Puppies when to start stripping/trimming and how much to do?

[SuperCat]

Hi, it's a long time since I've posted but I could do with some advice. Hopefully attached is a picture of my new baby.  (excuse the rosettes, I sent that one to the breeder, she won BIS in her first show at the weekend!)

She's just 5 months, we've got just over a month until our first planned Open show and as you can see she looks more like a Poodle than a Cocker. Some hair is stripping out, but not a lot. I haven't trimmed anything with scissors yet other than her feet. Has anyone got any advice on where to start next with the trimming and stripping? Or is it best to just keep doing little bits and tidy it up as she gets older? What about her front legs etc?

Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated. 

[PollySpaull]

Hiya,

She's gorgeous! I left montys coat until it was ready to come out on its own. I trimmed between his pads and round his feet, but left everywhere else. Montys coat started to give at about 8 months I think. I took him to the groomers and he came out looking like a completely different dog!

Stripping hair that isn't ready can be painful so I would just keep checking to see when it's ready, and it the mean time you could tidy up with a little trim if need be.

Monty was a complete shaggy mess when he was that age so she's actually not doing too badly!!

[Theo961]

I cant really offer any advice as my boy is only ever going to be a pet and that was something I was stressed about.

I just wanted to say Well done and she is gorgeous! 

[bizzylizzy]

Humphrey had his first proper handstrip a few weeks ago, he was about 15 months. He started looking like a woolly ball at around 6-7 months and I used to keep him half- way tidy with the comb and elastic band method. I trimmed his paws once myself but not very well and at around 9  months I asked a groomer  to just tidy him up and she trimmed the hocks and did his feet properly. It is a bit of an inbetween stage but as PollySpaull says, you can't really do much until its ready to come out.
She looks absolutely gorgeous though (as does Monty of course - as always!!! ) and congratulations on BIS!!!

[Blueberry]

I took Blue to the groomer for the first time this week.  He's 6 months old.  In the course of discussing what sort of 'look' I was after, I was told by the groomer that hand stripping is best started as early as possible, and that Blue is too old to start it now!!  I only wanted a scissor trim, as it happens, but I'm sure this is contradictory advice to all that I've read on here?

[PollySpaull]

Blueberry, you're definitely not too late to start hand stripping at all! Probably coming up to just about the right age in fact. I would probably try and find another groomer to do it for you (when the coat is ready)

[lescef]

I didn't strip my two until they were at least seven months and probably kept going until they were about ten months. So, yes, I would question that statement, other than giving a gentle pull just to get them  accustomed to the feel of it.

[elaine.e]

As you're planning on showing her please be very careful about what you do with her coat. At 5 months she really doesn't look as though her adult coat is starting to come through. It probably won't start to for at least another 2-3 months.

I used to a little bit of showing and this photo is my boy Louis when he was 4 months and 3 weeks, when a lady who showed and judged tidied him up for me. She did him again just before his first show, when he was 7 months old. I can't find a photo of his groom for the show, but it was very similar to this because his adult coat wasn't yet coming through. Louis looked a little more mature in height and shape by then, but no adult coat.



Have you done any showing before?

[Theo961]

My groomer said Reese's fluff wasn't ready to hand strip when he was last there at about 7 months old and probably wouldn't be ready for a few more months. He has over the last week I would say started to have some coming out when I combe and he is nearly 9 months old. He is due back for a groom on Tuesday so will see what she says.

[SuperCat]

As you're planning on showing her please be very careful about what you do with her coat. At 5 months she really doesn't look as though her adult coat is starting to come through. It probably won't start to for at least another 2-3 months.

I used to a little bit of showing and this photo is my boy Louis when he was 4 months and 3 weeks, when a lady who showed and judged tidied him up for me. She did him again just before his first show, when he was 7 months old. I can't find a photo of his groom for the show, but it was very similar to this because his adult coat wasn't yet coming through. Louis looked a little more mature in height and shape by then, but no adult coat.



Have you done any showing before?

Thank you all for your replies and photos. I don't feel quite as bad about her being such a wooly bear now! Though her head is an absolute mess, fortunately that is one of the few places hair is coming out. I have a little go every day when I groom her and probably only get about half a handful a week, as I said I really don't want to push it.

Elaine I have shown before with my older boy, but it was about 4 years ago now so I've forgotten a lot of it.    I do know that we (myself [though I was brand new to it then]and the person we took him to help me with his coat at about 6 months) did far too much with it (clipped the fronts of his legs, clipped his chest and under his chin, tops of his ears etc. It looked great for a 6 month-old, but never came through the same and was dense and curly and unmanageable after that), so I don't want to do the same with her; she's also a much nicer type so I'm even more cautious!

I feel she's a bit backward in her coat, looking at pictures of my boy he already had a short skirt like yours does, but she barely has anything. Though she has got some adult coat on the top of her back.

After speaking to a lady at ringcraft last night I've decided to just do what I can, I'll tidy her feet, give her a bath and as much of a dry as possible and just take her to the Open show for experience. If we get laughed out of the ring, or sent to the Poodle ring then so-be-it, but it will be the experience that counts!

Though if anyone knows of any ringcraft classes in Cambs where people who show cockers go that would be great, everyone at mine has dachshunds or toy dogs!