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According to the breed standard, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels aren’t supposed to have haircuts. However, if you’re not planning to take your dog into the show ring anytime soon, why not give that wild and curly hairdo a nice, neat trim?
Cavaliers aren’t Poodles, and you won’t find as many outrageous styles here, but that also means it’s easier to learn how to groom your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel yourself. Here are four adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Haircuts to try out.
Maintenance Between Grooming Sessions
If you want to keep your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel fresh between trims, invest in a gentle yet effective dog shampoo. A regular at-home grooming schedule will keep their dander and shedding at bay in addition to hydrating their skin and keeping their fur fluffy.
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The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Haircuts
1. Natural Cut with Clean Feet
| Tools: | Clippers, brush, scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This easy hairstyle sticks closely to the breed standards, with one slight modification. Instead of just shaving the hair in between the Cavalier’s paw pads, this cut takes things a step further by trimming the tops of the dog’s feet.
Because a Cavalier’s paw hair can get overgrown, keeping the feet clean can be challenging, especially in rainy or snowy conditions. With this easy cut, you keep the luxurious Cavalier coat intact while reducing the amount of mud tracked into your house. For this cut, you’ll need standard grooming supplies, like a brush, clippers, and scissors.
It’s not difficult to perfect, although you’ll need to work carefully to ensure you don’t injure the delicate skin of your Cavalier’s feet.
2. All-Natural Cut
| Tools: | Clippers, brush, scissors, shedding blade, comb |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy-moderate |
This video tutorial shows you how to give your Cavalier an all-natural cut, leaving the volume and unruliness of the coat intact, with an overall cleaner appearance. It features highly detailed (long) explanations of the entire process, from bathing and drying the dog through the hand-scissoring portion.
With these directions, even an inexperienced Cavalier owner should be able to pull off this hairstyle at home. The tutorial also includes safety tips to help avoid any scissor accidents.
3. Summer or Short Cut
| Tools: | Clippers, brush, scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy-moderate |
This video shows you how to do a whole-body shave or summer cut for your Cavalier. While this hairstyle doesn’t follow breed standards, many owners like them because they’re low-maintenance and help keep the dog cool in hot weather.
The tutorial is purely a visual demonstration, with no talking and a brief explanation at the beginning of the clipper blade settings. However, it offers a good view of the entire process, including trimming the feet and shaping the ears and tail.
With this hairstyle, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s entire body, including the legs and head, are cut the same short length. The ears and tail are left long and trimmed neatly, as are the paws. This cut isn’t complicated but will be time-consuming, especially if your Cavalier already has a full, matted coat.
4. Modified Cocker Cut
| Tools: | Clippers, brush, scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy-moderate |
This hairstyle looks similar to the one you often see Cocker Spaniels sporting, hence the name. It’s a good option, especially for Cavaliers who’ve never had a haircut and are looking shaggy to start with. The cut uses clippers and scissors, leaving the dog’s back shaved.
The lower feathering along the belly, chest, and legs is left intact but thinned and trimmed to make it look neater. The ears are also left long, but the face and head are usually cleaned up and shortened. The video tutorial is easy to follow, with lots of details and tips. It’s made by a professional groomer but designed to help owners give their Cavaliers a home haircut.
Tips for Grooming Your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have a double coat that can easily become matted and tangled without proper care. Unless you choose to keep your dog shaved down short, expect to spend time brushing them as often as every day during the shedding season.
Even if you keep your dog’s coat natural with no trimming, keep the hair between their paw pads shaved down. If not, it’s very easy for hair fur to collect burs and other debris or become caked with mud, leading to irritation. Trim the toenails about once a month.
Like other breeds with long, floppy ears, Cavaliers are prone to ear infections. To help prevent these, clean your dog’s ears weekly, monitoring for any signs of infection when you do. If your dog’s ears have a strong odor, discharge, redness, or seem painful, take them to the vet to be checked out. Cavaliers are also prone to several eye conditions. Check your dog’s eyes regularly for any colored discharge, squinting, or redness.
Conclusion
Compared to many breeds, keeping a Cavalier well-groomed is relatively simple. You don’t trim your pup if you don’t want to, but if you do, consider one of the adorable styles on our list.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are one of the most popular breeds in the country, thanks in large part to their laid-back, gentle personalities. If you want to learn to groom a dog at home, a Cavalier will probably be one of the most patient breeds you could choose to practice on.
Featured Image Credit: Bruno/Germany, Pixabay
