How often should I groom my English Springer Spaniel?

English Springer Spaniels should be groomed every 4-6 weeks. Consistent grooming keeps their medium, close-lying outer coat with heavy silky feathering healthy and prevents painful matting.

How difficult is English Springer Spaniel grooming?

English Springer Spaniel grooming is rated "Hard". While experienced owners can manage at home, professional grooming assistance is beneficial for English Springer Spaniels.

What type of coat does a English Springer Spaniel have?

The English Springer Spaniel has a medium, close-lying outer coat with heavy silky feathering coat. The English Springer Spaniel's ear feathering is the most mat-prone part of the coat — brush the long feathering on the ears daily with a pin brush and slicker, paying particular attention where the feathering meets the ear leather.

What are the most popular grooming styles for English Springer Spaniels?

Popular English Springer Spaniel grooming styles include: Working Dog Trim, Show Coat, Summer Tidy, Puppy Cut, Field Trim. Each style has different maintenance requirements.

All Breeds

Hard

English Springer Spaniel

The English Springer Spaniel is a friendly, obedient, and athletic gun dog that has excelled as a flushing and retrieving breed for centuries. Their medium-length, close-lying coat comes in two types — field and show — with the show variety carrying much heavier feathering on the ears, chest, underbelly, and legs that requires significant maintenance. The breed's beautiful silky feathering is its signature feature but also its primary grooming challenge.

Coat Type

Medium, Close-Lying Outer Coat with Heavy Silky Feathering

Groom Every

Every 4-6 weeks

Styles Available

5 cuts

Cuts & Styles

Grooming Styles

Working Dog Trim

The feathering is shortened significantly on the ears, legs, belly, and tail to reduce tangles, debris pickup, and skin infections for active field dogs. Practical and functional.

Show Coat

The full feathering is maintained and hand-stripped or carefully scissored to create the classic Springer silhouette; the head is tightly trimmed, and the body coat is carded for a flat, close lie.

Summer Tidy

The feathering is trimmed to a moderate length to reduce heat and the burden of brushing in warm weather while maintaining the Springer's recognizable appearance.

Puppy Cut

The coat is clipped uniformly short with thinning shears, removing most feathering for easy maintenance; popular for pet Springers whose owners want to minimize grooming time.

Field Trim

A practical, very short trim that clips the body coat close and removes most ear feathering; designed for hunting Springers that work through heavy cover where long feathering is a liability.

Expert Advice

Care Tips

The English Springer Spaniel's ear feathering is the most mat-prone part of the coat — brush the long feathering on the ears daily with a pin brush and slicker, paying particular attention where the feathering meets the ear leather.
Check and clean ears weekly without exception — the heavily feathered, floppy ears create a warm, dark, poorly ventilated environment perfect for bacterial and yeast infections; this breed is among the most ear-infection-prone.
Brush all feathering before and after field work; grass seeds (foxtails) can embed in the long ear feathering and work their way through the skin, potentially migrating internally if not caught early.
The body coat of the Springer should be carded (stripped of dead undercoat using a stripping comb or rubber block) rather than clipped for proper show presentation — clipping the flat, close outer coat dulls its color and softens the texture.
Use thinning shears to blend transitions between the short body coat and the longer feathering on legs and ears — blunt scissor lines look unnatural on a Springer and are difficult to grow out evenly.

Recommended Tools

What you'll need

Miller's Forge Quality Nail Clipper

Nail Care

Used by professional groomers worldwide. Made of high-quality Italian stainless steel with a heavy-duty spring for clean, sharp cuts.

$10 - $15

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Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush

Brush

An excellent entry-level brush that's easy to clean. Great for removing loose fur and detangling shorter coats.

$15 - $25

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TropiClean PerfectFur Whitening & Brightening Shampoo

Shampoo

Naturally whitens and brightens white coats without bleach or harsh chemicals.

$12 - $18

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