CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Grooming => Topic started by: chrisp on July 14, 2017, 06:15:52 PM
-
Mollie (age 5) has always had a lovely sleek coat. I have never clipped her - only handstripped. She was spayed in Feb and her fur has gone a bit wavy/curly. It's still soft, not wiry at all but I don't know how best to groom her?
Can I get her sleek coat back again? Her ears are getting more matted than usual too (this has ALWAYS been a problem due to her fine hair).
She's also put on a lot of weight(!) since the spay - which doesn't help around the top of back/neck with the curling of the fur!
Any advice - I really don't want to clip her as I know it makes the hair hard and wiry.
Before spay
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19961570_10155449090728563_255039707912464858_n.jpg?oh=6fea6b1f5348a144754ee917d7b4a349&oe=59FEB5F7)
After spay
(not a good picture as she wouldn't keep still!)
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19959209_10155449090523563_9078193328337506360_n.jpg?oh=52fc25b10746f3710fa01b6ae32dc8de&oe=59FCBD62)
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19989312_10155449090643563_5378198019442571486_n.jpg?oh=0ce1972e04a2ed9add9aeca462d7be32&oe=5A09C2B0)
Thank you.
-
That is very similar to Henry's coat since he was neutered. Matting is a big problem. I find I have to keep him clipped on his body, which is sad, but he still looks very handsome and sleek. The groomers use a blade clipper rather than a comb, which gives a smoother finish. It doesn't make his coat hard or wiry. It's still soft. We leave about an inch of feathering on his legs and chest and scissor trim his ears and top knot.
-
Not a groomer, sorry. But I have a spayed girl too. Her coat went from short and shiny to long, soft and fuzzy. It gets matted really easily and is more or less impossible to handstrip. Even if I do handstrip her it is not as shiny as it was, and she is very uncomfortable when I do it so I stopped. But she is still gorgeous, as is yours :luv:
With a sporty clip she looks great in my opinion. We just keep some of the feathering on the legs and tail and the outside of her ears long. The rest is clipped. Not the same as natural sleek coat I know, but much easier to keep and looks good. It's not wiry at all and I've been clipping her for years now. It's still the softest, fluffiest fur I've ever felt :)
It's a good idea to take control of the weight now before she gets overweight. Time to start measuring up the daily ration if you don't allready. My girl started gaining weight too, but a few changes to the diet and routines and it was easy to keep her fit :) If she is on kibble then the vets sell really good low calorie feeds to keep the weight off while still ensuring balanced micronutrition. It usually has a little more fibre too to keep the dog feeling full on fewer calories.
Treats can come from the daily food ration or carrots, cucumber, or other low calorie yummies. Some meat, but remember they are very efficient at utilizing proteins so not too much. Definitely stay away from fatty or sugary treats:) I remember feeling a little disappointed at all the changes, but you get used to the fluffiness and the food restrictions.
-
She's raw fed and I've already reduced her intake of food, treats - more exercise but not taking much effect at the moment.
-
She's raw fed and I've already reduced her intake of food, treats - more exercise but not taking much effect at the moment.
How frustrating! I'm sure you'll find the balance eventually though :) That's one of the reasons I don't raw feed, too much energy in the food. Which is great in theory, but for hungry spayed dogs predisposed to obesity it can be too rich. Maybe some of the raw feeders on here can give you tips on how to get the energy density down while still keeping the micronutrients high enough and possibly increase the fiber ration? I tried no grain diets for a while, but eventually I had to feed such small amounts that I was afraid she would not get enough vitamins and minerals. So I swapped to vet diets so I wouldn't have to fuss with supplements and have been happy with my choice, works for us. But if you want to stick to raw I'm sure there are ways to do that too :)
-
It makes me sad :'( to see how the coats change after spaying. Maddie's went thick and quite coarse. Bramble's has stayed thin but gone a bit curly especially the legs. If Mollie's coat is thin then you could possibly use a Coat King on the main coat. That will make it look more natural. The rest could be thinned with scissors or clipped. If her coat is coarse then clipping maybe the only choice to prevent matting.
I'm surprised that she's put on weight being raw fed. They both started to put on weight after being spayed so I changed them to raw which has kept their weight down.
I know Maddie always looks like she's put on weight until I clip her and can see she hasn't! :005:
-
I don't know if you use a complete raw but manufacturers such as Natures Menu, Nutriment and Poppy's Picnic all have vets and nutritionists available who would be able to advise you the best way forward if you ask them.
-
It makes me sad :'( to see how the coats change after spaying. Maddie's went thick and quite coarse. Bramble's has stayed thin but gone a bit curly especially the legs. If Mollie's coat is thin then you could possibly use a Coat King on the main coat. That will make it look more natural. The rest could be thinned with scissors or clipped. If her coat is coarse then clipping maybe the only choice to prevent matting.
