cocker spaniels affected by the heat

[Saffaroo]

There is a nugget of truth here. We used to have rough collies, and they have a double coat which apparently acts to trap cooler air in summer and warmer air in winter, so they are actually much better off being left natural in Summer than clipped. However, cockers don't have a double coat so presumably this won't apply.

Yep that was the description I was given for why. We were talking about it in relation to getting a cocker chipped for the summer.

Im no groomer or cocker expert but my cocker has a definate variation between his top coat and his under coat. The top coat is thicker and quite waterproof, while the undercoart is much fluffyer. Isnt this a double coat? Or is it more of a difference in rough collies?

..interesting this as my dark blue roan most definitely has a top coat and undercoat - she is english bred and I thin her coat in the summer rather than take her coat right down and she fares much better in the heat.  My black though is locally bred and has a very thin coat to begin with and I do clip her body very short as otherwise she just looks a mess, but she handles the heat well... so I guess we are saying it depends on the type and density of the coat really, for those people who do clip that is 

[JeffandAnnie]

That does sound like a double coat; mine don't have that though   I have just Googled to check, and there's mixed advice; some say cockers have double coats, some thick single coats, so  

[Hurtwood Dogs]

There is a nugget of truth here. We used to have rough collies, and they have a double coat which apparently acts to trap cooler air in summer and warmer air in winter, so they are actually much better off being left natural in Summer than clipped. However, cockers don't have a double coat so presumably this won't apply.

Yep that was the description I was given for why. We were talking about it in relation to getting a cocker chipped for the summer.

Im no groomer or cocker expert but my cocker has a definite variation between his top coat and his under coat. The top coat is thicker and quite waterproof, while the undercoat is much fluffyer. Isnt this a double coat? Or is it more of a difference in rough collies?

My oldest dog is black and much harier than my youngest but deals much better with the heat, espeically since his adult coat came through.

My dark blue has a coat as you've described and my solid gold also had the combination of fluff and smoother straighter hair - although the fluff always grew faster than the straighter stuff, same with the roan. Both dogs have had very dense coats and without doubt, they've been a lot happier (and faster ) clipped when it's hot. I can't talk for cockers that are handstripped though and don't know if that would make a difference...

[MaggieR]

Same here, and I have to say Maggie's top coat certainly provided no protection when wet... in the rain before she was clipped she was always a drowned rat... Now clipped she's still a drowned rat when its raining but happier when its hot 

[Johntw]

We get Pumpkin's coat a cocker cut. Short on the top and medium underneath. We walk her early in the am and at night or whenever she goes to the door. One day I had to carry her from the street to the grass because it was a very hot day (Florida). At night is when she like to take her longer walk.

[leisl]

Muppet and Krumble both have the medium size (Krumble is no longer a little puppy!  )

Don't be tempted to go for the cheaper ones (other companies try to make similar ones), the fit is really bad and they either soak the dog or dryout too quickly.