Quick question please *UPDATE*

[Neon]

Could someone please tell me: is it true that if you clip a young puppy, does that prevent the coat from ever being able to be hand stripped?  Thanks

[Sara750S]

Thats certainly the advice I read and so Toby being hand stipped   

[bajoleth]

Being clipped once shouldn't necessarily stop the pup from ever being handstripped, its not advisable but dogs have been hanstripped following a one off clip

[Pam501]

Hi there - I've not had a spaniel before so not entirely sure what handstripping is and why??  Any help please? 

[mlynnf50]

I was told when I got selby from a very reputable judge that he had to be hand stripped or his coat would go curly so I have him hand stripped, don't want to take a chance .

[Neon]

Thanks all.  Toby has been clipped once at 21 weeks and I would love to hand strip for that sleek, smooth look.  It's difficult getting him to accommodate though!!

Pam, hand stripping is pinching out the dead undercoat in order to achieve a sleek, shiny look and needs to be done if you are considering showing.  At the top of the grooming forum, there are lots of threads giving advice.

[bajoleth]

I was told when I got selby from a very reputable judge that he had to be hand stripped or his coat would go curly so I have him hand stripped, don't want to take a chance .

That is the advice yes, but just because a pup has been clipped once won't make him un handstrippable If an older dog has been clipped several times then yes it would be very difficult if not impossible.
Neon, I would attempt trying to handstrip him but it is hard work esp if Toby is not that co operative. As you are not showing then I really think you will be able to achieve the look you are after with a coat king and thinning scissors. There is a theory that the coat king will eventually make the coat curl, but I personally use it on my Black with good results

[Neon]

Thanks again Jo, will definately get a coat king and see how it goes.  Toby hates it when I try and hand strip so don't want to put him off it.  If Coat King can keep us going for a bit I can try hand stripping just occasionally.  He is so woolly and I know that blacks can look gorgeous when hand stripped,  I just want to have him looking something like a cocker, not a hairy mammoth LOL.

[bajoleth]

He is still young , This is my fave picture of my wooly mammoth Belle at 5 mths


But she looked like this when she was 12 mths


The fluff will come out I promise

[Sarah.H]

I am not very experienced with grooming but isn't an elastic band threaded through a comb a good way of getting the dead hair out without damaging the rest of the coat?

[bajoleth]

Yes it is and can be very effective but Dark blues and Blacks have notoriously dense hair and I found the comb and elastic band method effective with Monty whos coat is much finer, with Belle it worked somewhat but it was a case of not really getting anywhere. But yes lots of Colers swear by it

[Neon]

Jo. Belle is gorgeous and that first picture of her looks like Toby except he doesn't have the "mop" on top LOL.  Have you got any piccies of her back so I can see how the coat king has left it.  That would be great thanks.   PS - Jo, what size Coat King do you recommend?

[bajoleth]

No problem will take an up to date one of her later for you
 PS - Jo, what size Coat King do you recommend? PS - Jo, what size Coat King do you recommend?
Posted on: Yesterday at 02:04:42 PM Posted by: bajoleth
Thats the million Dollar Question They are numbered in relevance to the number of teeth they have, I personally have a number 12 as that is what was recommended to me by her Breeder, its what they used on their retired Show Dogs, but I think the recommended one is a 26 or a 20 for a Cocker. Not sure which would get the most hair out to be honest, I may invest in a 20 myself  for Monty as his hair is finer? But its a 12 I use and have had good results with
See here for blade sizes

http://www.diamondedgeltd.com/acatalog/Stripping_Knives_and_Coat_Kings.html
I bought mine from ebay but on looking this morning they don't look any cheaper Have a search online just make sure its a Mars and you will be fine I think its worth its weight in gold

[Jeanette]

I have the 20 here and bought it recently as was struggling with a patch on Quinn (where his back meets his tail - so technical  ).    Most of his puppy coat I got out at home.   

It did scare me using it though incase I ruined his coat so have used it very lightly in some places.     

Indie was coat kinged at 7.5 months and she had a very very hairy coat because I didn't strip her out at all - she was my first cocker and I didn't realise you could do it yourself  , she went to a groomer for her first hair cut, she looked a right mop when she went and was totally transformed.     Here's the effect of the coat king and her puppy coat.   

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=42490.30

[Neon]

Jo, thanks for that info, I'll do a bit of research on which one I need, as long as it's not a fine one apparently.  Looking forward to seeing pics of Belle, thanks so much X

Jeanette, "Miss Slaphead" as you called her   looks gorgeous.  If you've achieved that effect on her coat with a coat king then I'm happy to use one.