English Springer Spaniel

Question
Hi there,

I am new to the whole dog thing as I grew up with and still live with cats.  I am bringing a 10 month old male Springer Spaniel home from the shelter tomorrow or Saturday.  I was wondering if you could tell me what grooming supplies I will absolutely need for him and what supplies might be optional or more advanced??  

Thanks!
Noralee

Answer
Noralee- you are the angel this dog has been waiting for- thank you for adopting him.
Metal comb
large slicker
pin brush
shampoo
conditioner
ear wash
everything else is more advanced
Spaniels are water dogs. They have webbed feet and long ears. You will want to keep your boy clean so a good shampoo is paramount. Brushing and combing on a regular basis is a necessity. Springers have a natural saddle so if you use clippers it will grow in very cottony - it should be stripped out to make a water proof saddle. That said, it's hard to find a pet groomer that knows how to do it but you can ask around.
The ears should be clippered 2/3rds of the way down inside and out. Spaniels are prone to ear infections so keep the ears cleaned and flush regularly. The feet are webbed and hair grows between the pads which can get very stinky due to the fact dogs have sweat glands in their feet so that hair needs to be removed monthly. Bathing monthly at least. Maybe more as he gets older - they secrete a lot of oils being water dogs.  
If you are planning on doing this yourself you need to get some instruction on how to bathe, blow the coat out- wet dogs are smelly even when clean so blow the coat dry and it will be a lot easier to handle. Use a pin brush if you let the furnishings grow long but even they need to be trimmed. Get a video- look up the Springer clubs online and look for the grooming instructions.
If all this sounds daunting - find a groomer. I personally prefer home, small salons and mobile services but they can be more costly than the big box stores. Just remember you get what you pay for. You pup has probably been shaved down since he is in the shelter so plan on starting getting him use to all this right away when the time comes for a real grooming it won't be difficult. Plan on no longer than 8 weeks in between for a short coat, monthly for a longer coat.
I have a soft spot for spaniels- my first boy was a cocker. Springers have a lot of energy so plan to spend a lot of time playing fetch- they are retrievers.
Enjoy your new family member.