One of the teachers at my daughters school as an American Cocker and has it clipped short. That just seems like sacrilege I can't think for a minute he has it running anywhere particularly rough so I would of thought there must be a compromise.
My groomer told me recently that her experience is that owners who keep their dogs tangle and matt free are the ones who ask for it to be "all cut off" and the people whose dogs have matts are the ones who want their dogs to stay as long as possible (just a tidy up, please)
She thinks that it is because the people who keep their dogs matt-free know how much time it takes and so when they can't keep on top of it for any reason, they prefer to have the dog clipped short than allow the dog to become uncomfortable and matted
JaspersMum -
Personally I agree with you. I myself am
choosing to keep Morgan with the coat that was intended for him. He may not be kept in an exact show cut but he will keep a long skirt, trimmed to a suitable length for him (when in grows). When choosing to own an American I took on board all that came with that choice including his coat care. I know and have seen American's clipped very short and thats not what I would choose. One of Morgan's littermates isn't going to be kept with a full coat but neither is she clipped short, she's being kept very much at the stage they are now which length wise is about the same as Barney's skirt length though its a much thicker coat. Thats a compromise that works for them.
Rachel - I do object to that sweeping generalisation by your groomer .
I do and will keep my cockers, of both varieties, coats long. I do NOT leave them to get matted and uncomfortable by any stretch of the imagination. I spend a full 12 hour day every week giving them a thorough groom and as long as it takes every day to ensure that they remain matt free. This is part of my commitment to owning my dogs. I do know exactly what it takes to keep my dogs matt free and comfortable and I shan't be cutting it all off.
This decision however does NOT mean that I do not care for the comfort of my dogs. My Lab gets just as hot as my longer haired dogs. All the dogs, long and short haired, go on the same walks over the fields and through the woods, and like lots of dogs they roll in unmentionable stuff but again thats part of being a dog and they get cleaned up when they get home.
All of these comments and my previous post are
my opinions. If an owner of a cocker spaniel is unable to commit to the time needed to keep a long coat matt and tangle free then of course they should keep their dogs coat shorter for the sake of the comfort of the dog.
What I won't condone are statements that infer that only owners that keep their dogs coat short care about the comfort of the dog, that is just not so.
can we see a piccie of your little yankee sam
You can.
The pics I have are a bit old so I'll take some pics for you after he's been groomed tomorrow and I'll post them for you in the other breeds photo section.