Hi,
Can anyone recommend a good book or DVD on grooming Cavaliers to educate myself with? I'm a new owner and want to make sure that I get things right.

Thanks

Hayley. x

The good thing about cavaliers is that they should be entirley natural (that includes when shown), so all you do is brush and comb. :) Good books include CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIELS OWNERS COMPANION
Author - John Evans - Publisher - Crowood, and CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIELS TODAY
Author - Sheila Smith - Publisher - Ringpress, both available from Our Dogs, http://www.ourdogs.co.uk click on shop in the menu.

Hi Hayley, make sure you start now while he hasn't got enough coat to get tangles, then he'll be used to it when you need to do it. Just brush gently all over, specially behind the ears, behind the front legs / elbows, and under the tail and between the back legs. My boy has a full show coat and only takes 5 or 10 minutes every other day to keep brushed. I go over him once with the slicker brush and once with a comb, but be careful with the slicker with a puppy with delicate skins and no protective thick coat. At my grooming college we are getting lots of spaniels (and others) where the owners have clearly never realised where the knots appear! :-)

Thanks Lucy. Harvey seems to shead quite a bit of hair, whats the best 'tool' for removing loose hair? At what age will his full coat come?

Hayley x

Not sure I'm afraid, I've always just used the slicker and comb, and that seems to create a nice shiny coat. Henry always had a pretty good coat for his age, but some lines can take 18 months to get a really full coat. Also, if you plan to have him neutered you may find the coat goes quite thick and woolly, rather than flat and silky. Coat Kings are good for removing particularly thick patches if this happens. :-)

John Evans brought out a grooming video- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Grooming not seen it but John's dogs were always turned out immaculately

I wouldn't have him castrated until he is fully mature & has his adult coat. i've seen some awful coats on neutered too early cavalier dogs

Coat Kings are ok but you have to be very careful using one. I use an array of combs from very broad to "flea"fine ones to keep their coats in good order

You can use a Zoom Groom to get out dead coat & regular grooming & a good diet keep the coat looking good

Ah, does it make a difference when the dog is neutered? That's hopeful then - just had my coatless Yankee done, and what coat he does have is nice and soft and silky, I've been wondering if it will turn thick and woolly. He was done at 3 1/2 years, so hopefully the coat will be ok.

I haven't seen the grooming video either, I've always thought that with the exception of Henry's fluffy bits on his bum, he's very easy to groom. :-) Regular grooming definitely, lots of people have commented on the shine in my dogs' coats and I think that's because they get brushed nearly every day.

The ones I have seen have in general been quite nicely  bred dogs & cotton wool springs to mind as a description for the quality of coat. My friend is a groomer & one she has to scissor into shape she won't clip him as she knows it will be even worse He was done at just 6 months & is a blenheim & should have had a nice coat from his breeding

Oh dear.....that's thrown a spanner in the works regarding my intentions to neuterWhen and how will I know when the time is right? I would be devastated if I ruined his coat and won't have him done if thats the case - he's only 15 weeks old and he has the most beautiful glossy coat! He's a ruby by the way and I'm sure that I've read somewhere that ruby coats don'e tend to grow as long and thick....is this correct?

Hayley. x

Depends on what the breeding is behind your dog & the type of coat in his breeding. There are some rubies in the ring with the most lovely of coats They do tend not to have the huge coats like some of the blenheims ;) which can be a blessing believe me. LOL I have my two boys to do tonight for a show tomorrow & the more coat the more grooming & drying :(  The solids do tend to have the longer ears to compensate ! lol

I would wait until he is fully mature before neutering him TBH there is little to be gained in castrating young. The temperament of 99.99% of cavaliers is of course superb so there are rarely any behaviourial issues that castration could modify

Both his parents are rubies - not sure about the rest. His breeder uses the prefix Beaudale, you've probably heard of them, they were all beautiful dogs so I guess he's gonna be a little heartbreaker!

Hayley. x

He'll be from Lancashire from Mrs Smith(whose first name elludes me ) He will probably have some Leelyn behind him from the  Shinnick 's lines They have split up I think but they did have some really nice solids

Yes thats right! Susan Smith - lovely lady, so helpful. I'll dig his pedigree out. I'm a first time dog owner and had no intentions of showing, just wanted a healthy pup, thats all that matters to me!

Hayley. x

Just as well I didn't put what I thought was her first name otherwise I would be very embarassed ;)

Have you ever considered showing your dog? Its really fun and once youve got into it your hooked.

Have a think about it

I have thought about it although he has a little white chin and quite a short muzzle so don't think he'd do very well.....he's a little superstar in my eyes though!

He is still young. The white could dissapear and the ruby colour could creep over it. One of my cavaliers was bought as a show puppy. In the beginning he was show quality but when he went 6 months he wasnt very nice. Now he is 2 and he has blossomed SO much. And i am currently showing him. I have hardlyv shown him at all but i have very high hopes for him.

I would love to come and spectate at a show.....something I'm definately going to do in the new year. Hope your little man does well, good luck!

Hayley x

thanks hayley! It is a good idea that you go and spectate at a show. If you want to go and spectate you can go to Machester Champ show in January by yourself. I will be there.

Manchester sounds perfect, just down the road from me! Will look out for you! x

If you put on a pair of washing up gloves and just stroke Harvey gently, you will find quite a bit of loose hair will come out! other than that, just the slicker at the moment, very gently of course as he's still a baby.  The big thing is to get him used to being handled - open his mouth gently and frequently for the same reason.   Do try the dog showing world it's huge fun.   Why do you want to neuter Harvey? You're not going to let him out wandering are you!!!!! (or perhaps you have a bitch, tell me to mind my own business)
all the best, Judy-Anne and Miranda the cavalier

Hi Judy-Anne,

I've read so many stories about little men reaching puberty and then humping everything in sight and marking teritory ect that I decided before I got my pup that I would eventually have him neutered. It seems I have a while to weigh up the pro's and cons so I'll carry on doing my homework and see how Harvey is during adolescence.

Hi Hayley, I'm taking Henry to Manchester too, so come and say hello - Nottus Hooray Henry's his show name, so you can find us! Got any up to date pics of Harvey? I wouldn't worry about a spot of white on the chin, a lot of wholecolours have this sort of thing. And it's better to have a short muzzle than a long one at this stage, or he may end up with too long a nose as an adult. Don't despair if he looks hideous at 4 - 6 months, my Ellie looked like a Cocker at that age and is now quite nice again at 1 year old. She has some black spots near her nose but even so has done fairly well at shows, so give him a go and see how you do! Warning: it's very addictive! :-)

Re neutering, I wouldn't advise it because of the coat thing - Henry always liked to hump George as a youngster, but could be dissuaded if we growled 'NO!' at him a few times. He never tried to hump us, luckily for him! :-D

Hi Lucy,

Will definately come along to Manchester. I've just taken a couple of piccies of Harvey and sent them to you.

Hayley. x

Should perhaps point out that Manchster champ.show no longer is held in Manchester, it is in Stafford. :)

Good point, my OH's forever complaining because I refer to the shows by their names, not their venue! :-D

Mine too, LOL! He can never understand how Driffield can be here in Doncaster.

Hi please can you give me some directions and dates of this show?? is it only cavaliers?? i'm hoping my next doggy will be a cavalier so i've started doing the resherch would be fab to go along and watch tho!

Thanks Ceri

have a look at the schedule http://www.highampress.co.uk/manc.pdf  page 9 has the directions & a little map

It's an all breed show so the day Cavaliers are there most of the other toy breeds(if not all of them)will be there as well