Grooming Your Cavalier

Start at an early age in short spurts and reward with treats during/after each grooming session. Keep patient and give them a chance to learn how to enjoy this quality time spent together! Grooming can be scary and unpleasant if your dog is confused. 

1. Deshedding:  The canine hair cylce is as often as 21-28 days, meaning the majority of dogs continuously shed. Often more in the spring/fall when their coats prepare for the weather change, this is natures way of maintaining a healthy coat!  In order to reduce hair shedding inside, we recommend sticking to a monthly professional grooming schedule. Wether or not you adhere to that suggestion is your choice, regardless Cavaliers have a precious drop coat that must be brushed weekly at home! Using coated pin slicker to stimulate the hair follicles, a de-shedding rake to remove dead undercoat and a V-rake on the ears to reach the skin at minimum 1x week. Ask for our tried & true recommendations; there are a lot of great and not so great brushes on the market. Be sure not to use a brush that seems harsh, as their hair can be damaged and we need to take great care of those ends.. Splitting causes future matting.  

2. Trimming: As needed to keep ears, undercarriage, rear, legs, tail feathers from dragging the ground, unless you desire this look. Pawpads should be shaved & tidy. Slipper feathers on paws left as long as desired (or kept tidy).  Sanitary trim where needed. Sometimes we shave the inner ear leather and around the base to allow for air flow and circulation into the canal. 

3. Bathing: We recommend bathing your Cavalier as often as bi weekly and no less than bi monthly. Always using a gentle shampoo to cleanse and a quality conditioner to seal & replenish hydration. *Never ever skip conditioning their coat.  Clean, moisturized hair is health and less likely to mat. Feel free to ask about our favorite line of coat specific products. You can remove excess water with a towel then blow-dry or allow them to air dry. Look for a Fear Free Certified Groomer in your area! 

4. Nail Cutting: Nails continuously grow and should be trimmed as often as 2-4 weeks throughout their entire lifetime. You can use nail trimmers or a dremmel to file down your dogs nails!  The goal is cooperative behavior from a dog that consents. Never sneak or force a nail trim. Always reward with treats and praise.  Sometimes you may find that Cavalier's nails will be filed down naturally from outdoor use. Be very careful not to trim the "quick" of the nail, this is painful and will bleed. The frequency of nail cutting will depend on the activity level of your dog. If you are unsure, always consult a grooming professional! 

A Note on Shaving: DO NOT shave your Cavalier! It it important to know that the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a double-coated breed. They have a downy undercoat and a guard hair top coat. The top coat of hair protects the Cavalier from envirmontal allergens and sun burns. The undercoat regulates their temperature by allowing air to circulate through, keeping the dog cool. It is important to remove the loose, shedding undercoat by batheing and brushing as not to "clog" your dogs natural ventilation system. Shaving your Cavalier will ultimately increase the dog’s body temperature and cause the dog to shed more. It could also damage the hair, ruining  the look and soft feel of the coat.