Grooming and Trimming - As a long coated breed, Cocker Spaniels need regular grooming and trimming to keep them healthy, hygienic and looking at their best. Regular brushing and combing is required to keep the coat matt and tangle free. The skin is stimulated by brushing and your cocker’s coat should look glossy if he/she is in good condition. A dull coat normally suggests a dietary inadequacy or worms.
Early Grooming - It Is a good idea to start grooming your puppy as soon as possible. Start gently with a soft brush. Comb the ears leg feathering with a pinned brush. Train your puppy to sit or stand as required. Later when his/her coat becomes more dense you can encourage him/her to lie on his side so you can brush his tummy and nether regions. During these early grooming sessions it is important that you establish control over the puppy this ensures trust and a well behaved adult cocker.
The Adult Cocker - The adult cocker carries copious amounts of coat and feathering but if he is well adjusted with grooming from an early age grooming is an easy matter. However if you neglect regular grooming, you will have to cope with matted knots and debris which will make grooming more difficult for you and uncomfortable for your cocker. In the same way you can hardly take your your cocker to a grooming parlour and expect them to remedy weeks of neglect with a single trim. Grooming should be a regular ongoing event which your cocker enjoys!
Bathing - In the past the general attitude towards bathing your dog was at least 6 monthly, as it was believed that you would wash all the natural oils from your dogs coat which protects them. True if they live outside and are subjected to all weathers! however attitudes have now changed and with good shampoos on the market dogs do not tend to loose coat condition from regular bathing. Our show dogs sometimes get bathed every week if we are showing, every three weeks if we are not.
Eyes - Keep your pet’s eyes clear from crusty discharge by wiping daily with a damp cloth or fragrance free wet one
Nails - Young puppies need their nails trimming regularly; they have hooks on them which catch on clothing, however they are very fine and easy to cut with nail clippers. As dogs grow their nails become thicker, regular exercise on concrete surfaces keep their nails well filed, but if necessary nail cutters can be purchased from your local pet shop.
Avoid cutting off too much as this can cause bleeding. The safest way to trim, is little and often
Teeth - Keep your Cocker’s mouth healthy and his breath odour-free by regular brushing of his/her teeth. Canine toothpaste can be purchased from your vet or local pet shop. This can avoid the build up of plaque which causes tooth decay and keeps the gums healthy. It is also good husbandry to keep the lip folds clean from stale food (using a wet one) which prevents the build up of bacteria that causes odour and infection (labial ezcema).
Long ears that require great care!Cockers have big beautiful ears that are well feathered. However, the fact they are pendulous facilitates the development of forms of external otitis.
These diseases may be exacerbated by the inadequate airflow through the external ear canal, which contributes to maceration of the skin debris.
External otitis very common among Cockers: If it is not treated, otitis can become chronic and may require surgery to drain the ear. A study conducted at one US university shows that 42% of canine patients are Cockers, but that they represent 60% of in total 80 dogs that have required surgery to treat the complaint in a six year time frame (Angus et al, 2002). A Cockers external ear canal contains more cerumen - producing glands than that of any other breed (Bass,2004), which increases the risk of maceration. In the event of inflammation these glands expand and the diameter of the ear canal shrinks, which creates conditions conductive to the appearance of an infection that causes external otitis (Rosychuk & Luttgen, 2000).
Cockers are also inclined to produce excessive quantities of sebum, a disease known as seborrhoea, which is expressed as greasy skin and dandruff. Sufferers tend to scratch themselves because seborrhoea creates a favourable canvas for secondary skin and ear infections, the more so as Cockers are one of the breeds more likely to be affected by yeast infections, like Malassezia (Bond et al, 1996). The lesions caused by these infectious agents are most often found around ears, in the folds around the mouth, between the digits, around the anus, on the inside of the limbs and on the ventral face and neck.
Vitamin A responsive dermatitis: this is a rare disease, which is almost exclusively observed in Cockers. Patients present with dry skin and thick, odorous patches. The skin is greasy, the dog scratches itself and external otitis is often observed. An in-depth examination will reveal excessive production of the epidermal cells (heperkeratosis). Generally, this complaint responds well to a few weeks oral intake of large quantities of vitamin A administered under veterinary supervision (Gough & Thomas, 2004). The cause of this problem is unknown, as patients do not generally suffer from dietary vitamin A deficiency.