How to Cut the Hair of English Springer Spaniels

Springer spaniels have a medium length coat that is relatively easy to maintain. Grooming and trimming your dog's coat regularly will prevent the feathering and ear hair from becoming tangled or matted.



Springers bred as working dogs have coarse, hardy coats that need a trim every 10 to 12 weeks. Springers bred to show usually have longer, softer coats and feathering and may need a trim every eight 8 to 10 weeks. Both types need regular brushing to keep their coats in the best condition.

Things You'll Need

  • Straight scissors
  • Thinning scissors
  • Soft bristle brush or grooming glove
  • Slicker brush
  • Comb
  • Rubber gloves
  • Clippers (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Give your dog a good all-over brush to remove any dead hair and dirt. Use the brush to clean the head, body and legs. Use the comb to work through the feathering on the chest, legs, ears and tail.

    • 2

      Put on the rubber gloves. Gently pull out any dead hair from the top of the head, trimming any long hairs using the straight scissors. Comb through the ear hair to remove tangles. Cut away any clumps of matted hair carefully using the straight scissors.

    • 3

      Trim the hair from the top of the ears to about halfway down using the thinning scissors. Use the straight scissors to tidy up the edges and underneath the ears. Be careful not to let hair fall into the dog's ear canal, since can cause irritation.

    • 4

      Use straight scissors to trim the fur around the chin and top of the chest. Tidy up the feathering with the thinning scissors.

    • 5

      Snip away any unruly hair from the dog's stomach, working from front to back with the straight scissors. Trim the feathering on each leg from top to bottom using the thinning scissors. Hold the scissors point down at all times to minimize the chance of accidents.

    • 6

      Tidy up a docked tail with the straight scissors. Maintain the shape of a full tail with regular combing. Trimming the tail hair can spoil its natural shape so only cut it if it's truly necessary.

    • 7

      Snip away the excess fur on the edge of each paw very carefully. Trim the fur between the toes and underneath the paw, taking care not to scrape your dog's pads.

    • 8

      Give your dog another all-over brush to remove any excess or loose hair. Check the coat and feathering for any stray hairs and snip them off.