How to Groom an American Water Spaniel

These little dogs are extremely smart and easy to train. American Water Spaniels are eager and excited about learning new things and doing different tasks. They are useful as hunting dogs, watchdogs and good companions. Their coats require a full grooming every 6 to 8 weeks and a general grooming every week.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Slicker brush
• Steel comb
• Blending shears
• Scissors

1. Remove extreme tangles and knots from the coat, but don't indiscriminately cut away large clumps of hair. This dog's coat is uneven in texture and alternates between wavy and curly all over the body, so it may not be readily apparent which parts are knots and which parts are just thick areas.

2. Brush frequently and thoroughly. You should brush you American Water Spaniel at least twice a week with a slicker brush or steel comb. American Water Spaniels are light shedders.

3. Bathe infrequently and only when absolutely necessary. Bathing too often strips the American Water Spaniel's coat of its natural protective oils. This oil might mean the dog has a strong smell, but it keeps your dog's coat healthy.

4. Trim the coat on the body and neck with blending shears. The hair should stand somewhere between 1 and 2 inches long. Make sure you know how to use blending shears properly or the coat may appear sloppy and uneven. Blending shears can also help smooth out areas of the coat that are excessively curly or wavy.

5. Trim stray hairs from the feet and pads with scissors. The feet should have a neat, orderly appearance.

Tips & Warnings

• American Water Spaniels have a life expectancy of about 12 to 15 years of age.
• Though their origins are generally unknown, the American Water Spaniel has been a mainstay of farms and rural areas of the Midwestern United States since the 1700s.