� says Cindy Huggins, judges鈥� education chairperson for the . 鈥淔ew Cavaliers have unmanageable coats.鈥�
The toy spaniel鈥檚 sweet expression with large, round eyes鈥攁 hallmark of the breed鈥攁nd noble demeanor looks best with regular brushing and bathing. Add on nail and pad trimming for injury-free feet and dental cleaning for good health.
Cavalier Grooming Basics
鈥淏egin by slowly acclimating your Cavalier to having his body, including his face, mouth, ears, and feet handled,鈥� says Terri Becker, president of the California Professional Pet Groomers Association. 鈥淒ays before you bathe your dog, turn the pet dryer on and off a few times until he feels comfortable with the noise.鈥�
Preservation breeders begin bathing, brushing, and trimming their puppies鈥� nails and feet weeks after birth. Once your puppy comes home, give them a week or two to settle in before continuing the routine.
The breed鈥檚 four distinct color patterns鈥擝lenheim (chestnut markings on a white background), Tricolor (black markings on a white background), Black and Tan (black with tan markings), and Ruby (a rich red)鈥攁ll require the same care.
For Cavalier owners who want to take their dogs to a professional groomer, Becker recommends brushing their dogs every day and then visiting the groomer every four to six weeks. 鈥淚f your Cavalier isn鈥檛 a show prospect and you don鈥檛 want to deal with a long canine coat, ask the groomer to give your dog a modified Cocker pet cut,鈥� says Huggins.
Importance of Daily Brushing
With moderate to long coats, you鈥檒l need to keep knots from forming along the dog鈥檚 ears, chest, back of the legs, tail, and the underbelly. 鈥淎 daily 10-minute brush-out is a must,鈥� Huggins says. 鈥淏egin by lightly misting the silky coat with water and brush around the ears and skirts before brushing all the fringe. Brushing pulls out the dead hair, and the coat should lie flat and feel soft.鈥� Use a or a . A pin brush is a wooden brush with widely spaced wire pins and a ball at one end to avoid damaging the coat.
Like all dogs, Cavaliers do shed, but confines hair to the brush rather than around the house. 鈥淐avalier shedding isn鈥檛 seasonal,鈥� says Huggins. 鈥淭he breed drops hair all year long, but it鈥檚 manageable if you keep a lint brush around and don鈥檛 like wearing black wool.鈥�
How to Bathe a Cavalier
After you鈥檝e brushed out the mats, your dog is ready for their spa day. For Cavaliers who don鈥檛 go to dog shows, a monthly bath helps freshen up and keep the coat healthy.
鈥淎pply a with a mild, low-residue formula, rinse with water that feels cooler than you bathe in, and top off the bath with a ,鈥� says Huggins. Use a , which has a cooler temperature than a human hairdryer.
Cavalier show dogs are bathed weekly, the day before competing. 鈥淏efore a show, skip the cr猫me rinse, but spritz a ,鈥� says Huggins. 鈥淎dd a for a few hours or overnight to flatten your Cavalier鈥檚 hair to avoid it from curling.鈥� A canine drying coat is lightweight but double thick and wicks moisture away from the hair.
Trimming a Cavalier鈥檚 Nails
鈥淚f you hear your dog鈥檚 nails clicking on the floor, it鈥檚 time to trim them,鈥� says Becker. 鈥淯se once every three to four weeks.鈥� A professional groomer can trim your dog鈥檚 nails, but with patience and practice, you can master the skill. (Cavalier show exhibitors like to keep their dogs鈥� nails short and trim them weekly.)
Hair grows quickly on the bottom of the breed鈥檚 paws, between the pads of the toes. To avoid your Cavalier slipping on slick surfaces, trim the hair weekly with . 鈥淒on鈥檛 trim the top of the feet, as feathering on the feet is a feature of the breed,鈥� says Huggins.
Establishing a Dental Health Routine
Like many toy breeds, Cavaliers require daily oral cleaning. Some dogs will accept a with a tasty , while others may not.
鈥淚 like to take a thin washcloth, dip it in some hydrogen peroxide and wrap it around my finger,鈥� suggests Huggins. 鈥淚 rub my dog鈥檚 teeth and gums with it every day to prevent inflammation.鈥澛營f you鈥檙e unable to care for your dog鈥檚 teeth, take them to the veterinarian for a professional cleaning every three to four months.
Caring for Cavalier Ears, Eyes, and Skin
Framing the face with lush feathering, Cavalier ears are the dog鈥檚 crowning glory. These heavy drop ears protect the middle and inner hearing canals, but block air from circulating underneath. As a result, owners need to do a daily check and clean excessive wax and debris accumulation that leads to ear infections.
To keep your dog鈥檚 neck and ears dry and clean during mealtime, protect them with a , or snood. 鈥淭rain your dog to allow you to check his ears and clean them when necessary,鈥� Becker says.
Many Cavaliers are prone to continual eye stains until all their adult teeth grow in. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter what food you feed them,鈥� says Huggins. 鈥淪ome breeders will apply petroleum jelly under the eyes on the tear track every morning and rinse it off at night. They repeat the process the next day.鈥�
The hardest part of grooming your Cavalier is setting aside the time and assembling the materials, but your reward is a healthy, clean dog who is grateful for the attention and care.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.