Find a Groomer for Your Cocker Spaniel
You found a great puppy -- Now find a great groomer
Written by Jodi Murphy
Written by Jodi Murphy
Start Early and Stay on a Schedule
One of the first questions that I hear from pet owners once they buy their new puppy is "When should I have my puppy groomed?" Once your puppy has had all the required puppy vaccines it is safe to take him/her to the groomer. This is normally at about four months of age. Even though your puppy may not look as though they need a haircut it is important for them to be introduced to the grooming process. Cocker Spaniels require their faces to be clipped. More than likely the breeder clipped the puppy’s face before he went off to his forever home. This is one part of the grooming that the puppy may not enjoy in the beginning so regular visits to the groomer are important so the puppy will get used to this process. Regular nail trimming is also an important part of the grooming.
If your puppy is heavily coated, brushing the coat regularly will prevent matting of the coat. If you prefer not to brush or your schedule just doesn’t allow for it, then regular grooming appointments are even more necessary. A matted puppy can turn what should be a positive grooming experience, into a negative one. Brushing out mats can be very uncomfortable and possibly painful if extreme caution is not taken. The first several grooming experiences are crucial to ensure your puppy will enjoy being groomed for the rest of its life.
Puppies will go through a coat change during nine to twelve months of age. This is when the adult coat is coming in and the puppy coat is shedding out. During this time, puppies can become matted. It is important to stay on a regular grooming schedule during this time frame to avoid matting.
If your puppy is heavily coated, brushing the coat regularly will prevent matting of the coat. If you prefer not to brush or your schedule just doesn’t allow for it, then regular grooming appointments are even more necessary. A matted puppy can turn what should be a positive grooming experience, into a negative one. Brushing out mats can be very uncomfortable and possibly painful if extreme caution is not taken. The first several grooming experiences are crucial to ensure your puppy will enjoy being groomed for the rest of its life.
Puppies will go through a coat change during nine to twelve months of age. This is when the adult coat is coming in and the puppy coat is shedding out. During this time, puppies can become matted. It is important to stay on a regular grooming schedule during this time frame to avoid matting.
Finding a Groomer
We should plan to take our puppy to a groomer once it has had all the required vaccinations. We should begin our search for a groomer ahead of that time. What should we look for in a grooming salon? There are so many to choose from. The internet is a wonderful thing. We want one within reasonable driving distance. We want a salon with groomers with good credentials such as Certified Master Groomer. This certification means a groomer has voluntarily completed advanced educational training and testing to receive this title of Certified Master Groomer. Achieving this status is a huge accomplishment. Although, this doesn’t always mean that a groomer who is not certified does not have good skills, but it will help the process of elimination if you are in a very populated area.
Each certification organization has a member directory. Contacting one or more organizations could give you a list of certified groomers in your area which could eliminate some of the leg work for you. National Dog Groomers Association of America is one of several reputable organizations.
Another approach would be to ask your veterinarian. Unfortunately, accidents do happen and your vet sees the accidents/injuries that come in from various grooming salons. They are only going to refer a groomer that they know are credible and feel comfortable to refer you to. Word of mouth is always the best testimonial of a grooming salon. Ask friends and neighbors who grooms their dog, especially if their dog looks nicely groomed.
Once we have some candidate salons, it is time to check out their work. Many groomers will post client photos which they groomed on their website. This is a great way to see the quality of their work.
Each certification organization has a member directory. Contacting one or more organizations could give you a list of certified groomers in your area which could eliminate some of the leg work for you. National Dog Groomers Association of America is one of several reputable organizations.
Another approach would be to ask your veterinarian. Unfortunately, accidents do happen and your vet sees the accidents/injuries that come in from various grooming salons. They are only going to refer a groomer that they know are credible and feel comfortable to refer you to. Word of mouth is always the best testimonial of a grooming salon. Ask friends and neighbors who grooms their dog, especially if their dog looks nicely groomed.
Once we have some candidate salons, it is time to check out their work. Many groomers will post client photos which they groomed on their website. This is a great way to see the quality of their work.
Selecting Your Groomer
Once you narrow down the salons that you are interested in, visit each salon and talk to the owner. See if the environment is clean and friendly. Ask for a tour. First impressions mean a lot. Does the salon have a safety door between the working salon area to the customer waiting area? This is important to ensure your dog cannot escape if it is off lead at any given time.
