Spanish Water Dog Grooming

A Spanish Water Dog has a curly, woolly coat that requires frequent (if unusual) grooming. Below are tips on bathing, "cording," and clipping a SWD's coat.

With this breed's distinctive curly coat, Spanish Water Dog grooming is an everyday task--but caring for a SWD's coat is anything but typical. The tight curls (which often form into cords as the dog matures) will never need brushing, nor does the hair shed. Instead, the coat will need frequent "cording" (explained in further detail below); these dogs will also need monthly baths, and annual clippings starting when the dog is a puppy.

Cording is the process of separating separating a dog's curls by hand to keep them from clumping together and/or tangling. On a Spanish Water Dog, the practice should be performed 4-5 times per week (and daily when the dog is freshly clipped and new ringlets are beginning to form). The process is quick (10-15 minutes), easy, and a great opportunity to bond with your dog. To cord the dog, use your hands to separate any curls that have stuck together, allowing them to grow uniformly; along the way you can remove any debris like leaves, twigs, etc., that are trapped within the curls. The cording doesn't take long, and it keeps the SWD's coat looking healthy and neat.

Baths should be given at least once a month. SWD enthusiasts say that in between baths, owners should allow their dogs to swim in a clean body of water like a swimming pool or a stream; the dog's swim will help keep it clean, and the SWD will of course enjoy the activity! To bathe a SWD, use a bathtub (or possibly an outdoor kiddie pool and a garden hose). Use a light canine shampoo (available at pet stores), rinse thoroughly, then let the coat dry naturally (which may take a few hours).

And to promote healthy, uniform hair growth, this breed will need to be clipped once a year. Doing so allows the coat to grow back in naturally and consistently, and will rid the coat of any tangles or mats. Starting when the dog is 6-8 months old, clip the coat very close (less than an inch all over); after that, clip the dog each year. Note the as the dog ages, the curls don't need to be clipped quite as short (2-3 inches is fine). The clipping can easily be done at home, but it's recommended that the first clipping be done by a professional groomer; the groomer can give the dog a good shave, and he or she can provide you with tips on clipping the dog yourself, and on how to groom a Spanish Water Dog in general.

For the Spanish Water Dog, shaved coats are at least an annual necessity. The clipping gives the coat the opportunity to regenerate new, healthy cords, and will get rid of any tangles or mats that might have developed.

People who show their SWDs probably shouldn't clip their dogs more than once per year, as the breed standard calls for at least an inch in coat length--but for "non-show" SWDs, owners can clip the coats whenever they desire. (2-3 times per year is a good standard.)

How to shave a Spanish Water Dog: first give the dog a bath, and let the coat dry completely. Then use a set of clippers to shave the coat evenly all over; breed enthusiasts recommend using a #5F or a #5 skiptooth blade on the clippers, which will leave between a quarter- and a half-inch of coat length. While clipping, be sure to move in the direction of hair growth.

The process may take a while (up to 45 minutes or more)--but your SWD coat will look great!