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English Springer Spaniel

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The English Springer Spaniel is a wonderful medium-sized Sporting Dog used originally for springing game is mostly used today to find or flush and retrieve game. Tallest of the ancient order of land Spaniels, the English Springer Spaniel must present an overall appearance of power and endurance with a clean but natural outline, enhancing the quest for a dog that is able to work and keep going, even under difficult conditions.

The English Springer Spaniel coat standard calls for one that is virtually waterproof, weatherproof and thornproof. It must have a glossy and clean appearance, indicative of good health. Some trimming is allowed but not to the extent of artificiality that comes with heavy barbering or amateurish chopping of the coat. You can legitimately trim around the head, ears, neck, and feet to remove excess and to thin or shorten excess feathering to enhance the overall functional appearance. It is best to wield the thinning shears at this point having ensured you have purchased a good quality pair that fits and suits your hand and eye. It does take skill to use a pair of straight shears or scissors without leaving “steps and stairs” in the coat and this is better left to the professionals.

Far better and the most natural method is to hand strip or to strip the excess undercoat with a stripping knife. Ask a Terrier person experienced in these techniques to show you how. As the English Springer Spaniel head is meant to be the approximate length of the neck and the top of the skull to be flat on top with a slight rounding at sides and back, your shape is fairly designated for you. Sometimes a picture of your English Springer Spaniel will serve to step you back to having a good objective view of the dog that you can sometimes get too close to with eye and heart when shaping.

When preparing this coat for a show, use the Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo diluted 1:5 (1 part water to 5 parts shampoo). It works brilliantly in reducing yellowing or warm tones in the white area of the coat without bleaching or lightening. It will also tone the unwanted rusty tones of the darker colour of the coat. Herbal Whitening Shampoo is primarily derived from organic sources with Ginseng extracts, protein, and violet tone combined in a concentrated and rich formula.

For extra whitening and best for stained areas use Plush Puppy Wonder Blok. It helps to maintain a white stain free coat. It is not a bleach and contains no harmful chemicals but high amounts of naturally sourced vegetable surfactants and glycerin This product is designed to remove gently unwanted warm or red tones to the coat. Best used on a damp or wet coat. Gently rub into the areas required allowing 5-10 minutes and rinse. For maximum effects repeat or allow a longer time for this amazing product to work. As with all products take care around eyes.

If shine is paramount, then use the Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo with Henna again diluting 1:5. We call this the ‘Shine’ shampoo as it features natural Henna stalk extracts that impart a beautiful gloss and shine to your dog’s coat. All Purpose Shampoo is primarily derived from organic sources and also features Alpine and Lichen herbs.  It is wonderful to use on normal to slightly dehydrated coats.

If the feathering is sparse and you require a little more fullness, then use the Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo diluted 1:3 for extra oomph. This shampoo does have enormous lift and a bodifying effect to the coat without an artificial feel.  It is primarily naturally derived and infused with beneficial plant extracts.

To keep the featherings untangled and hydrated, use Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner.  A light squish through the longer parts of the coat with a well-diluted mix of up to 1:10 will do the trick. I don’t advise using any conditioner on the shorter body coat as conditioner can make the coat fluffy and you want these areas to sit flat.

With this head type use, Plush Puppy Let’s Face It Shampoo. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed for faces. It’s a nil fragrance, no tear formula with the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro-Vitamin B and SugaNate. These ingredients clean,  soothe, add moisture, aid healing and have anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. Can be used in and around ears also with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows easy rinsing yet complete cleaning.

For show drying, use the Plush Puppy Ultimate Pin Brush and a well diluted application of Plush Puppy Swishy Coat to the featherings. Dilute at a ratio of 1 tablespoon to 3 cups water depending on the texture.  You can dilute more or less but this is a good rule of thumb for most Springers coats. Sponge or pour thoroughly through the coat ensuring even distribution. Squeeze out excess and blow-dry.

This helps to keep the coat disentangled, helps reduce static and serves to minimise excess wave. Should the coat featherings appear boofy, excessive or wavy, then add 1 tablespoon of Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream with 250ml of water to really flatten and soften. Leave in and dry to ¾ dry with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Pin Brush for blow drying as you never want to overstretch or rip the coat at this point. When ¾ dry, switch to the Plush Puppy Ultimate Anti-Static Porcupine Brush which is an oval 1/2 bristle 1/2 dialon brush. This will give that smoother, straighter and glossier finish to your drying that the Pin Brush cannot do.

Finish with a Plush Puppy Professional Grooming Comb, built for absolute ergonomic comfort in various sizes. The lightweight oval shaped spine combining fine and coarse pins made of hardened stainless steel with anodic oxide finish that reduces drag and static to the coat. Perfect for use for this breed of dog.

