Completely clipped!

[MacTavish Boys]

Sorry Ebbysmum, didn't mean to get all heated under the collar, it just never occurred to me people might think I shouldn't own my dogs because I happen to have one clipped  I'm now going to be completely paranoid every time I take them out 

I will post before and after of Jeff on Friday evening - I would say his cut is pretty much what the dog in the video gets (although I ask for his eyelashes to be left, and will probably leave his tail feathers this time)  He does grow back in the Autumn and is a woolly bear when it's cold again and until the spring.

I certainly don't think you should not have dogs just because you have them clipped short , it is just my personal choice, that i like the full show coats, as it is bothe George's and Hamish's coats are not particulrly long, they just don't seem to grow much
Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx

[ladylola]

Well 2 out of my 6 get clipped right off. I must admit I prefer some feathering left.

But being rescues and being how they are, getting groomed. I haven't much choice.
They both have thick coats which mat easily, but I will not stress them out and risk getting bitten [again  ]
So off it comes. Yes my golden Teddy bear gets the chop  as does Paisley. I do try to leave their ears though.
Sasha is clipped short being so curly she looks a right state, but I leave some feathers and skirt on her. Little ellls has very thick black fur and she is left the longest, for some reason her coat hasn't gone as bad as I thought it would after spaying, so I just 7f her back and trim feathers. Same with Molly and Monty. I think THEY prefer being naked as they run around like pups when its done. 

Each to their own I say. I love seeing the show dogs with their long flowing coats, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. As long as dogs are happy and healthy, that's all that counts. I certainly don't look down my nose at clipped off cockers.

[Loudon]

That clip certainly is not grooming, she should be in New Zealand making a fortune doing sheep as she seemed to strip that dog in 5 mins.  

A lot of owners  like this clipping and I suppose it's cooler and cleaner but I like mine with a pet trim with long ears, leg feathering, cat like paws and a skirt. My groomer did a beautiful job but I just started myself so not so beautiful.  

Can't beat a hand stripped show dog though. Awesome.

[Choc-Chip]

My 2 were clipped very close following their gloss paint incident about 8 mths ago, they are now back to their former glory and will stay that way, they both have shaved bellys and armpits as this can't be seen but keeps them cooler. I am probably going to ofend loads of Colers now but its my opinion that if you can't cope with the grooming required to look after a heavily coated breed then get a short haired breed. Cockers are beautiful dogs and to see them shaved like sheep makes my heart bleed, fair enough a clip with feather, thats more or less what my 2 get now but to leave no ears or feathers such a shame. (obviously there are cases where its unavoidable)

Totally agree with you
Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx

And I'll second that. Couldn't agree with you more. A Cocker should at least have ears and feathers (providing the groomer listens, grrr! Incident that I won't go into)

[bajoleth]

My 2 were clipped very close following their gloss paint incident about 8 mths ago, they are now back to their former glory and will stay that way, they both have shaved bellys and armpits as this can't be seen but keeps them cooler. I am probably going to ofend loads of Colers now but its my opinion that if you can't cope with the grooming required to look after a heavily coated breed then get a short haired breed. Cockers are beautiful dogs and to see them shaved like sheep makes my heart bleed, fair enough a clip with feather, thats more or less what my 2 get now but to leave no ears or feathers such a shame. (obviously there are cases where its unavoidable)

Totally agree with you
Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx

I think it's because people do care a great deal about their dogs that they care about how they look.

So, because I'm not that bothered about how my dogs look, as long as they are healthy and happy (and I do groom them thoroughly and regularly), then I don't care about my dogs and shouldn't have a cocker? I have cockers because I love their personalities and they are perfect for my lifestyle; I don't want a jack russell or a doberman, or any other short haired breed, not because they aren't nice dogs but because I like cockers more. I just happen to have one cocker who is clearly more comfortable totally clipped in the heat, and to be told that I should rehome them both and get a short haired breed is insulting and upsetting.

I just hope I don't run into any of the people who have this opinion on a COL meet or somewhere, as I would be totally miserable knowing that they were thinking I shouldn't have cockers, and also I wouldn't particularly like to meet people who are so judgemental and shallow 

Sorry Ebbysmum, didn't mean to get all heated under the collar, it just never occurred to me people might think I shouldn't own my dogs because I happen to have one clipped  I'm now going to be completely paranoid every time I take them out 

I will post before and after of Jeff on Friday evening - I would say his cut is pretty much what the dog in the video gets (although I ask for his eyelashes to be left, and will probably leave his tail feathers this time)  He does grow back in the Autumn and is a woolly bear when it's cold again and until the spring.

I find that quite offensive - I feel that people who care more about how their dogs look more than anything else shouldn't have any dogs 

Jeff's booked in for his FULL trim on Friday (including ears and feathers), and I know he'll feel far more comfortable afterwards; at the moment he is panting almost constantly in this heat. I have been clipping and trimming him myself the last few months, but he really needs his woolly coat taken off totally at the moment. It's nothing to do with not being able to cope with the grooming. I also think he looks cute with it short. I am very sorry that some COLers take such a shallow view of their dogs, that they get so ridiculously distressed by something as trivial as being clipped, which the dogs don't give two hoots about. I prefer to use my emotional energy ensuring my dogs are comfortable and happy and care about how THEY feel, not how I feel 

Whoa there , calm down, what I said in my post was that IMO a Cocker should look like a Cocker, I would hate for the 'norm' to be the shaved look, I never said that because you choose to shave your Cocker that you shouldn't own one god forbid rehome it What do you take me for? Nor do I place my dogs looks above their welfare, leaving ears and feathers is hardly a welfare issue rolls eyes. What I was stating was that if grooming is not your thing or you don't have the time then a naturally short haired breed would be a better match. I will not apologise for championing the Cocker coat, it is PART of their breed just like their craziness, love of their humans and everything else that is good about Cockers, part of the reason why I chose the breed. Iam not really sure why you have taken what is simply mu opinion so personally

[bajoleth]

Well 2 out of my 6 get clipped right off. I must admit I prefer some feathering

Each to their own I say. I love seeing the show dogs with their long flowing coats, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. As long as dogs are happy and healthy, that's all that counts. I certainly don't look down my nose at clipped off cockers.

