American Cocker Spaniel (en)

Long, Silky and Very Glamorous - The American Cocker Spaniel.

The American Cocker Spaniel with its flowing coat and flashy movement is indeed a sight to behold in the show ring. A merry dog and the smallest of all the gundog breeds.

The American Cocker standard states that the texture of the coat is most important. The coat should be silky, flat or slightly wavy and of a texture, which permits easy care. For the coat that is a little on the dry side or is fluffy or frizzy use the Plush Puppy Conditioning Shampoo with Evening Primrose. This shampoo contains Evening Primrose Oil and will help moisturise and settle the coat. For a coat that is in good condition and does not need any extra help use the Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo, this is the ultimate shine shampoo. Dilute the shampoo 1:5, i.e. 1-part shampoo to 5 parts water. You can dilute your shampoo up to 10:1. Use undiluted for the really dirty areas such as the ears, under the tail area and under-carriage. The Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo is wonderful for cleaning very heavily soiled areas of the coat - Ideal for the oil build-up you get on the ears and it is a wonderful clarifier for the coat used once a month to remove any product build-up. Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo is great to use on areas of the coat that you want to appear fuller and great for a dog "out of coat". This can be used just in the areas that require that more!

For Parti's you can use Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo This is great for the white areas for its toning qualities reducing red and warm tones and is perfectly safe on all colours. Use at 1 part shampoo to 5 parts water. Another amazing product for white areas is Plush Puppy Wonder Blok - this product is one of our proudest achievements in helping to maintain a white stain free coat. It's not a bleach and contains no harmful chemicals but with the use of modern technology and high amounts of naturally sourced vegetable surfactants and glycerin, This product is designed to remove gently unwanted warm/red tones to the coat. Best used on a damp/wet coat. Gently rub into the areas required allowing time (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.

This is a head/face breed the perfect product is Plush Puppy Let's Face It - what the dog showing world has needed for way too long. Another one of the famous Plush Puppy products that with the latest technology and the highest amounts of naturally sourced ingredients has developed a product that is a must! This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed for faces. It's no tear formula with the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro-Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean soothes, adds moisture, aids healing, and 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 of rinsing yet complete cleaning.

For your conditioning rinse use the Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner at 1:10. Use more on a dryish or damaged coat. You can rinse the conditioner out or partly leave it in depending on your specific coat requirements. It has natural active ingredients to help soften and rehydrate the coat. If you are doing a maintenance bath, then leave the conditioner in. I never use conditioner on the saddle area. If you have groomed your saddle area well it will be shiny and in great condition.

Plush Puppy Swishy Coat helps the hair to fall gracefully back into place after moving. It is designed to reduce the wave and frizz in the coat. It will straighten and smooth the hair without softening it and will make blow-drying easier. Mix 1 tablespoon of Swishy Coat to 500ml (mix well). Spray this lightly through the coat, including the under layers after towel drying and before blow-drying.

Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream softens and flattens and will add weight to tame a boofy or unruly coat. Mix and apply just as per the Swishy Coat. If you have a coat that needs straightening and de-boofing you can mix Swishy Coat and Blow Dry Cream in the same bottle and mix with water if you like.

When you blow-dry use a Plush Puppy Ultimate Pin Brush to start until ¾ dry, then use the Plush Puppy Ultimate Anti-Static Porcupine Brush as it really stretches and smooths the coat. The hair must be 100%. For legs and hocks use the Plush Puppy Ultimate Slicker Brush. All these are exclusively designed for Plush Puppy.

Plush Puppy Volumising Spray is a superb grooming tool to use on a thin coat. You can apply it when the coat is damp or when the coat is dry. It will coat each individual hair and give the appearance of more coat. You can use it all over the coat or just in a specific area. When you are trying to volumise the coat you can blow-dry the coat in a fluffing up kind of manner to help increase the volume. A light spray on the area and brush/dry.

For maintenance, baths use the Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil. It contains natural extracts that promote hair growth, repair of damaged hair and are very good skin conditioners. It also dramatically reduces matting and knots. It is one of the finest oils made and it easily washes out with any of our shampoos. I do always shampoo at least twice as I said earlier. Seabreeze Oil can be applied at 1 tablespoon to 2 L of warm water. Use a sponge to make sure full coverage of all the feathers. It can also be used in your conditioning rinse. Just put 1 tablespoon along with a quarter cup of Silk Protein Conditioner into approximately a half-gallon or 2 litres of water. Saturate this well through the coat and leave it all in. Blow-dry as you normally would for a maintenance bath. Plush Puppy Reviva Coat is fantastic for in between baths and can be used at any time that moisture is required. You do not have to blow dry it if you don't want to. Just apply it by using 1 golf ball-sized amount into your hand and scrunching into the coat as required and just leave it to dry on its own. Plush Puppy Protein Coat Balm is the perfect show ring product and it helps with static, flyaway and drying out. The best attribute of this product is that it will not undo all your blow-drying hard work. Just squirt a few pumps into your palm, smear your hands together, then smooth your hands over the coat.

The very best grooming spray is Plush Puppy OMG is a revolutionary grooming spray that lives up to its name. OMG is the perfect product for this coat type. 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. Using at an approximate mixture of 1-part OMG to 20-40 parts water using this break down from the OMG concentrate or OMG ready to use. The stronger the mix the stronger their effects. Different dogs at different coat stages means different mixtures. Higher the amount of OMG to greater effects. Using OMG can be a one-off at shows or during the drying process after bathing. An amazing product for regular brushing also as it hydrates the coat and reduces stress and coat loss. OMG and as its active ingredients smooth the cuticle and protect the coat. For this coat type that you still wish to retain the texture at a higher breakdown will still allow you to brush the dog and refresh to coat without over softening. If you need more softening and hydration to a fuller or larger coat then a higher mixture is needed. Omg can also be used on topcoats and brush/polished in for that wonderful smooth and flatness to the coat. OMG never builds up, never goes stringy. A product that took years to develop using the latest technology for maximum effects. A true necessity for the tool kit. Also available in OMG Ready to Use Spray at 20:1 which can also be further diluted if required.

Then comb the coat into place. Do this just before you go into the ring. There is no point doing it an hour beforehand. You can use Protein Coat Balm multiple times throughout the day without altering the texture or look of the coat. Plush Puppy Shine and Comb is just super used lightly on the back coat. Mist it down over the coat just before you go into the ring to give a classic natural shine. So there you have it! All ready to flash around the ring and take everyone's breath away with your glamorous American Cocker Spaniel with it lustrous, silky feathers and long luxurious ears flying in the wind.

Plush Puppy Australia