At times due to various reasons including the weather static electricity can create flyaways. If this occurs use Plush Puppy Anti-Static Coat Control. This is a lightweight spray is infused with organic extracts of Witch Hazel Leaf, Linden Flower, Birch Bark and Nettle that includes a UV filter to stop sun damage and protect against heat strength for the perfect finished look of the coat.

For dry, damaged or brittle coats use Plush Puppy Coat Rescue as an “in-between shows” treatment should the coat need that bit extra. Dilute 2 tablespoons of Coat Rescue into a squeeze bottle with 500ml (16oz) water. Apply to the dehydrated area of the coat with a large sponge and leave on for a minimum of 5 minutes.  Try to leave on for as long as possible.  We tend to leave on for hours while we do other dogs.  Then rinse clear. Coat Rescue helps to put some lost structure back into the hair.

Another good in-between show remedy for the English Springer Spaniel coat  is the Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil. Seabreeze Oil will add shine, hydrate and condition to the coat.  It is a truly beneficial blend of using extracts of Calendula oil, Wheat germ oil, and Evening Primrose. Spray the topline and featherings, and a good spray around the pee feathers will stop any discolouration and breakage.  It can also be used as a complete coat final rinse after shampooing and left in.

Add 1 tablespoon to 4 Litres of water, then either sponge on or sluice well through the coat and LEAVE IN. DO NOT RINSE. This is quite a unique product in that it is not greasy and totally water-soluble. It gives an outstanding healthy vigour to the skin and coat.

Use the oil at this dilution rate after shampooing for a show. Again leave in and do not rinse. You will get a nice healthy sheen on the coat with this routine. This will not alter the texture but keep the coat hydrated and protected. A real outdoors dog’s best friend! Show day – well your work has been primarily done.

On show days use Plush Puppy OMG.  This is a revolutionary grooming spray that lives up to its name. OMG is the perfect product for a Springer coat . A light spray of OMG and brushing in allows this product to refresh the coat leaving it feeling wonderful.  It separates the coat and leaves the most amazing finish. Use the concentrate form at 1:30/40 (1 part OMG to 30-40 parts water). The stronger the mix the stronger their effects.

Using OMG can be a one-off at shows or during the drying process after bathing. This is also an amazing product for regular brushing as it hydrates the coat reducing stress and coat loss. Its active ingredients smooth the cuticle and protect the coat.

For this type of double-coated breed, a lighter concentration works best. It will still allow you to brush the dog and refresh to coat without over softening. OMG never builds up and never goes stringy. A product that took years to develop using amazing technology for maximum effects. A true necessity for the tool kit.

On show day apply Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream, a great cover for stains or discolouration. Excellent on “red” area on worn elbows and to the white on the muzzle.  When you really need to cover stains your whites or intensify white areas. Apply with a barely damp sponge using a small amount. Build up coverage as required layer by layer.

Then apply Plush Puppy Fairy Frost.  This ultra-fine and bright white powder that is more effective and innovative than the usual methods of white chalking and adding powder to coats. Fairy Frost will create the brightest white tone that clings all day. Plus, it covers all coats without creating harshness. Fine and easy to use, our formulation means a little goes a long way. Fairy Frost Regular is naturally sourced and contains no chalk or talc. Use this product instead of chalk or mix with your usual white powder. This product is best for glamorous, perfect whites as it never gets clumpy, even when wet. This stays on the coat well and will last the day till washed off. Apply with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Powder Application Brush. Work well into the area where required for enhancing whites and cover. The absolute best for glamorous perfect whites.

Having done all this preparation, it is soul-destroying when your dog has an accident or gets muddied in foul weather. A quick spritz with Plush Puppy Wonder Wash is a great standby for a waterless no-rinse instant shampoo when dramas occur last minute. Just spray, foam with the fingers and towel off. Wonder Wash is a brilliant quick self-rinsing bathing alternative solution for quick and easy cleaning. Always keep our handy  Wonder Wash spray in your tack box.

Now for Show Day touches. For a final boost of shine and lustre, spray a light mist of Plush Puppy Shine and Comb 30cm above and let the mist fall onto the coat.

All senses come into play when judging and a good smelling dog is nice to touch. Plush Puppy Odour Muncher is sensational in that it kills the odour and leaves a pleasant scent behind without being too flowery or girly.

You can sneak in a tiny amount of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust. This will pick up glints of light especially in the sun, but you don’t overdo it. It’s meant to be subtle. If you can see it when you put this on, then you have gone overboard. It looks sensational but needs a wise hand.

The English Springer Spaniels value as a good working dog has produced a hard, muscular animal with great pride of carriage and enthusiasm for his job. It is a dog owned and shown throughout the century by gentlemen and men of distinction. Shown today in the conformation ring, he has flash and dash and class. Well presented, he is just breathtaking.  The English Springer Spaniel is a true force to be reckoned with.

Plush Puppy Australia