Working cocker with whispy coat?

[sophiew]

Hi All

Tally is just about to turn 2 and has never really had much in the way of coat (she is a working cocker). Recently she has started to sprout whispy bits, starting on her elbows and top knot, and now has the most amazing quiff (which I'd like to keep!) on her head and quite a bit of hair down her legs and along her sides, but the stuff along her sides is really whispy and kind of 'dead' looking, different to the rest of her coat - is this 'dead' hair that should be stripped out? Can it be tidied up and can I do it myself or should I get a groomer to do it? I'd rather do it myself if possible as she's a sensitive little dog and I'd rather know what was happening to her and get her used to it slowly if needed!

Thanks in advance

Sophie

[Sarah1985]

Both my cockers are fuller coats but I had a recent house guest who had a very wispy coat. I used a stripping stone on him and it got all the lighter dead coat out leaving him looking much neater

You can hand strip, but it helps to see a demonstration of this before you have a go yourself.

[Helen]

After 6 years I've just thrown in the towel - Jarv has got hairier and hairier (he was lovely when he was younger) and I have now clipped his back and sides with OH's hair clippers    Proper ones are on order 

The coat king didn't really touch it as it's not long enough for it to grab, the stripping stone was next to useless on him and the comb and rubber band worked for a while but started taking longer and longer which he really doesn't like.  Also he's very sensitive about having his sides stripped so clipping is a good option for him.

I think the rusty dead fluffy hair looks really awful plus it makes them look tubby so I'm happy to see a gorgeous brown sleek back and sides appear    And he's far cooler as well 

[sophiew]

Thank you both!

If you clip it out, does it grow back even madder? 

I will try to get a pic so you can see what I mean. I don't like the look of it either! She DOES look tubby!

[Helen]

Thank you both!

If you clip it out, does it grow back even madder? 

I will try to get a pic so you can see what I mean. I don't like the look of it either! She DOES look tubby!

 

I think once you start you can't stop but the fact is the coats a mess anyway so I don't think it will make any difference to us at all!

I battled it for years Sophie, it's only when I looked at Jarv's sleek mate Alfie who get's clipped that I thought why am I fighting it?  I'm not going to trim his feathers or ears, just the back and sides - he looks puppyish at the moment - I will get a photo later on but this is the fluffy version 


gorgeous at 14 months


cleverly photographed so you can only just see the hairy backed monster

[hollyd443]

Do choccys and blacks tend to have more coat than others? I always wanted a really furry working cocker but mine hardly have any!!  Mika makes up for it 

Rio gets a layer of really horrible fuzzy fur, it builds up most at the tops of her legs and down her sides, this picture shows it quite well:



I pull it all out - I find it quite theraputic, sat watching tv You'll have to send these wolly working cockers my way, I'd be totally stress free

[Mudmagnets]

After 6 years I've just thrown in the towel - Jarv has got hairier and hairier (he was lovely when he was younger) and I have now clipped his back and sides with OH's hair clippers    Proper ones are on order 

The coat king didn't really touch it as it's not long enough for it to grab, the stripping stone was next to useless on him and the comb and rubber band worked for a while but started taking longer and longer which he really doesn't like.  Also he's very sensitive about having his sides stripped so clipping is a good option for him.

I think the rusty dead fluffy hair looks really awful plus it makes them look tubby so I'm happy to see a gorgeous brown sleek back and sides appear    And he's far cooler as well 

Katie was the same when younger - have lovely piccies of her with a lovely shiney coat - but since getting older ( now 3) she too has this 'dead-hair' look and you are right it does make her look tubby. When she is wet she looks so sleek - dryed and it is a different story. It is only on her back - about 3 inches from her kneck,  her leg feathering and tail are still glossy.

[kalami]

Bella's the same, furry legs and these bits sticking out at her hips, after 18months of looking like that I took he'd to the Groomers who 'tided' her up for me, she looks so lovely now. Really pleased.