Grooming the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

If you’re the proud owner of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, you may be wondering how to care for his grooming needs. This page is dedicated to helping dog owner’s stay up to date on current topics relating to the general care of their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Enjoy!

About the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

What kind of grooming do Cavaliers require?

The following text is from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel USA website:

“The Cavalier does require regular grooming. A great deal of time and effort is not necessary if the dog is brushed and combed thoroughly at least once a week. Knots and tangles are kept to a minimum if the Cavalier is free of parasites and combed regularly. Ears need particular attention and should be checked and given a quick combing every few days, daily in shedding season.

Cavaliers do shed, particularly in spring and fall, but a little all the time. Their nails should be clipped and the hair between their pads trimmed once a month. No other trimming is necessary (or allowed) in the show ring.

Cavaliers are naturally clean dogs. Because too much bathing dries out the skin and haircoat, they should not be bathed more than once a week. All knots and tangles should be brushed out before a Cavalier is bathed. Many owners find that bathing their pets every two months is quite adequate.”

Essential Grooming Items

You will need a good quality Comb, Slicker Brush, Pin brush, grooming spray, toothbrush and toothpaste appropriate for dogs, and nail clippers. A grooming table would also be wonderful if it’s in the budget! You can find these in pet stores, but the better quality grooming items are usually found online in specialty stores ( see links below). There are lots of quality grooming items to choose from. I suggest the Chris Christianson Oval Pin Brush with 27 mm pins, the Chris Christianson Medium texture boar brush to finish the top coat, and the “mini” Warner Slicker for the ears and hocks, as well as a 6″ comb.