How to Bath a Springer Spaniel – Tips | Tricks | Stuff You Need

Springer spaniels are loyal and affectionate dogs who make great family pets. However, looking after a springer can be a challenging task – they need plenty of exercise and are prone to several diseases and ailments.

Another thing to consider is how to bath a springer spaniel, as there is more to it than meets the eye, with their long ears and double coat. It is important that you take good care of your dog, and so here are the best tips and tricks on how to bath a springer spaniel!

What Do I Need to Bath My Springer Spaniel?

Most of the equipment you would need to give your springer a bath is standard for any dog. There are some essential items that you should have in stock before attempting to clean him – these can all be found in most pet stores for a reasonable price, so bathing your dog shouldn’t be too expensive. Here are the essentials for springer spaniel cleaning:

• A SPRAYER – make sure this is low-pressure to avoid hurting your dog, your shower head on your bath is perfect!
• DOG SHAMPOO – specialized dog shampoo is best – consult your vet if your dog has any allergies or sensitive skin. Here’s one I like!

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• A BRUSH
• TOWELS
• A WASHCLOTH
• EAR CLEANSING SOLUTION – again, speak to your vet before buying any products

How to Bath a Springer Spaniel

Pre-bath

Before any water is involved, it’s best to brush through your springer spaniel’s fur. These dogs have a soft layer of hair underneath their glossy overcoats, and when this gets wet, it can knot and matt together if the fibers aren’t separated first.

In the water

When faced with a tub full of water, some dogs can find it daunting, so you may need to coax your pooch into the bath with a treat or their favorite toy.

Once in the water, wet the spaniel’s fur up to the neckline.

Depending on how thick the coat is, you may have to lift up the overcoat and spray gently underneath to make sure your springer is soaked through – after this; you can gently massage in the shampoo and then rinse it out again with the sprayer.

Approaching your spaniel’s face can be a little bit more tricky, but as long as you are careful, your springer will be fine. Gently wet your dog’s head with water, but don’t get too close to the eyes or ears.

Again, massage shampoo into the fur – if you are worried about this getting into the eyes, then just massage the fur with your hands or comb with the brush and use the water to remove mud and grime instead. You can also use the washcloth to remove sleepy dust from around the eyes.

Ear Care

Arguably, looking after the ears of a springer spaniel is the most important part of bath time. While the long, glossy ears of a spaniel are what makes them so cute, they can also very easily become infected.

If this happens, then ring your vet immediately – tell-tale signs of infection are your dog scratching his ears more than usual or clear or white discharge coming from inside the ear.

Start by wiping the outside of the ear with a damp washcloth, and then turn it inside out and wipe the underneath. Add a few drops (or the amount specified by the bottle or your vet) of the cleansing solution to the inside of the ear and then massage this in – try to get it as far down into the ear canal as possible.

This solution air dries quickly and absorbs any moisture in the process, which is why it is vital to spaniel care.

After cleaning

Lift your dog out of the bath and soak up as much water from the fur as possible. After this, you can either leave your spaniel to air dry or use the blow drier – some dogs love this, and some hate it. It’s all a process of trial and error – just make sure the heat is on the lowest possible setting to avoid burning your springer’s skin.

How Often Should I Bath My Springer Spaniel?

Most dogs will need a deep-clean bath around every three months to stop them from smelling, but they can have quick baths more often if they’ve just been on a muddy walk!

However, you will need to clean your springer spaniel’s ears much more frequently as these can be very easily infected, which can be quite painful for the dog.

Prestige Animal Hospital recommends cleaning your springer’s ears every week, but this doesn’t have to be in the bath – you can just give them a quick wipe and add some cleanser.

Anything to Avoid During Baths?

Springer spaniel bath time isn’t too tricky, so long as you are careful with your dog. That said, there are some things that you should look to avoid when cleaning your springer to keep bath time as smooth running as possible.

• DON’T SPRAY WATER INTO THE EARS – this is the most important thing to avoid when giving your spaniel a bath, as it can lead to infection. If you’re worried, don’t use a sprayer on the face
• AVOID COLD WATER – it doesn’t need to be hot, but using lukewarm water will make the process much more comfortable for your dog and should hopefully make them less resistant
• REMOVE ALL THE SOAP – it is important that all the shampoo is thoroughly removed from your springer’s coat – this could cause grimy build-ups and may also irritate the skin
• DON’T FORCE YOUR DOG INTO THE TUB – the best way to get your pooch to cooperate is to avoid force – try having the dog in an empty tub and just spraying water, or if this frightens the spaniel, look into professional dog groomers – they can try to ease your dog in and make them less reluctant to water

Final Thoughts

Need to know how to bath a springer spaniel? The fundamentals are to use products that will not irritate your dog’s skin, be calm and gentle if they are afraid of the water, and most importantly, keep your focus on looking after the ears.

Just remember that you can always ask your vet if you have any queries or concerns to do with your springer spaniel.