The Groomer Blog

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How to Groom Cocker Spaniels and Golden Retrievers

Oct 18, 2023

An image of a cocker spaniel and a golden retriever in a field together

Cocker Spaniels and Golden Retrievers are two beloved breeds that require regular grooming to keep them looking their best. Proper grooming enhances their appearance and contributes to their overall health and comfort. In this article, we will discuss the grooming techniques for both breeds, starting with the Cocker Spaniel.

Grooming a Cocker Spaniel

Quick Overview of Cocker Spaniel Breed Characteristics

Country of Origin: England
Height at Shoulder: 14" to 15"
Coat Length/Type: Soft and thick
Color: Cocker Spaniels come in various colors, including reds, creams, browns, black, black and tan, parti-colored with white, and tricolored.

How Often Should You Groom a Cocker Spaniel?

Bathe your Cocker Spaniel once a week to once every 12 weeks. How often your Cocker Spaniel needs to be groomed depends on their lifestyle. If you and your pet are active outside, you’ll likely have to groom them more often.

The Best Cocker Spaniel Grooming Process

Silky-coated

Modified Show Trim

Pet Trim

Pre-grooming Steps

Before bathing, trim or grind your dog's nails and clean their ears using a mild ear-cleaning solution. Use a rubber curry, shedding blade, undercoat rake, pumice stone, carding tool, fine stripping knife, or natural bristle brush to loosen skin dander and remove loose coat. Use a high-velocity dryer to lift dirt and debris from the skin and loosen the coat. Brush out or remove any matting found in the long-coated areas.

Brushing

Line brush your Cocker Spaniel, working in sections until the dog is entirely tangle-free and all loose coat is removed. Double-check your work with a comb and your hands to ensure there are no inconsistencies in the coat density. Pay extra attention to areas prone to matting, such as behind the ears, around the ruff, the thigh area, the undercarriage, and the tail.

Hand-Stripping & Thinning

Use hand-stripping techniques, carding, and thinning shears to retain the proper coat texture, color, and natural look. Start shaping the coat by carding and hand-stripping. If there is still abundant coat, trim it with moderately toothed, single-sided thinning shears. Always slide the shears under the coat, keeping the blade parallel to the hair's natural growth.

Clipper-Trimming

Use clipper blades ranging from #10 to #4F to set the pattern on the body as an alternative to hand-stripping. Be cautious with shorter trims, as they can be challenging to blend into longer furnishings.

Feet

Trim the pads with a close-cutting blade ranging from a #15 to a #40. Use a very light touch to clean the pads of long hair. Shape the feet into round, beveled circles using curved shears.

Head

The majority of the head is covered with fine, short hair. Leave a crown of longer fur above the eyes to accentuate the roundness of the skull. Trim the muzzle, cheeks, throat, and back of the head using blades ranging from a #15 to a #7F. Leave longer hair over the eye area to shape with thinning shears.

Ears

Trim the tops of the ears close to the skin using thinning shears or clippers. Trim the top third of the outer ear leather or set the line to the jaw if the ear is long. If clipping inside the ear is necessary, use a close blade ranging from a #40 to a #10.

Tail

Trim the tail in the same style as the body coat, ensuring it's short, neat, and clean.

Detail Finish

Optionally, remove the whiskers on the muzzle. Finish with a fine mist of coat polish for added shine.

Suggested Tools & Equipment for Grooming Cocker Spaniels

To ensure your Cocker Spaniel’s coat remains in pristine condition, have the following tools and equipment on hand:

Nail trimmers
Styptic powder
Ear cleaning solution
Cotton balls
Clippers
Slicker brush
Greyhound comb
Rubber curry
Pumice stone
Carding tools
Stripping knives
Straight and curved shears
Thinning shears
Dematting tools

Common Blade Options:

#40, #15, #10
#7F, #5F, #4F
A variety of guard combs

Grooming a Golden Retriever

Quick Overview of Golden Retriever Breed Characteristics

Country of Origin: England
Height at Shoulder: 21½"-24"
Coat Length/Type: Combination coat with a silky texture
Color: Deep, rich red-gold to light cream, lighter on the underparts

How Often Should You Groom a Golden Retriever?

Bathe your Golden Retriever once a week to once every 12 weeks. How often your Golden Retriever needs to be groomed depends on their lifestyle. If you and your pet are active outside, you’ll likely have to groom them more often.