I don't look down my nose at those shaved, I just find it such a shame, I don't see the harm if possible to leave a little feathering, I am not advocating all Cockers run around in full show coats

[bertie749]

When we had George, sadly at the bridge, we had no choice but to shore off all his coat with no feathers or ears.  He was a rescue dog which we had the pleasure, and pain sometimes, of having in our lives when he was two.

I do not know what had happened to him previously but I was lead to believe his previous owner use to take him to the vets and have him sedated to clip him.  We found a very brave good clipper who use to shave him right back - we tried once to leave feathers and on occasion tried to leave his ears slightly but we decided that no matter what he looked like it was what was best for him.

Yes, he was a beautiful dog, shore or not and for that we were lucky but, I say each to ones own.  To think I would have been judged by people due to my dogs appearance shows such a shallow understanding.

[Toni-UK]

Fwiw,i agree with Bajoleth,i too prefer to see cockers with at least some feathering after being clipped,which is what i do with Ruby,I specifically ask my groomer not to make her look like a shaved sheep.

If i see a completely shaved off cocker,i do think to myself what a shame,BUT if that is what someone wants their dog to have then so be it,it's up to them.

[Danni and Freya]

I really don't understand the issue with a complete clip if its what works best for dog and owner. To say someone shouldn't own a cocker if they want to shave it is ridiculous. Any breed is about so much more than its coat surely! Cockers have so many characteristics that make them perfect pets, what does it matter if a pet owner doesn't want to deal with a long coat? If you intend to show the coat is there for you to do with what you want for that purpose. If not, whos business is it!?

[Brimbeck(Dyllan)]

Can I just say that the coat insulates from the warmth and the cold.
    if you see what I mean.
I'm sure someone could explain it better.

[JeffandAnnie]

"ts my opinion that if you can't cope with the grooming required to look after a heavily coated breed then get a short haired breed."

 I never said that because you choose to shave your Cocker that you shouldn't own one

erm, that's exactly what you said (see above). How else is one supposed to interpret that remark? The fact that I and a couple of others had previously remarked that we have our dogs fully clipped made it even more upsetting that you were effectively telling us personally we should exchange our cockers for short haired breeds.

Brimbeck - unfortunately for Jeff, he is castrated and his VERY thick, woolly coat does not help him cool off at all; for the past couple of days he has been panting almost constantly  Annie is feathered and I clip her myself, as although she is also spayed her coat is a lot finer. Incidentally, I agree that a full "show" coat is beautiful, but as I do not plan to show my dogs felt that having them done and then managing their coats is fairer to the dogs in the long run.  I would never dream of telling someone they shouldn't have a certain breed of dog because of the way they groom/clip it (unless they didn't groom it and it was all matted of course).   

[Helen]

Each to their own  but can we please keep the comments polite though and not resort to personal insults?

Bajoleth clearly stated it was her own opinion and one that may not be shared by all 

I've just attacked Jarv with OH's human hair clippers.  Just his back for a start and only to take off the fluff.  He has the luxury of 2 or 3 swims a day and a very cool house and cool workshop so he's not suffering, but I'd like him to be a bit neater and this is the start of me going over to the 'dark side' with my grooming.  He also hates being groomed so clipping him (and you know the tuft will never go, or the ears or feathers) may be the way forward for a wayward woolly brown coat and he's entire! 

[JeffandAnnie]

Bajoleth clearly stated it was her own opinion and one that may not be shared by all 

And it's my own opinion that people should not judge others' fitness to own a certain breed by how they choose to groom them. It is also my own opinion that if someone states they are going to offend others by a remark, then make that remark anyway, then they obviously know they are likely to offend someone and do so deliberately. How about a retraction of the comment and an apology Bajoleth?

[Ninasmum]

I hope that wasnt a video showing you how to groom a cocker 'even if it is stripped out' it was awful to watch, dangerous to clip your dog on the floor as so easy to nip or even cut the dog in the loose skin areas, I also hope she changed that blade or at least cooled those blades down as it was a very extreme cut and appeared to have no guard on that steel blade.  Hot country or not it wasnt good to watch and I wonder if the poor dog had a severe case of clipper rash the next day  

Agree with John & hope that anyone watching the video clip doesn't think its a good idea to copy that 

I don't understand why people are arguing about personal preferences about their dog coats   
Surely we should just respect other people's opinions & not take offence 

[Helen]

Agreed Wendy - it's entirely up to the individual how their dog looks (and what it eats, and how it's trained, and what collars it wears...)

I don't think that people that clip their cockers are lazy or inferior owners nor do I think that people that keep their dogs with a full show coat are cruel to do so in the heat - its up to the individual owner and we should respect their choices.

although I think the dog in the video has the patience of a saint and deserves a nicer cut