Picardy Spaniels

Picardy Spaniels are now quite rare and one of the oldest Spaniel breeds, they are very energetic generally even tempered very intelligent, easily trained and have great personalities, normally very friendly although some are a little reserved at first, they are a dog which can suit most home environments, but they require regular exercise and plenty of mental stimulation

To maintain their coat in good condition we recommend a combination of visits to the Groomer and in between visits grooming sessions every 2-3 days, more if your dog has an attraction to getting dirty and rolling in dubious smelling materials, which unfortunately most Spaniels seem to have!

The visits to the Groomer should concentrate on clipping of nails, and of course a good wash and groom, and most owners advise these visits are every 6-8 weeks

So in between these visits keep your Spaniel in great condition by having your own washing and grooming sessions at home, this can be a rewarding and fun experience and help maintain your pets coat in Tip Top condition by following these simple rules.

Before you start your shower and grooming sessions give your Spaniel a good brush and then make sure you have all tools and materials required: –

Shampoo ensure you use a specific Dog Shampoo this will ensure that the Fur is maintained in great condition, Human Shampoos have different formulas not always compatible with Dogs. Also Spaniels coats respond extremely well to conditioning so a good Conditioner or a Shampoo and Conditioner we would highly recommend

Towels 1 x Roses PVA Mega Absorbent Towel, and I x Roses Large Microfibre Towel

1 x Roses Grooming and Drying Brush

1 x Good Quality Pin Head Dog Brush and S/Steel Comb

A good supply of treats

Washing your Picardy Spaniel

For all Spaniels we advise you to use the shower, (and use a non-slip shower mat) as washing in the sink or bath may result in your dog jumping out and potentially harming itself. Ensure the water is a comfortable temperature not too hot or too cold use the shower attachment to thoroughly wet your dog’s coat and then apply the shampoo and knead it thoroughly into the coat, do not vigorously rub as this can cause tangling simply knead in the direction of the coat. If your dog has got extremely dirty you may need to repeat this process, but if possible one application of shampoo only, to help preserve the natural oils in your dog’s coat. Now this is important when rinsing the shampoo out you must ensure that all shampoo is rinsed away as any residue can cause itchiness. Another key point we would make is to avoid getting shampoo into the eyes and try to keep the inside of ears dry, away from shampoo and water. A good tip here is to start grooming from the back of your dog’s head and work down towards the tail.

If using a conditioner apply as per the shampoo, repeat rinse process and again make sure the conditioner is thoroughly rinsed out of the coat

When coat thoroughly rinsed it is time to dry and technique is important here to keep your Picardy Spaniels coat in great condition. Firstly, dab the coat all over with the Roses Mega Absorbent PVA Towel, squeezing excess water out often to ensure maximum absorbency. Once all surplus water is removed then wrap your dog in a Roses Large Microfibre Towel gently dabbing the towel all over until the coat is just damp. It is important that you do not vigorously towel dry your dog as this can result in tangling knotting and matting.

Now to the final drying and grooming, connect your Roses Grooming and Drying Brush set on medium heat and low speed and start brushing and Drying the coat, there is no correct place to start but the key advice we would give here is to ensure the whole coat is dry particularly around the base of the tail and around the ears. Ensure all the coat is brushed through and Dry and if your dogs is a little anxious at first encourage with treats and words of encouragement. Once your dog is familiarised and comfortable with your Roses Grooming and Drying Brush you can increase the heat setting to full and increase the speed to high, but note when drying around the eyes and ears only use medium heat and low power.

The permanent IONIC feature will ensure great condition to your dog’s coat

The choice of Brush head to use varies from Dog to Dog but generally we recommend the large square head for large areas such as sides and back, the oval brush head for use around the ears tail etc and the round rush head for under the chin and tops of front legs, but once you have used the tool a few times you will develop your own technique and use brush heads which feel give you the best results.

We know that following these simple instructions you will soon be getting great results and you and your dog will enjoy these sessions which can help create an excellent bond between you and your dog and of course keep your dog looking great and smelling good most of the time.

Following a wet walk, you can also follow these guidelines if not dirty no need to shampoo or condition simply towel dry as outlined here and quickly dry off with the Roses Grooming and Drying Brush, and on cold winter walks your dog will welcome being dry and warm.

We look forward to hearing your experiences and of course receiving pictures of your Picardy Spaniels after your Grooming and Pampering Sessions

THE ROSES TEAM

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