Best brush for a cocker spaniel
A cocker spaniel's coat needs two tools working together, not one — a slicker brush for the everyday coat and a dematting or wide-toothed comb for the longer feathering on the ears, legs and belly, where mats form fastest. Skipping the second tool is the most common reason a cocker spaniel's coat gets away from an owner.
Why a cocker spaniel's coat needs more than one tool
The main body coat on a cocker spaniel is manageable with a good slicker brush used regularly, but the longer 'feathering' on the ears, legs, chest and belly is a different problem entirely — it tangles and mats far more easily, especially after a wet walk or time spent in long grass.
A slicker brush alone tends to smooth over the top of a mat rather than working through it, which is exactly why a separate dematting comb, with wider teeth, earns its place in a cocker spaniel owner's kit rather than being an optional extra.
The ears deserve particular attention
A cocker spaniel's long, low-hanging ears trap moisture and hair against the head more than a shorter-eared breed's do, and matted or damp fur around the ear opening is a genuine contributor to ear problems in the breed. Regular brushing around and just inside the ear flap, rather than only the visible coat, is worth building into a routine.
Pairing brushing with an occasional ear check and clean, using a product designed for the job rather than cotton buds pushed too far in, keeps this area from being the part of grooming that gets overlooked.
How often, and what to look for in a brush
Two to three times a week is a reasonable baseline for a cocker spaniel's coat, more often if they have been out in wet or muddy conditions, since matting starts fastest when fur is damp and left to dry tangled. A slicker brush with fine, slightly bent pins works well for the body coat, while a dematting tool with rounded, widely-spaced teeth is better suited to the feathering without pulling on the skin.
A good conditioning shampoo used at bath time also makes the coat easier to brush through afterwards, which matters more for a cocker spaniel's longer coat than it does for a short-haired breed.
What we stock for this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Ancol Ergo Wooden Handle Slicker Brush
A stainless steel slicker brush on a wooden handle, for short, long, wiry and curly coats
From£6.99
Wahl Competition Series Clipper Blades
High-precision, chrome-plated clipper blades with a rust-resistant finish, available in 17 sizes for every coat type and clipping style.
From£37.99
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb: a SGL grooming comb for combing the coat
£8.79
Ancol Ergo Soft Bristle Brush
A soft bristle brush for dogs, for gentle grooming around the ears and face
£7.79
Ancol Ergo Grooming Glove
A rubber grooming glove for dogs, for removing loose hair on wet or dry coats
£9.79
Wahl Pet Grooming Scissors with Finger Rest
Stainless steel finishing scissors with ergonomic offset handles — perfect for tidying around eyes, ears, mouth, and paws.
£5.49
Large Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Mats and Tangles
A self-cleaning slicker brush with fine, bead-tipped wire pins that gently lift loose undercoat, mats and tangles from short or long-haired pets. A one-click button releases the collected fur for fuss-free cleaning. Cat-ear shaped design.
£18.99
Slicker Brush for Dogs — Detangling & De-shedding
An ergonomic slicker brush with anti-scratch pins that works through tangles and removes dead hair from top and undercoat.
From£9.99
Groom Professional Curved Soft Slicker Brush
A professional-grade curved slicker brush with soft pins, designed to groom delicate and soft-coated pets without discomfort.
From£8.99
Round-Tipped Deshedding Rake Comb
A double-sided undercoat rake with rounded stainless-steel blades that gently cut through mats and remove loose hair. The non-slip ergonomic handle makes deshedding dogs and cats quick and comfortable.
From£8.99
Self-Cleaning Deshedding Slicker Brush
A deshedding grooming tool for dogs and cats that lifts loose undercoat and eases out tangles, with a self-cleaning button that releases the trapped fur in one press.
£25.99
Common questions
- How often should I brush my cocker spaniel?
- Two to three times a week is a reasonable routine for most cocker spaniels, increasing after wet or muddy walks when the coat is more prone to tangling. The feathering on the ears and legs usually needs the most frequent attention.
- Do cocker spaniels need a dematting comb as well as a brush?
- Yes, generally. A slicker brush suits the main body coat well, but the longer feathering on the ears, legs and belly mats more easily and often needs a separate wide-toothed or dematting comb to work through properly without pulling.
- Why do cocker spaniels get ear infections so often?
- Their long, low-hanging ears trap moisture and hair against the head more than a shorter-eared breed's do, which creates conditions that ear infections thrive in. Regular brushing around the ears and keeping them clean and dry helps, but a recurring or smelly ear problem is worth having a vet look at.
- What type of brush is best for feathering?
- A wide-toothed comb or a dedicated dematting tool with rounded teeth generally works better on feathering than a slicker brush alone, since it can work through tangles without simply smoothing over the top of a developing mat.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.