Over the years it seems
the most requests for assistance with coat grooming are from the
Cavalier exhibitors. This delightful breed seems to elicit all
sorts of questions from all over the world and the recent Crufts
was no exception.
As the standard calls for
a longish silky coat that is free from curl with plenty of feathering,
there is a lot of scope for advice. Whilst wave is permitted,
curl is not.
You will want to have volume
on the ears but keep the body of the coat lying closer and the
featherings dried smoothly. The different coat colours allowed
for also generate different techniques to keep in optimum condition.
Colours must be kept rich and not allowed to fade.
You can’t beat the
Plush Puppy All Purpose
Shampoo for coat shine. The Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo is
great for the white areas and the Plush
Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo brilliant for more intense
cleansing or to remove unwanted buildup of products. Use all shampoos
at a ratio of 5 parts water to one part shampoo. The Whitening
Shampoo is a toning shampoo so is effective for minimising unwanted
warm tones in the coat e.g. yellow, rusty tones and to generally
cool down reddening on a black coat. Will leave a pearly finish
to whites.
I am not the greatest advocate
of conditioner. I find it softens and tends to make coats fly
away and unmanageable for a couple of days. However, if soften
is what you need to do with an old or hardened coat, then use
conditioner - Plush
Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner at a ratio of 10:1 (10
parts water to one part conditioner). However stay away from the
ears as you want to keep volume here. Oiling a coat is preferable
in most cases to keep the coat hydrated and maintain the true
texture. Plush Puppy Seabreeze
Oil is water soluble and is a great alternative way to
achieve elasticity in the coat and to prevent snarls and tangles.
Use at a ratio of 1 tbspn to 1 gal/4 lt water. Sponge thoroughly
through to saturate well to the skin and leave in - do not rinse
out. You’ll find the featherings will stay nicely maintained
and your Cavalier won’t resemble a compost heap, gatherings
leaves and twigs, when outdoors. You can apply the Seabreeze Oil
directly from the spray bottle to the ears in between shows to
deter breakage.
Watch the toplines of the
coats for fading and burning if your Cavaliers are outdoors in
sun a lot. The Seabreeze Oil will go a long way to maintain the
moisture content but a good sun prevention, Plush Puppy Sunshade applied every couple
of days as well won’t go stray.
For brushing this coat,
make sure you are using a moisturiser first rather than attacking
a dry coat. Plush Puppy
Revivacoat is a super moisturiser and can be applied directly
to the hands and run through to the ends of the coat or mixed
for easier application in a spray bottle -one golf ball sized
amount to 1 cup/250mls water. Spray and leave in and then brush.
Most of the work for a
good show coat comes from putting in the hard yard weeks before
a show. It is a constant discipline to remember to do the rituals
of good maintenance. We can all tapdance and fly into panic trying
to remedy a coat that is less than wonderful prior to a show but
it sure is easier to have a good coat condition to start with.
Should the coat need salvage techniques just prior to a show then
Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream
- 1 tbspn to 1 cup/250 mls water - will instantly soften and flatten
an overly dry coat but unfortunately won’t grow the length
on those featherings for you.
For show time grooming,
you will need to do two techniques - one for the body and featherings
and one for the ears where you want more lift and fullness. The
featherings should not be curly so apply Plush Puppy Swishy Coat at a ratio of
1 dspn to 2 cups water. Saturate the featherings with a liberal
spray or sponge through. You can dilute further or less but this
is a good starting point for the average coat. Variations will
occur with coats so you will need to adjust this dilution rate
to suit.
Using a cushioned oval
Plush Puppy Pin Brush,
dry till ¾ dry as this won’t stretch the featherings
then switch to the Plush
Puppy Porcupine Brush which is an oval cushioned half
bristle/half nylon brush to finish by smoothing the featherings.
I use the two brushes as it is detrimental to the coat to overly
stretch hair when wet hence the use of the Pin brush first till
almost dry. The Swishy Coat will help to keep the coat smooth
and straight and shiny.
Now apply the Plush Puppy Volumising Cream at a ratio
of 1 tbspn to 1 cup water and spray well onto the ear featherings
or sponge on liberally. Use the Pin Brush to ¾ dry and
either finish with the air from the dryer and your fingers for
a more tousled finish or lightly complete with the Pin Brush for
a more regulated but still loose but full finish. The picture
you are trying to achieve with this breed is for a wider look
to the ears so that they appear to fan forward to frame the face
when alert.
Now the hardest part is
done and out of the way. The rest is a roll down the hill to the
show. It’s a good feeling to have the hard work done and
the fluffing only to do on the day. Just keep those ears dry with
a snood and keep the Plush
Puppy Wonderwash and a dryer handy for the featherings
underneath when the dog pees indiscreetly. Note: If you are religious
with the oiling of the coat during the week you won’t get
pee stains.
Tear stains - well, don’t
get them in the first place is the best option, but have stains
already? - then you need to get rid of them. You can’t put
bleach near a dog’s eyes but you do need more than a wet
cloth to move that reddening. Try using a Whitening/Smokers Toothpaste
applied with a Q tip/cotton bud and leave on for 10 - 15 minutes
and then dry wipe off and then wet wipe off. Doing it this way
eliminates the possibility of washing the excess into the dog’s
eyes. I find that a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in the dog’s
food each day - they hate it to start with so intro a bit at a
time - helps to keep the gut alkaline and you will note a reduction
in the staining around the eyes and between the toes after a few
weeks. You won’t get rid of all the reddening with the toothpaste
but it will reduce it. For covering it up on show day use the
Plush Puppy Coverup Cream
dabbed lightly with the finger or a Q tip and then another light
dab till cover is achieved and dry with a light application of
a chalk block. Brush out excess. Good also on ticking.
The show ring beckons and
for the fidgety exhibitors such as myself you will have no problems
finding things to do so let’s make it effective. A light
sprinkle of Plush Puppy
Pixie Dust onto the brush and tapped lightly through the
coat just catches the glints of sunlight or spotlight. Not too
much. Your little pixie is not the glitter fairy so don’t
turn him into one. If you can see it when you put this on, then
you have gone overboard. It does look sensational but needs a
wise hand. Finally, a very light spray of Plush Puppy Shine & Comb onto the
topline and sprayed from a distance to keep it spread lightly
and effectively and you are ready to hit the stage.
The Cavalier was a favourite
of the royal courts and is a favourite of yours and many others
today. He is a gay and happy little chappy and shown to perfection
with a great grooming routine, he is just something else again.
He has a lot of natural ability in his appearance that just needs
tender loving care. Such a wonderful breed.
CHERYL LECOURT
