Preparation of Neck & Chest Areas for Showing

[Dessie]

Hi Guys

Well I had my knuckles wrapped by one of the older members of the Guernsey Dog Club last night for using thinning scissors on the throat down to the breastbone area :oops:  :cry:   She told me I should be using a stipping knife but I've never even seen a stripping knife let alone use one  :roll:  :oops:

Can some of you shed some light on how you do your neck/chest area.  I've always done Bart's with thinning scissors and then when I had help with Douglas they used clippers :oops: now I'm just  :roll: and don't know what to do now.

Cheers                    

[Jane S]

Hi Derryn

When you say "chest", do you mean the throat area down to the breastbone? I'm sure we had a thread on this before but I can't spot it at the moment. Anyway, thinners are used to trim this area of the chest but clippers, stripping knives etc should be a no-no for show Cockers (although we all know there are some who do take short cuts :wink:) I never use a stripping knife on a show Cocker - they leave a horrid, rough finish to the coat & are more suited to terrier breeds. Of course, others might use them but they are not for me :wink:

Jane                    

[Pammy]

I've only ever used the thinners on J & B's throat and chest, never heard of using a stripping knife there. I know ppl who use clippers and also some who do use a stripping knife for other "bits", but not heard of using the knife on the neck before.

Well I hope you considered yourself duly told and will now comply  Carry on thinning girl                      

[Dessie]

Hi Derryn

When you say "chest", do you mean the throat area down to the breastbone? I'm sure we had a thread on this before but I can't spot it at the moment. Anyway, thinners are used to trim this area of the chest but clippers, stripping knives etc should be a no-no for show Cockers (although we all know there are some who do take short cuts :wink:) I never use a stripping knife on a show Cocker - they leave a horrid, rough finish to the coat & are more suited to terrier breeds. Of course, others might use them but they are not for me :wink:

Jane

Hi Jane

Yes the throat area down to the breastbone.  Well I thought a stripping knife wouldn't be the thing to use but this lady used to Show Cockers years ago and this is how she did them and she said that I should start hand stripping at least 6 weeks before a Show  :roll:  

When you thin out the neck do you go as short as possible ?

I thought I was doing a good job on the Boys but now :roll:                    

[Dessie]

I've only ever used the thinners on J & B's throat and chest, never heard of using a stripping knife there. I know ppl who use clippers and also some who do use a stripping knife for other "bits", but not heard of using the knife on the neck before.

Well I hope you considered yourself duly told and will now comply  Carry on thinning girl  

Pam

My thoughts exactly but you do as your told and that is what I did  :wink:                    

[Gilly]

Hiya Dessie,


I am totally inexperienced at grooming and I've been using the thinners to, good job Butty isn't exactly a show dog because I struggle to blend it so you can't see the scissor marks  :oops:  Although I still try and follow a show dog trim. Time for me to get my Jackie Marris-Bray video out again i think, good job Butty doesn't mind being a Guinea Pig for when i get my next one  :wink:                      

[tracey]

Hi Dessie, I say carry on with the thinning scissors :wink:

I don't use  a stripping knife and I couldn't imagine using one on that area :shock:

Tracey                    

[Dessie]

Thanks Gilly your Butty looks lovely though.  Its just when Older Exhibitors tell you you've done it with such and such and you should be using a stripping knife.  I always though stripping knives were used on Terriers not Gundogs  :wink:  I'm going back to my thinning scissors  :wink:                    

[Mike]

thinning scissors get my vote too for this area - I do tend to keep the chest quite long though, as  prefer that look  :wink:                    

[Dessie]

Thanks Tracey - I know the thought of using a stripping knife on a Cocker sends shudders down my spine  :roll:

Cheers Mike - you know when you think you are doing things right but then somebody questions you and then you think you've been doing it wrong all this time  :wink:                    

[Tori]

Hi Dessie

I agree with all the above, thinning scissors are the way to go.  Stripping knives are a complete no no as not only can they completely ruin a coat but they are also very harsh on the skin, we don't own a harsh coated breed.  Regarding shortness of coat i, personally, like a clean natural appearence so i thin downwards to the breast bone to what looks like two seams travelling down from the ear to shoulder and handstrip bend into the body.

But i do have a little question to throw at you all - Thin scissor upwards or downwards, what is the general rule :?:

Good luck

Torie & co x                    

[Dessie]

Hi Torie

To say I was a little shocked at her saying to use a Stripping Knife is an understatement  :shock:  Thinning scissors are much nicer finished off by handstripping.

You go in the direction of the hair when you are trimming.

HTH                    

[Tori]

Hi Dessie

See thats how i was taught but recently my friends have started the 'up under' method, which although i have used this method on pets i think is alittle harsh for  show trim :?


Have just visited your site, very good :!:   Will you give Douglas ( and of course the other as well) a hug from his half sister Laney - they have the same dad


Torie & Laney loodle bum XXX                    

[Colin]

You go in the direction of the hair when you are trimming.

I think I've been trimming the wrong way then, I followed photos in the Frank Kane and Joyce Caddy books which both show the scissors going up towards the head. :?: Maybe I'll get a neater finish if I start going down from now on.

I must confess to using a small Mikki stripping knife on Jimmy on the bits around the neck where all the different bits join. I've found it impossible getting these bits to blend using scissors alone and he won't tolerate handstripping there. Then again Jimmy isn't a show dog and I just want him looking neat and tidy. I dream of getting the throat looking like Ruby's in Jane's avatar but I doubt I'll ever achieve this. :roll:                    

[Dessie]

Hi Torie

Confusing isn't it  :wink:  :wink:

So what's Larney's posh name ??