Ask the owner how the dogs are dried. Are they hand dried? Are they cage dried? If they are cage dried ask how long they allow the dog to sit under the dryer. Are they cage dried partially or from start to finish? If the dogs are cage dried they need to be properly monitored. If they are cage dried from start to finish I would not feel comfortable with this practice. First, this can potentially be a dangerous situation if not monitored properly. Secondly, the quality of the work will be compromised. The coat will dry very wavy/curly and the end result will not look nice, especially for Cocker Spaniels.
Ask the groomer if he/she grooms many Cockers. Watch their reaction. Unfortunately, many groomers do not enjoy the breed due to the condition that they come in and also because of the temperament issues resulting from poor puppy mill breeding that they often experience. If it is evident that they do not enjoy the breed then look elsewhere.
If they seem happy to take on your puppy you can ask grooming related questions. Do they practice carding techniques? This is the technique of removing undercoat from the back coat. If they do not know about or practice this technique they may not be educated enough in their field. Many groomers attend trade shows and advanced educational seminars to keep up on the new products the industry has to offer and also to keep current on styles and techniques. Carding techniques will keep your Cocker Spaniel’s skin and coating in nice condition.
Ask the owner how the dogs are dried. Are they hand dried? Are they cage dried? If they are cage dried ask how long they allow the dog to sit under the dryer. Are they cage dried partially or from start to finish? If the dogs are cage dried they need to be properly monitored. If they are cage dried from start to finish I would not feel comfortable with this practice. First, this can potentially be a dangerous situation if not monitored properly. Secondly, the quality of the work will be compromised. The coat will dry very wavy/curly and the end result will not look nice, especially for Cocker Spaniels.
Ask the groomer if he/she grooms many Cockers. Watch their reaction. Unfortunately, many groomers do not enjoy the breed due to the condition that they come in and also because of the temperament issues resulting from poor puppy mill breeding that they often experience. If it is evident that they do not enjoy the breed then look elsewhere.
If they seem happy to take on your puppy you can ask grooming related questions. Do they practice carding techniques? This is the technique of removing undercoat from the back coat. If they do not know about or practice this technique they may not be educated enough in their field. Many groomers attend trade shows and advanced educational seminars to keep up on the new products the industry has to offer and also to keep current on styles and techniques. Carding techniques will keep your Cocker Spaniel’s skin and coating in nice condition.
Teamwork with Your Groomer Means a Happier Puppy
Once you find a groomer that you and your puppy are happy with, it is important to stay on a regular grooming schedule. Ideally four-five weeks is the perfect schedule for this breed, however, a six-week schedule should be the maximum amount of time between appointments. If you prefer to keep your Cocker in longer coat, more frequent bathing will be required. The appropriate schedule should be discussed with the groomer. Cockers tend to have oily skin. A regular grooming schedule will keep the skin and coat healthy and will also keep the coat in good condition. Regular ear cleaning and clipping will keep the risk of ear infections to a minimum, if any.
Groomers want what’s best for your dog. They will recommend the appropriate grooming schedule based on your dog’s coat type and coat length. Their goal is to have your dog come back to them in good condition so they can develop a positive relationship with your Cocker Spaniel.
Having a good groomer and being a good client go hand in hand. Sometimes it takes teamwork to keep everyone happy, especially the puppy.
Groomers want what’s best for your dog. They will recommend the appropriate grooming schedule based on your dog’s coat type and coat length. Their goal is to have your dog come back to them in good condition so they can develop a positive relationship with your Cocker Spaniel.
Having a good groomer and being a good client go hand in hand. Sometimes it takes teamwork to keep everyone happy, especially the puppy.
About Jodi Murphy
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Jodi Murphy holds multiple grooming certifications, conducts grooming workshops, judges grooming competitions, competes in international grooming competitions and has written an award winning book on grooming. She has groomed many Cocker Spaniels for conformation competitions, including champions at the American Spaniel Club shows. Her accomplishments in grooming make for a very long list. She shares our love of Cocker Spaniels and we appreciate all that she has done for the breed, including her work on this article. You can read more about Jodi on her website.
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