A Cavalier’s coat looks more demanding than it is. It is long and silky, but it is not clipped, not shaped and not taken to a groomer for an hour. The whole job comes down to brushing, and only in a few places.
This article explains how often to brush, where mats actually form, which tools you need and why this breed is never clipped.
What a Cavalier’s coat is like
The breed standard calls for a long, silky coat without curl, with a slight wave permitted. There is no dense undercoat as in the northern breeds, so no large drifts of hair build up when the dog sheds.
What gives the Cavalier its distinctive look is the rese — the longer hair on the ears, the backs of the legs, the chest, the belly and the tail. The feathering reaches full length only at around three years, so a young dog looks considerably different from an adult.
The feathering is also the only place where mats form. The short hair over the back and flanks practically never causes trouble.
How often to brush
Two or three times a week, about ten minutes at a time. That is enough for a dog with no particular problems.
More frequent brushing is needed in two cases:
- in the transitional seasons, when shedding is heavier
- in dogs that go out into the countryside, because burrs and grass catch in the feathering
A short brushing every other day is better than a long one once a week. A mat two days old comes out in a second; one a week old often has to be cut out.
Where mats form
Always in the same places, and they are worth memorising, because the rest of the body can be gone over quickly:
- Behind the ears — the commonest spot, and the easiest to overlook
- Under the ear flap, where the hair rubs against the neck
- In the armpits, especially in dogs that wear a harness
- The backs of the legs, where the feathering is longest
- Around and under the tail
- Between the pads of the paws
If those spots are gone over every other day, the rest of the dog takes less than two minutes.
Which tools you need
Three things cover everything, and none of them is expensive.
A metal-toothed comb, with a finer and a coarser section. This is the main tool and it does most of the work. The coarser section for the feathering, the finer one for the final check.
A soft slicker brush. It is used on the feathering and for removing shed hair. In this breed choose the soft version, because a stiff one scratches the skin.
Round-tipped scissors, only for the hair between the pads and for a mat that will not comb out.
What is not used on a Cavalier is a furminator or undercoat rake. They are made for breeds with a dense undercoat and on this coat they simply tear it.
How a mat is removed
Never by pulling. Hold the mat with your fingers close to the skin so it does not tug, then separate it from the outside inwards, a little at a time.
If it will not come out, cut lengthwise through the mat, in the direction the hair grows, then comb out the rest. Cutting across leaves a hole that shows for months.
If the dog whines or struggles, stop. A mat that pulls on the skin hurts, and a dog that once links brushing with pain will later run from the comb.
Why a Cavalier is not clipped
The breed standard expressly forbids clipping and shaping the coat. In the ring the Cavalier is shown in its natural state, and the only trimming allowed is the hair between the pads.
For a pet this is not a rule but a recommendation, though it has a practical reason: a Cavalier’s coat often does not grow back the same after clipping. The feathering can come back thinner and of a different texture, and in some dogs it does not recover for years.
If a dog is so neglected that the mats cannot be combed out, clipping is the lesser evil. But that is a remedy for a neglected state, not a method of care.
Brushing and the young puppy
A puppy has no feathering and practically no mats, so in the first months it is brushed not for the coat but for the habit.
Briefly, a minute at a time, every day, with a treat. The aim is for the dog to learn to lie still and to have its ear, paw and tail handled. By the time the feathering grows, that work is already done.
A dog that has not got used to brushing by the age of one struggles for the rest of its life, and by then the feathering really does need work.
When to go to a professional
A Cavalier does not need a salon for routine care. A visit makes sense in two cases:
- when the coat is so tangled that it cannot be sorted out at home without pain
- in older dogs that find standing for long uncomfortable, so it is better done by someone with experience
Conclusion
Coat care for a Cavalier is about ten minutes two or three times a week, and mostly in the six places where mats form. The tools are a comb, a soft brush and round-tipped scissors. The most important thing is to establish the habit while the dog is a puppy, because then you are not solving a problem but preventing one.
Related
- Bathing a Cavalier: how often and how
- 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
- Kavalir leti: zašto se ova rasa ne šiša zbog vrućine
- Cavalier care — an overview of all topics
- Puppies for sale from a kennel with health-tested parents
