And tangly cocker

[Ldavies38]

Hi there. My working cocker 11 months keeps getting matted knots under her ears. I'm brushing her  every few days and had to cut the tiny little matts out. I know the show cockers need a lot of grooming, anyone any tips or am I doing the right thing really. Just trimmed the edging of her ears and the frills from her bum to legs she looks older already

[Emilyoliver]

I cut the fluffy bits behind the ears, otherwise i use a spratts comb all over and trim between toes and under paws as don't personally like fluffy paws and it helps reduce mud in house.

[Redked]

We have had to keep snipping away behind Bonnie's ears too as there were lots of knots there. I now brush her every day (working cocker) paying the most attention to her ears and we seem to have got on top of it for now. I sure feel it for all those with show cockers! It's as if knots just appear from nowhere xxx

[maddy74]

Willows get quite bad too. (Working cocker).

I find they are worse when she has been playing in the water...... Dont know why!!

Weve got thinning scissors we use on willow.

[Fluff]

Yep, another working cocker here with knotty ears! I just snip them out and brush inbetween snipping sessions! Coupled with that and the home clipping we do, she won't win any fashion contests I'm sure but it's practical and comfortable 

[Mudmagnets]

Not under the ears with Minstrel (worker/show mix) but in the armpits I noticed today. Just getting him used to letting me snip his feet and did a bit under armpits today - he was a bit worried (so was I and I expect that is what he picked up on)

He gets a nice piece of salmon strip once grooming done, - I try and keep sessions short at the moment and I think he feels compensated for sitting still with his treat 

[lynmumtosam]

Under armpits is always full of tangles for Sam (worker)
She always makes a bee line for water even shallow puddles so I try to dry and groom these daily
Took her for her first professional groom this week.
Hubby picked her up as I had gone for my grooming session by the time I was home she had taken a dip in the pond followed by a roll in the grass clippings that i had raked 
The sweet smelling shiny angel ( groomers words ) was back to being the rough and tumble rogue ithin an hour

[BobnDot]

Chaz, our worker, gets a brushing every time we come back from a walk in the local woods. He manages to collect all sorts of twigs, grass stalks and other sticky bits on his chest, feathering, underside and tail.
His armpits and behind his ears need regular de-matting and I find a Spratts comb easier to tease the knots out with although I do use an Andis clipper with No. 10 blade and a half inch comb attachment to keep his undersides and armpits neat without being too short.

Bob.

[6thSense]

Water can make existing tangles worse by tightening them. Being a worker I would carry on doing what you are doing by brushing each day and snipping away the area that tangles up. You could also use a conditioning spray which might help with brushing and prevention. With armpits please be careful with scissors as they have thin flaps of skin there that could easily be caught. If taking hair away from armpits I have always clipped that area. Simply as for me it is safer and you can get tight in there. Use a fine/short blade like a 10 in that area though as a longer one could also catch the skin flaps. How old is she. If young she could also be going through a coat change from puppy to adult coat and that can also cause matting. Once she is through that then she may not have as many problems with it anyway. 

[ShazzaC]

Hi - I've just had to have Blue (show cocker) clipped very short all over because of matting. The groomers also found endless seeds and some had embedded in his skin. I feel awful. He walks on the hills most days, where there is long grass and also streams. I was brushing him about twice a day or more and removing seeds when I found them, but this was still not enough! So, I am resigned to lose his feathering now and keeping him shorter for his comfort and my convenience. I don't know what type of comb or brush is best for getting seeds and tangles out - advice welcome. Someone suggested a wide toothed comb with rubber band wound around the teeth.
The good news is, although he was not happy with me yesterday, he flew around the common at such speed last night! The weight of his coat had been dragging him down!