Shaved & Shocked ...

[supaspaniel]

I trim Linus out like that and he loves it

He leaps around like he's all free and easy  He really hates being combed and squeals at the slightest knot so clipping him out is the easiest way. He did let me coat king him the other day tho   

[sharesy]

Shes gorgeous and I bet she feels a lot more comfortable.

[debbie321]

She looks lovely 

I'm going to book Ben into the groomers soon.  He also has a few matts in his arm pits and on his tummy (not to mention the tender region) He won't let me at them at all these days so I'm going to get them clipped too.

[spanielcrazy]

I didn't realise she was a roan, I thought she was black! The shaving really made her markings come out!

She looks great, and you may find you like it, a lot less work  (I keep mine shaved cuz I'm lazy! )

[tillydog]

 

 

Aww she looks beautiful 

We keep Lady shaved like that most of the time because she feels the heat and gets most uncomfortable. It's also easier to manage. With her ears, they get shaved short once or twice a year - the rest of the time I do like to keep the fluffy cocker ears.

When my family had our Tilly, she just used to get clipped short all over.

[kookie]

 I like the look too. My 5 are kept short, and I think they like it, more time in and out of the water, but less time in the bath and on the tabel.

[Pammy]

Sorry - I'm going to go against the flow here - I think a fully clippered cocker looks awful. BUT - there are occasions, such as this, where it's the only option - but even so the OP doesn't intend this to be a permanent state of affairs.

A cocker can still be clippered and look like a cocker. Taking changes in circumstance and certain dogs out of the equation most cockers can still look like a cocker even after clippers have been at them. But fully clippering seems to be being encouraged.

I really feel for people who end up having to have their cocker fully clippered especially when it's the last thing they want. But for those that have a choice - if you want a short haired dog why get a cocker?

[Penel]

A friend of mine is a groomer, and had a cocker in yesterday that had to be clipped off like that.  He's a stud dog, makes a lot of money for these "breeders" who, incidentally were at Crufts on Thurs  poor dog had ears that were just one big matt     I too prefer a cocker with some coat, but I can appreciate if you can't cope, then its better to clip them off, than let them get matted.
She looks very sweet, and I am sure is a lot happier and more comfortable like that.

[Ben's mum]

I really feel for people who end up having to have their cocker fully clippered especially when it's the last thing they want. But for those that have a choice - if you want a short haired dog why get a cocker?
[/quote]

I can answer that- ignorance!  I love cockers, and was desperate to have one, but as a complete cocker novice had no concept of what really caring for a cocker coat meant. 
I didn't know about col, and although I did buy loads of info I don't think you really get an idea of what it takes until you have your own cocker.  You don't really appreciate what dirty, mucky dogs they are too! when Ben got really woolly  at about 12 mths I took him to a groomer and asked for a cocker trim and he came back completely skinned, I cried and cried - he didn't even look like my Ben.  The groomer didn't have a clue - but then neither did I!!

I had not reallly put any time into grooming him when he was a puppy, so it became a battle ground that was miserable for both of us.  So now I keep Ben clipped really short, which suits us both.  But yes i have learnt and when one day I get another cocker pup - I will spend time and effort from day one to get her used to being groomed and I will make sure I find a knowlegable groomer - or even have a go myself with advice from col's !!

You live and learn!!

Bens mum

[kookie]

- if you want a short haired dog why get a cocker?

i have to admit, I always used to say this, but I love cocker spaniels, the temperament, the nature, the friendliness. No other dog comes close, so coat or no coat, they win hands down.
I loved my dogs with full coats, but situations change, some were spayed,  I dont have the time to spend on the coats anymore, and it got to the point that my dogs looked absolutely beautiful, but I wouldnt let them 'be proper cockers' doing the stuff they were happy doing,because I had spent soooo long making them look beautiful.
I used to enjoy grooming them, but it got to be a chore, and I wanted to enjoy my dogs, so for me, no coats is good.

[Jane S]

I loved my dogs with full coats, but situations change, some were spayed,  I dont have the time to spend on the coats anymore, and it got to the point that my dogs looked absolutely beautiful, but I wouldnt let them 'be proper cockers' doing the stuff they were happy doing,because I had spent soooo long making them look beautiful.

