Woolly Mammoth!

[heelers n cockers]

Fudge was a total hairy monster!   until last week when i took the hooooge task of trying to transform him into some sort of 'normal cocker'   its taken all week doing little and often and having to cut HUGE felt mats out of his legs and feet   but here he is from this.....


to this....with a rather natty new leather half check  


hes not finished yet, i still have to tackle the felt mats under his armpits, chest and between his back legs!   but im at a loss as what to do with them   if i clip them off what blade would i need? my clipper is a rather pink Wahl pro series rechargable with detachable blades, or do i cut them out very carefully using scissors? i want to leave as much furnishings as possible and not clip him totally nekid as he was done earlier this year!   it has totally ruined his coat and he looks like a woolly mammoth   so any ideas?

[Lyndsey]

No advise sorry but
aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr he is so cute.
Ruby doesn't get that fluffy.
I like him in both pictures.
What a hansome boy.

[Cob-Web]

He looks great  It sounds like you have the same pink clippers that I do 

I try to cut any matts/knots out with scissors where possible - clipping does tend to be more noticeable, but if the knots are that bad, then it might be better to clip it all off and start again; it grows really quickly 

[ruby ruby doo]

Aww MUUUUM I is lookin like a drowned rat!!!      

[cdpops]

You have done a ood job he looks great.

[Danni n Betty]

Oh wow! Great job 
I do love the teddy bear look, but whenever Betty gets clipped she totally acts like a puppy again, wizzing around, I love seeing her like that 
I reckon they must feel so much lighter!

[Beth]

He's looking much better. Is that even leg muscle i can see? 

You're doing a great job with him.

[mad 4 cockers]

The lady who grooms my 2 uses thinning scissors on some of the matts if that's any good
 

[Boof]

You've done a great job on Fudge.  I have to say I love the woolly mammoth look but I know it's not really practical in a lot of ways, besides, it'll grow back very quickly. 

[Slave of Baxter]

Woolly knickerbockers! 

You've done a great job with the clip.. what about a matt breaker/splitter for the remaining matts.. then you should be able to tease them out?

[biscuit]

WOW !!

Fudge just looks like my Molly (in both pics).  Molly was transformed yesterday, she has been running around like a young pup today.  One thing though, do you get the eyelashes clipped.  We always opt for them being left long, but the groomer doesnt agree and thinks it odd that we like them left alone. 

What does anyone else do ?

Lynne

[dmulally]

Wow, you got rid of his cankles!!!

 

Looking good!

[louis mum]

WOW !!

Fudge just looks like my Molly (in both pics).  Molly was transformed yesterday, she has been running around like a young pup today.  One thing though, do you get the eyelashes clipped.  We always opt for them being left long, but the groomer doesnt agree and thinks it odd that we like them left alone. 

What does anyone else do ?

Lynne

Louis' lady who trims him (ok shaves him to oblivion) leaves the eyelashes usually. I love them, bit grey now though.

[Colin]

I must admit, it's a lot shorter than I prefer for my dogs - I like to leave the feathering on body, legs and ears a lot longer - but we all have our different ideas of what looks best.

Re the eyelashes - I chop 'em off along with the whiskers and any other facial/head hair. That's the one part I like short, sleek and smooth.  Whiskers, eyelashes and the dreaded topknot are a big no-no here.  If you want the eyelashes left long then it's up to you though Biscuit - the groomer should follow your instructions of what you want for your dog.

I clip the armpits with the 10F blade, if that's any help ( I've got Andis clippers though, so not sure if the blades are the same number for Wahl). For the knots in the leg feathering you could try a Mikki matsplitter and then brush daily with a slicker to prevent them returning. The splitter doesn't really 'split', it cuts - but it isn't quite as harsh a finish as using scissors or clippers... but if the knots are really dense and compacted, you just have to cut them all out unfortunatley.

[heelers n cockers]

sorry ive not replied sooner, i trapped a nerve in my right shoulder a couple of years ago and its started playing me up summat shocking these past few weeks, ive had aches and pains and pins and needles shooting up and down my arm-its been agony!   but it only hurts when i am still not when im active-ie walking the dogs   its flippin' annoying  

but thank you all for your encouraging comments   he can be quite hard work at times, but he is slowly getting better but he still needs a few 'unwanted' behaviours sorting out, i have to watch him like a hawk when we are out as he dislikes people of differing colours   and postpeople, and other dogs but only when they are strays!   he also goes ballistic when in the car-that really needs sorting its very disconcerting when you have a cocker snarling and flashing their teeth a few inches from your ear'ole!   but yes his muscle is coming along nicely, lots of road-work and long line free-running (cant trust him NOT to run up to another person/dog as he can be quite 'funny' sometimes  )

yes he did look cuter as a woolly mammoth but he was really manky to touch and no amount of grooming and titivating made any difference   so i clipped his body short and left his featherings as they were-which turned out to be very short!   i have thought about getting a matt splitter/breaker, at the moment i am using just one blade of the scissors and teasing them out gently that way, so far it seems to be working, but i think i am going to clipper his armpits and groin area totally clear, as it would stop the felt knots from forming again. the one good thing about his shorter clip is he doesnt take as long as freddy to dry   poor freddy is reduced to wearing this to keep him dry  



freddy must be the best dressed cocker in town!    

as for eyelashes freddy came with his and he still has them-i cant bring myself to chop 'em off   fudge has really long ones too but i keep chopping them off when i clipper his face   whiskers have to go though, and i dont allow topknots either-although freddy is starting to have a mohican as i need to strip out his head  
i do eventually aim to have fudge looking a bit longer and more cockery looking but he keeps eating and chewing the hair off his ears so i need to find out why