working cocker - Basic Grooming Kit

[LesleyW]

suggestions please?

...I dont have a single brush for her yet - will i need to start looking for these Spratts and Coat King thingies (as shes a working cocker).

Her previous owner has run over her with HORSE clippers, and in one or two places on her back, shes down to stubble, she has however left some nice feathers above her hocks, on her chest and her feet and ears are quite feathery too.

She doesnt seem particularly curly, though, and I'm wondering what to expect when her hair starts growing back.....?

Shes due to be spayed in early September too, will this make a big difference to her coat at 4 years old?

[Nicola]

Tilly was 2 when I rescued her and looked like a wee brown shorn sheep. She had been completely clipped back - ears, feathers and all - every 6 weeks since she was a puppy    I let her coat grow back in again which took about 4 or 5 months and it looked... well, interesting to say the least    She is spayed as well and she went from looking like a shorn sheep to the love child of Chesney Hawkes and a grizzly bear, her topknot covered her eyes and her sides were so fuzzy she looked about twice the size she actually was    I tried a coat king but it didn't make a dent in it, the fur which grows back on her body is basically dead at the ends so I finally had to give in and take her to a groomer to get it clipped off. This time they did it properly though and didn't scalp her, she still has her feathering and her nice ears etc. and she actually looks really nice now, like a proper working cocker at last! 

[lyn]

you may want to invest in a shredder(you know, the garden type for shredding branches). ellie collects tree branches and all kinds of stuff when we go to the woods

[spanielcrazy]

Yes, I'd get a Spratts and or a coat king.

Also: a slicker brush for ears and feathering
        a metal comb with medium and coarse teeth, again for ears and feathering
        a decent pair of thinning shears, for wayward hair and keeping insides and backs of ears short and mat free
        a decent pair of straight shears, for trimming feet
         Nail clippers


It's hard to say what will happen to her coat when she is spayed, it may go wooly or cottony, or you may be one of the lucky few who sees no change. If spaying is going to change her coat it will happen regardless of how old she is when it's done   

[debbie321]

Ben is a worker and has been castrated.  His coat ended up very fine but with LOTS of length!  The coat king was introduced by Sharesy (Brenda) and it was fantastic - it got loads out and left his back looking great.  The rest of him looked like a barby dolls backcombed hairdo!  This was dealt with by the groomers 

To keep Ben in trim I have the following:-

 Wide toothed comb with a rubber band around 1/2 of it  (good for getting into mats or stripping out coat)

2 coat kings  (I bought sizes suitable for Ben's coat)

Blunt or round edged scissors (folr those stubborn bits that won't budge)

Blunt tweezers - a recent buy but after the grass seed incidents, they are invaluable!  Make sure that they have no sharp bits and they are fantastic for grabbing seeds but not pinching the skin 

[Cazzie]

All I have for Sweepie is a comb and a soft brush, she gets her feet trimmed by the groomer 

[lyn]

i only have a comb, a soft brush and a slicker(for the ears) ellie has little feathering or long hair so the comb and slicker are only used on her ears. the soft brush is used a few times a day to get the constant loose hair off her.