Ooooo eck!!!! UPDATED WITH PICS

[Colin]

Ah, the old topknot debate.  I agonised for ages over having Jimmy's removed, it eventually got taken out when he was 18 months old - once gone it took me a while to get used to but now I wonder what I was ever thinking - how could I have possibly thought it looked good ?   

I mean, come on - which looks better ?

This...



Or this ? ...

Eyelashes and whiskers all have to go in this house

Yep, they can go too. I reckon they look quite cute on a pup but just plain daft on an an adult Cocker - a nice sleak, smooth face looks much better, in my opinion. 

Topknots, eyelashes and whiskers RAUS ! 

[Petra]

  at Colin's pictures of Jimmy (well the top one!!)

I think you are using photography to your advantage there!!   Come on, you have much nicer pictures of Jimmy's topknot than that!!!

[sarahp]

Jimmy with a top-knot reminds me of Rod Stewart during his 'Do ya think I'm sexy?' era 


















  Sorry Jimmy - still think you're gorgeous 

[Helen]

yawn....in the words of kath'n'kim 'give it a bone....'

i can sooooo see the similarity between jimmys show cocker top knot and jarv's wispy working cocker quiff.....gosh i am running to the coat king as we speak......!

maybe for you show cocker owners it can be an issue but for goodness sake...it's only a bit of hair (and a tiny bit in jarv's case...)is it reeeeeeally that important that i hand strip his head? really?  or can i go back to carefully stuffing mushrooms (life's far too short for THAT too )

(sorry to hijack the thread sarahp )

[Petra]

    I am in favour of Jarv's top knot!!!   (and top knots in general I hasten to add!!!!)

But consider myself suitably told off , and also apologize to Sarah P for taking the thread into a different direction.

[Colin]

Ooops, apologies if I annoyed you Helen - I thought everyone was just having a bit of a joke here. 

Of course you should keep the topknot if you like it, same goes for anyone that likes eyelashes or whiskers. I hope it doesn't sound snobby when some of us say we prefer these things removed - we all just have different opinions on how we like our Cockers groomed - it's not like there's any rules. 

I know some people like the topknot as they think it gives the dog a more natural scampy look. In Jimmy's case I had his removed for the opposite reason - his back was non-trim, really short and also dark red, whereas his topknot was long, bushy and bright blonde - people kept asking me if I shaved his back and dyed his hair !  They though I was deliberately coiffuring him to look like that. I had people ask what colour hair dye I used, how long it took to set etc etc - not the kind of comments I had in mind when I got myself a gundog 

Sarah - yep he got compared to Rod Stewart ( and Limahl  and Peter Stringfellow  ) on a daily basis. Another reason why it had to go.  I think your two look very smart with their new trims, and not too manicured at all. 

[Helen]

Ooops, apologies if I annoyed you Helen - I thought everyone was just having a bit of a joke here. 

Of course you should keep the topknot if you like it, same goes for anyone that likes eyelashes or whiskers. I hope it doesn't sound snobby when some of us say we prefer these things removed - we all just have different opinions on how we like our Cockers groomed - it's not like there's any rules. 

I know some people like the topknot as they think it gives the dog a more natural scampy look. In Jimmy's case I had his removed for the opposite reason - his back was non-trim, really short and also dark red, whereas his topknot was long, bushy and bright blonde - people kept asking me if I shaved his back and dyed his hair !  They though I was deliberately coiffuring him to look like that. I had people ask what colour hair dye I used, how long it took to set etc etc - not the kind of comments I had in mind when I got myself a gundog 

Sarah - yep he got compared to Rod Stewart ( and Limahl  and Peter Stringfellow  ) on a daily basis. Another reason why it had to go.  I think your two look very smart with their new trims, and not too manicured at all. 

not offended by you in the slightest colin, and for what it's worth i think the streamlined jimmy version is far more handsome 
 
do think that (like having a preference for show or working cockers) the hair do is entirely subjective - and unless it affects the health of the dog (or of course they're entering a show ring) then it's up to the owner and pooch as to hair dressing.

i'm sorry if jarvs adolescent bum-fluffish tuft offends some, but it's not going to get any longer or thicker - it's actually thinning a lot now and is disappearing slowly (not like a show cockers can - thank you jimmy aka rod stewart  ) and for those it does offend, keep your coat kings in your pockets

and daisy flat head - i think you're gorgeous dome or no dome, and tuft or no tuft   

[silkstocking]

yawn....in the words of kath'n'kim 'give it a bone....'

i can sooooo see the similarity between jimmys show cocker top knot and jarv's wispy working cocker quiff.....gosh i am running to the coat king as we speak......!

maybe for you show cocker owners it can be an issue but for goodness sake...it's only a bit of hair (and a tiny bit in jarv's case...)is it reeeeeeally that important that i hand strip his head? really?  or can i go back to carefully stuffing mushrooms (life's far too short for THAT too )

(sorry to hijack the thread sarahp )

     you know I'm only teasing ya don't you!!!     

you know me and my vanity and grooming obsession!!!!!!