trimming the neck

[metpol fan]

I have now bought a no:10 blade for my andis clippers, and i want to trim Buffys neck, where do i trim it from and to where should it end to get the perfect result, i dont want to make a mistake                    

[Jane S]

Diane, please don't clip Buffy's neck - it's ok for a pet Cocker at a pinch but as you show Buffy, you really don't want to go down that road. I know some people have shaved off the necks on their show Cockers but it looks very ugly, specially on particolours (Buffy is a blue roan isn't she?) & won't impress judges, particularly the older, more traditional ones. To trim the neck, you should preferably try to strip out the excess hair by finger & thumb or by using a Spaniel comb (or a combination of both) or if you're really stuck, lightly use a Coat King but never clippers!! The no 10 blade is anyway a short cutting blade using mainly for the head - I wouldn't use a no 10 on the bodies of even the neutered pet Cockers I trim as it would cut the hair too short (the shorn lamb look )                    

[metpol fan]

Oh, its what my breeder does with his and has done it with buffy before, i always clip her neck but have only had babyliss clippers ( not very good ) and as these would take it shorter, obviously i wanted to do it correctly, also is there a comb that you can use to take out excess hair to make it look smoother on the body as buffys coat is very wavey due to previous owners full clipping her as a puppy several times!!! somebody told me they use a no:7 comb whatever that is buffy always looks so much hairier than the rest when she is in the ring, although very short feathering as it was coming along nicely and then all dropped out i just want her to have a lovely coat                    

[cbabe]

please don't clip Buffy's neck - it's ok for a pet Cocker at a pinch but as you show Buffy, you really don't want to go down that road. I know some people have shaved off the necks on their show Cockers but it looks very ugly, specially on particolours (Buffy is a blue roan isn't she?) & won't impress judges, particularly the older, more traditional ones.

You mean i've actually done something right by not clipping down the front??  ; :)And i was considdering doing it  - but I agree it does look ugly and unnatural!

thanks for the reassurance!                    

[Dessie]

Di

I use my thinning scissors to do the throat/chest   :-  I don't think I could handstrip either Bart's or Douglas'  .

I was told by a Breeder to clip the throats though as so many of them seem to be doing at the moment.

Dessie

Edited referring to wrong part ....                    

[Jane S]

Hi Diane

I can't really comment on how your breeder trims his dogs, except to say that clipping show Cocker coats goes against everything I was taught & you won't find a book written by a UK expert which recommends this severe method of trimming, although it is quite common in other countries & in American Cockers in this country (even then, the ones that have been properly handstripped stand out from the crowd). I can't really advise you what to do as my approach is so different from your breeder's, all I can say is that a properly handstripped Cocker always looks miles better to me than ones that have been scissored/clipped. How a dog is presented often makes the difference between being placed & not being placed at all, if the dogs being compared are all of a roughly similar standard conformation-wise.

I think you may mean a number 76 comb which is another name for the Spaniel comb & is v good for handstripping Cockers - there seems to be a shortage of them on sale at the moment (COL members have cleaned the suppliers out ) If you can get hold of one, it would be well worth having one in your grooming kit

PS The breeders I admire & who regularly produce top winning Cockers don't clip their dogs so it is not that widespread a practice thankfully                    

[cbabe]

EEEkk - i cheat and use the thinning sissors! I cant get this part to strip out without hurting Holly!

Is this going to be frowned upon in the ring??                    

[Pammy]

This may sound daft - but can I clarify just what we're talking about here - ie the neck not the throat?

I take the neck to be from the top of the head down to the shoulders and back  - on the top of the dog - the throat goes from under the chin down to the chest. I don't know any show person who clips the neck - but I do know some that do the throat, and several who use thinners on the throat - me included .                    

[cbabe]

I'm talking about - what you refer to as - the throat.                    

[metpol fan]

me to, maybe i should change my terminology not to confuse, SORRY                    

[Dessie]

Good point Pam

I handstrip the neck wouldn't dream of using clippers on this.  I think maybe Di is referring to the throat and down to the breast bone ??  I use thinning scissors and handstripping on this.

Dessie                    

[Dessie]

me to, maybe i should change my terminology not to confuse, SORRY

Thank goodness for that Di ... I was getting totally confused for one !!

Dessie                    

[Jane S]

Seems we have been talking at cross purposes Diane I of course do not hand strip the throat, thinning scissors does the job just fine without the harsh affect that clippers leave. Clipping the throats is still frowned upon by many although I am aware that some do it Try trimming with thinners Diane, you'll get a much more natural look

PS I have judged Cockers who have been clipped down their necks (not just throats) so it does happen, hence my confusion                    

[Gilly]

Well I am still trying with Butty and have actually managed (not sure how  :-) to strip out some of the hair on her chest   so going to have a go at phase 2 tomorrow, which includes the throat area, this is rapidly turning into a beard, but she is REALLY not kean on the thinners going that close to her face  :- is there anyway to make her calmer when I try and do this as all my soothing words aren't working, or is just a matter of perserverence  

Gilly                    

[Jane S]

Might be time for a change of tactics Gilly if soothing words aren't working I'd try being confident & quite firm tomorrow - tell yourself you are going to trim Butty's beard whatever she might have to say on the subject & just try to persevere, even if she wiggles & squirms. Any chance of someone else being around to hold her still why you scissor? This could help as you sometimes feel like you need 3 pairs of hands with a wiggly pup