Does it really have to be "either or" though? It's still possible to allow a Cocker with feathering to do all the things a shaved off Cocker does - our lot are frequently as wet and muddy as the next dog and it's still possible to keep them in full show coats as long as I spend 10 mins grooming each one every day which really isn't that hard. Our spayed/neutered dogs are clipped but also still have their feathering (though not so much as a show dog). While I do have to shave off some pet Cockers whose coats have been neglected (it wouldn't be fair on the dog to try and trim such coats any other way). I'm afraid I can't say they look pretty afterwards - baldie Cockers just look wrong to me

[Gpalin]

My Floyd looked like a thug when we first had him done  I was so shocked the mother in law took him for his first cut for me while I was at work and didnt know they shaved them, I still havnt found a groomer that just cuts them  . Ive tried myself but it didnt look good 

[Colin]

Ive tried myself but it didnt look good 

All the info on how to trim a Cocker can be found in this section - it's just a matter of trial and error and gradually gaining experience and confidence. If a cack-handed clumsy oaf like me can learn to do it then anyone can.  OK I could never trim to show standard but have slowly learnt to do a decent enough job so as not having to rely on some of the butchers that pass themselves off as professional groomers. No matter how bad your early attempts might be, nothing could look as awful as the totally shorn look.  All it takes is about 10 mins grooming a day as part of their normal routine, it's no great hardship - even if it took an hour a day I'd still do it rather than have my dogs looking like they'd just come out of prison. 

[Cob-Web]

I loved my dogs with full coats, but situations change, some were spayed,  I dont have the time to spend on the coats anymore, and it got to the point that my dogs looked absolutely beautiful, but I wouldnt let them 'be proper cockers' doing the stuff they were happy doing,because I had spent soooo long making them look beautiful.

Does it really have to be "either or" though? It's still possible to allow a Cocker with feathering to do all the things a shaved off Cocker does -

Oh, I agree - although Molo is not in full show coat, he has never been clippered, and I keep him in pet trim as well as I can myself 
I too am saddened that clippering seems to be encouraged now; I ran into an experienced dog owner the other day who was chatting to me as she had been considering a cocker spaniel; she had been told by a local breeder that they have to be clipped every six weeks which had put her off. This *advice* was from a breeder who shows her cockers, but clippers her own dogs that aren't shown, too 

Molo gets filthy every day.........and he gets hosed down when we get back, and brushed out once dry, which takes about 10 minutes. A couple of weeks ago I gave him a really good shampoo/condition/blowdry/trim - the first since before christmas; it took the best part of an afternoon which we both thoroughly enjoyed 

tbh, I think dogs should get the same sort of attention whether or not they need to be groomed - 10 minutes every day ensures that you check for lumps and bumps, changes to their coats, little scratches and other injuries or lesions  If you are going to do this anyway; then its no real hardship to brush out the knots, and trim the paws 

Molo does not have the thickest of coats, but it is certainly not as fine as some; Snoopy and Molo have totally different coats - it was far easier to clean Snops than Molo after their wallow a few weeks ago 

[supaspaniel]

Sorry - I'm going to go against the flow here - I think a fully clippered cocker looks awful. BUT - there are occasions, such as this, where it's the only option - but even so the OP doesn't intend this to be a permanent state of affairs.

A cocker can still be clippered and look like a cocker. Taking changes in circumstance and certain dogs out of the equation most cockers can still look like a cocker even after clippers have been at them. But fully clippering seems to be being encouraged.

I really feel for people who end up having to have their cocker fully clippered especially when it's the last thing they want. But for those that have a choice - if you want a short haired dog why get a cocker?

I agree with you completely George is stripped as was Harmy, but Linus really just would not be stripped so he was clipped with some feathering, but the slightest knot and honestly .so he was clipped right out. I dont like the look, but he really does like to be free of his coat otherwise yes I like a cocker to look like a cocker and I have a box of towels by the door to deal with whatever is stuck to their coats...turtle matts...and whatever else it takes. I dont do it just for my ease