A Cavalier is bathed less often than most owners think. Bathing too often washes out the natural oils, dries the skin and spoils the texture of the coat — and it is dry skin that causes the scratching then blamed on an allergy.
This article explains how often to bathe, with what, how to dry, and why one step after the bath matters more in this breed than the bath itself.
How often
For a dog that lives indoors and is walked normally, every four to eight weeks is quite enough.
More frequent bathing only when there is a reason:
- the dog has rolled in something
- after swimming in a river or lake
- on the vet’s instructions, for skin problems
Between baths, muddy paws and the belly are wiped with a damp cloth. That covers ninety per cent of the situations for which people reach for shampoo.
With what
Dog shampoo only. A dog’s skin has a different acidity from ours, so human shampoo, even a baby one, dries and irritates.
For a Cavalier choose a mild shampoo for long coats. Conditioner is not essential, but in a dog with long feathering it makes combing after drying easier.
Flea shampoo is not used as a regular shampoo. It is a medicine, not a cosmetic, and is used only when and as much as the vet says.
Before the bath
This is the step most often skipped, and the one that saves the most time.
The dog is combed out first, thoroughly, while dry. A mat that goes into the water tightens and afterwards can hardly be combed out — wet hair shrinks and draws tight around it.
At the same time check for burrs in the feathering and trim the hair between the pads so the dog does not slip in the wet bath.
The bath, step by step
- put a non-slip mat in the bath; a dog is easily frightened by slipping
- lukewarm water, not hot — a dog’s body temperature is higher than ours, so what feels “pleasantly warm” to us is hot to it
- wet from the neck down, the head last and without showering from above
- put a piece of cotton wool in each ear so water does not get into the canal
- dilute the shampoo in a little water before applying; it rinses out more easily that way
- rinse long, longer than seems necessary — shampoo residue is a common cause of itching
- wipe the face with a damp cloth, without shampoo
Drying — the most important part
In the Cavalier drying is not the closing step but the main one.
The ears must be dried thoroughly, both outside and the inner surface of the ear flap. Moisture trapped under a drooping ear is the commonest cause of ear infection in this breed, and the infection appears days later, so it is rarely linked to the bath.
Blot the body with a towel first, patting rather than rubbing — rubbing creates mats. Then a dryer on lukewarm air and the lowest setting, combing at the same time.
The dog is not left to dry by itself. Damp long hair shrinks and forms mats that then have to be untangled, and in older dogs moisture held against the skin causes irritation.
After the bath
- check the ears once more when the dog is completely dry
- comb the feathering while the hair is still slightly damp; that is when it combs out most easily
- do not take the dog out in the cold until it is completely dry
Common mistakes
- Bathing without combing first. It creates mats that are then hard to sort out without cutting.
- Human shampoo. It dries the skin, and dry skin means scratching.
- Hot water and a hot dryer. Unpleasant for the dog and bad for the skin.
- Insufficient rinsing. Shampoo residue itches.
- Bathing too often. The commonest mistake made with the best of intentions.
Bathing a puppy
The first bath is not urgent. A puppy newly arrived in its home should first get used to the space, and only then to the bath.
When the time comes, the aim is not cleanliness but the experience. A little water, briefly, plenty of praise and treats. A puppy frightened by the bath the first time remembers it for years.
Conclusion
A Cavalier is bathed every four to eight weeks, with dog shampoo, with combing beforehand and thorough drying afterwards as musts. If only one thing is remembered from this whole article, let it be drying the ears — that is the step which in this breed prevents the commonest health problem an owner can avoid on their own.
Related
- Cavalier coat care: brushing, mats and tools
- Nail trimming and paw care for the Cavalier
- Cavalier dental care and preventing tartar
- Tear stains under the eyes in Cavaliers
- Do Cavaliers shed, and are they hypoallergenic
- Ear problems in the Cavalier
- The Cavalier in summer: heat, walks and heatstroke
- Cavalier care — an overview of all topics
- Puppies for sale from a kennel with health-tested parents
