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| Basic Grooming Equipment Needs | Routine Brushing | Clipping Toenails | Ears | Teeth | Bathing | Trimming | ||
Grooming a Field Spaniel
Unlike many other spaniel breeds, the Field Spaniel carries a moderate coat. The coat is well-suited to the
owner-handler who wants to show his dog, yet easy to maintain for the hunter or pet owner. We often refer
to Field Spaniels as a “wash’n wear” breed as even for show, we do not spend hours upon hours in grooming
Regular brushing and bathing, along with an investment in basic grooming equipment will save countless
dollars spent on visits to the grooming parlor. Only a minimal amount of trimming of the ears and feet is
required for everyday wear. For show purposes, a bit more trimming on the head and throat will be
necessary.
Basic Grooming Equipment Needs
| For all Field Spaniels | Add these things if you will show your dog |
|---|---|
Metal dog comb, medium/coarse style |
All-purpose stripping knife (blade) |
| Brushes | Combs |
|---|---|
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Brush the coat with the lay of the coat, starting at the head and working gradually to the
rear.
Comb feathers gently, taking care to avoid pulling the feathering if you find a snarl.
Misting the coat lightly with a spray bottle filled with distilled water avoids coat breakage during routine brushing and combing. If there is an old, sturdy table available, placing a non-slip rug on top of the table and lifting the dog to the table top will make routine grooming chores easier to do. The rug will provide an adequate surface so that the dog does not slip.
Frequency? If you can do this daily, that’s great. If not, try for at least once a week.
Field Spaniels generally have tough black toenails and the “quick” (vascular nail bed) is
nearly impossible to see. Nails must be kept up on a weekly basis as nails, which are too long, may result in
improper placement of the foot as the nail hits the floor. A nail clipper is used to nip the end of the nail off,
followed by using the nail file to smooth rough edges. Styptic powder is a necessity since with the difficulty of
seeing where the nail bed lays; it is all too easy to cut a bit too close.
As an alternative, a nail grinder may be
utilized to shorten the nail and provide the same smoothing of the file at the same time. Many dogs dislike
nail cutting intensely. This may be avoided by routinely handling the feet at times other than for nail cutting.
Here is an excellent site for learning how to use a Dremel to do your dog’s nails: DoberDawn.com and
then scroll down and click on the “How to Dremel Dog Nails” link.
Ears:
Ears should be cleaned weekly using cotton balls and a powder or liquid cleansing agent as recommended by your veterinarian or breeder. Do not be tempted to use a cotton swab since you can probe too deeply and cause harm! Shorten the hair at the opening of the ear canal by plucking or careful use of a thinning shears.
There are many types of brushing products available for routine dental care. Although you will need
to train your dog to accept brushing/cleaning of the teeth, it is time well spent. A tooth scaler is also a useful
device that is relatively easy to learn to use to remove tartar. Your veterinarian should be able to show you
how to use a tooth scaler appropriately.
Fields who are shown are bathed far more frequently than those whose primary occupation is
companion. On the average, a home companion will require bathing no more frequently than once a month
especially if routine coat care via a thorough brushing is done.
Neatening up the hair coat is helpful to maintain typical Field Spaniel appearance, whether the dog is a household companion or show dog. Trimming even for the show ring should only enhance the natural appearance of the dog. The choice of tools to use for trimming the hair coat has considerable variation.
Thinning shears are used to blend the hair and remove fullness. The tooth density controls how much hair is
removed in one cut. Our all around favorite at Calico is called a “44-20” shears.
Straight shears come in a variety of sizes.
Short-blade, snub nosed shears are useful for trimming the foot pad and beneath the tail. This is an absolute
necessity so that the dog is not walking on hair, thereby losing the natural traction supplied by the pad.
Long, curved shank shears are useful for trimming hocks and other areas where the trimming angle is
difficult.
Long, straight shank shears are useful for furnishings.
Stripping knife: It is safe to say that the stripping knife is utilized world-wide to remove dead coat as well as
to blend coat or remove excessive length.
Grooming stone: (Pumice stone)A grooming stone is used to smooth and blend, and remove fuzzy coat. It is easy to use
and does a great job of simple neatening of the coat.
General trimming:
In general, the hair on the upper one-third of the outer ear is shortened to enhance the
appearance of the set of the ear, allowing the ear to gracefully frame the face. This may be accomplished by
use of the stripping knife, used to blend the hair to lay flat thereby creating a gradual transition from skull to ear to neck. Hair from the lower jaw an area about two finger breadths above the prosternum of the chest may also be shortened with a stripping knife to enhance the neckline of the dog. Again, the key is to remove
just enough hair to neaten the appearance and blend well into the longer body coat.
Excessive facial hair
may be carefully stripped by use of a small stripping knife for that purpose.
For general trimming, a quality electric clipper with easily detached blade is used by most fanciers in the
United States, though rarely in Europe. With investment in a quality clipper and routine maintenance, electric
clippers last for years.
Clipper blades (or comb attachments) of various size control the amount of coat
removed. The larger the number of the blade, the shorter the haircoat. We have found #7F and #10 blades
are used most often here at Calico, with the #7F being the one we prefer. A #5F and #15 are helpful, though
used infrequently. Blade wash should be available for disinfecting and lubricating the clipper blades. It will
also prevent rust and helps keep your blades sharp and clean.
Some personal additions:
A small battery operated clipper can be useful for clipping in the ear. Dogs will have to be trained to tolerate the noise
Other Tools:
Table
If you plan at any time to begin showing, investing in a grooming table will make the longer grooming sessions for both you and your dog more bearable and is a good investment. Usually the table is equipped with an arm to help hold you dog in place.
Also if you are 
planning to show, some sort of tack box is very useful, "professional" boxes are available but may took boxes available at hardware and home store work just as well, at much lower prices.
Even if you don't show, some sort of storage for edged tools like scissors should be provided to prevent damage.