Griffin is for the chop! UPDATE: I've had a go...

[pinkcarys]

Hi,

I've finally reconciled myself with the fact that having a hairy little monster might be cute, but its not particuarly practicle.  I want to try to groom him myself and as such have purchased a coat king, straight scissors and thinning scissors. I've coat kinged him all over and its made quite a difference. Do I need to do more with the coat king or is it time to pick up the scissors.  I don't really know where to start even after reading all the threads below (seriously, I was up till 1 am looking at them last night!) I'm guessing the next step is to try to sort his legs and feet out but not sure where to start.  Here's a front veiw and side veiw of Cousin It Griffin as he is today, after being Coat Kinged. Any suggestions, help, advice, tips, gratefully accepted!





Thanks for the help,
Carys
-x-

[Victoria]

I love how hairy he is.  Have you cut any hair out from between his pads yet?  If not that is a good place to start.  It will get you used to the scissors and you cant do anything too terrible.  Once you have done that then you can start cutting his paws into the cat like paw shape. 

[Jeanette]

Indie says be careful with his gorgeous coat as thinks he is stunning as he is 

[Jan/Billy]

what an absolutely beautiful thick coat he has  Billys is nothing like that 

[joanne_v]

Its hard to descrbe how to trim cockers without actually showing you! I'm no expert but I did an 8 week eveining course and have practiced plenty on Lily. Griffins coat is gorgeous! 

I start by doing the pads from edge to centre of pad and then around the edge of the feet keeping the scissors horizontal. After that I trim the leg hair by fluffing it out with a comb and cutting in the direction of the hair ie in a downwards direction. Do it gradually until you are happy with the length. If you keep fluffing it up and outwards it makes it much neater when the hair lies flat afterwards. I do the front and sides of the legs shorter and leave about an inch of feathering at the back. With the back legs (the skirt) I leave that quite long too. Depends if you want it like a typical show cut. I also trim the end of the tail again in the direction of the hair and any straggly bits. Dont usually do the belly hair but thats cos Lilys isnt very long. After trimming I use thinning scissors on the legs, head (if they have a top knot) and chest. Just have a go and do it bit by bit then if you make a mistake it'll just be on a small bit and will grow back soon enough!

The trimming and thinning took me 2 hours yesterday on Lily and she is nowhere near as fluffy as Griffin! Coat-kinged her a few days ago which was another half hour.... Its worth it when you're finished though. Goodluck!

PS other good thing to get is a grooming manual, shows you exactly what to do and where to cut!

[bluegirl]

Cut all round his feet with scissors, may be better with blunt end ones if he's a fidget. I found easiest way at first was to turn them over so they lay on the floor on their backs but between my legs and I just held up one foot at a time and cut all around and underneath so that the fur was same length as pads.
Stand back up and imaging the shape of a banana and thats how I'd cut the front legs, close to the paw at the bottom and widening out as you snipped up the leg. Again using straight scissors and same with back legs, widen at top and coming in near foot. I'd level off belly hair and just round it off in front of chest. use thinning scissors on fronts of legs and down both sides to thin the feathering out a bit.
That should keep you going for a bit.

[pinkcarys]

Thank you! I'm going to try and do it little and often. It's a shame I can't just leave him as he is, but we walk him at Virgina Waters and he brings half the lake home every day.  I'll start with the feet, then have a go at the front legs, and see how it looks. If I make a mistake, I take it it will grow back?  Will cutting his fur make it grow differentl;y like clipping does?

Thanks so much. I just don't know what I'd do without COL! 

-xx-

[spanielcrazy]

. If I make a mistake, I take it it will grow back?  Will cutting his fur make it grow differentl;y like clipping does?

Nope, cutting with scissors won't hurt it at all, and yes, it will grow back 

[hollyd443]

Aww, Griffin is gorgeous  No advice from me sorry - I just wanted to say how lovely he is! 

[Aearoniel]

Wow Griffin is soooo hairy! I'd go with the feet to start too, can't go hugely wrong there

[pinkcarys]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to attack his feet later today, or tomorow. Luvly has kindly sent me a bit of a guide and I'm going to take before and after photos and make a "Nivice Guide to Grooming Your Fluffball" with pics of Griffin and Luvly's wonderful instructyions. Wish me luck!  At least if it all goes wrong I'll just shave him clean!

[LesleyW]

WOW!! 

...just look at those feet!

.....so glad we only have a working cocker....

[pinkcarys]

Thank you so much everyone. I've had a little go at Griffin's feet, with the help of Luvly, the replies to this thread, and by looking at all the gorgeous cockers on the "showing" photo board.

Here's my first attempt at trimming his feet.

From the side


The front


The back


Any comments, critisisms or advice are very welcome.   realise there are a few straggly bits that I missed but he was getting very fidgety so I think he's had enough for one day.

So, what to do next? He looks a bit strange with trimmed feet and straggly ears, face and body, but I'm scared to carry on without all your expert help. 

Thanks everyone xxxx

[joanne_v]

Looks great! How long did it take you?? Ages I bet! I actually find doing the legs is easier than the feet. Less fiddly and its easier as they are vertical...

[pinkcarys]

I did his front feet this morning and they took about an hour and a half. I followed the advice of taking small snips, then brush, small snip, brush which meant it took me ages. Then the back legs took about an hour. Poor Griffin. He was very well behaved and he knows the "stand" command so that helped, but he kept licking the scissors!

Thanks for your kind words. Not sure he looks great as such, but I'm not ashamed to go out in public.    Hopefully he'll bring less mud in now