I'm surprised that she's put on weight being raw fed. They both started to put on weight after being spayed so I changed them to raw which has kept their weight down.
I know Maddie always looks like she's put on weight until I clip her and can see she hasn't! :005:
Yes it makes me sad too from having a coat that was constantly admired and so shiney and smooth. She looks like shes a fluffy puppy again. Her fur is very soft not coarse or wiry at all - yet! Yes I'm surprised too about the food. I've cut down on treats and the amount she is having - never had a problem with her weight before and she's been raw fed for about 4 years. The curly fur doesn't help as it makes her look fatter too. If the fur was still smooth and sleek she wouldn't look as big.
-
Glad I didn't spay her, read a similar thread on another forum recently with similar tales and also of incontinence 😞
-
Just to say Ollie is not neutered - yet he is 9 now and over last couple years his coat has changed and when it gets longer he is a real curly whirly, same if he gets wet. While never owned a girl, I do fully accept the change and prone to weight gain etc, but it seems that sometimes age effects the coat, rather like in us humans :005:
-
I get sad too sometimes. But then I remind myself that I never have to worry about pyometra, mammary gland tumors (almost) or having her on the leash during heat :D Fluffy coat is a small price to pay. And with clippers you can get the shape back. The shine will never be the same, but the softness sort of makes up for it :luv: Nothing wrong with keeping them unspayed. But remember the health benefits if you feel bad about the coat. It's really not a big deal in comparison. And the weight can be managed. If it doesn't work out on raw, then there are alternatives that will work. But my guess os that you will find the balance on raw if that is important to you.
Btw regarding what theo wrote, I never knew there were feed brands that had such good service. You can actually call in and get professional advice from someone who is more than a salesperson. That is brilliant!
(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r184/pokoli/IMG_3232.jpg) (http://s144.photobucket.com/user/pokoli/media/IMG_3232.jpg.html) Btw: not a bad look for a spayed 9 year old (9 in this picture).
-
I mourned Henry's straight silky coat too and now I'm not sure why it was such an emotional wrench. He's still the same dog. His coat is soft and silky, even though it curls and matts. He's still incredibly glossy on his muzzle. Barely a day goes by when someone doesn't comment on how lovely his coat looks and exclaim over its silkiness and how like velvet his clipped body is. At this point, the only downside is the matting, and as our groomer has worked out how to give him a super handsome clip, that's not a problem either.
-
Keep raw feeding just look to lower fat meats. The post about too much energy is rubbish. If you take out the moisture from meat it is lower protein than Vets rubbish kibble.
Jessie is 13 years raw fed and spayed and she has never been overweight. Jessie is clipped but we leave the feathering and she looks fine.
You could add green beans steamed or lightly cooked veg to fill her up.
Erica.
-
Keep raw feeding just look to lower fat meats. The post about too much energy is rubbish. If you take out the moisture from meat it is lower protein than Vets rubbish kibble.
Jessie is 13 years raw fed and spayed and she has never been overweight. Jessie is clipped but we leave the feathering and she looks fine.
You could add green beans steamed or lightly cooked veg to fill her up.
Erica.
Glad we can have a polite discussion about food :) I should clarify. If the dog is gaining weight then there is too much energy in the food, I'm hoping we can agree on that. Not saying it's impossible to decrease the energy density, just saying I found it difficult without sacrificing the level of micronutrition. Reducing fat and adding veggies and fibre is a good idea I agree. Maybe supplement some essential fatty acids to be sure there is enough if the food is very low on fat.
-
Hi
As an owner & a groomer of plenty of spade cockers dont give in to clippers just yet I have managed with my own & some of my customers to retain their top coats & featherings without full clip offs.
I would suggest you start now to get her top back coat under control by using a Mars coat king I use a wide toothed one think its 12 teeth along with a finer 25 tooth coat king these a brilliant for easing out the fluffy coat a good tip is to also use when wet so when bathing her apply conditioner & use wide tooth coat king you will be amazed how much of the fluff comes out.
I tend to clip arm pits generally I find its best to clip font legs or use thinning scissors back legs coming down from the top of back either thinning scissors or clip using a comb attachment give wuite a natural finish. I clip inside back legs & under belly but maintain featherings .
You will not get the lovely dark red shinny top coat but at this stage should be able to get a compromise without full clip off
-
This is Henry fresh from his last grooming (you can click to enlarge). It's growing out very nicely. Smooth and velvety along his body, soft and silky on his feathers.
(https://thumb.ibb.co/fOQgxv/IMG_0073.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fOQgxv)
-
TBH I think it depends on the coat. I've had a golden and a white with Black and Tan, both of whom kept their silky backs with only their legs getting fluffy. I managed to keep their coats silky with a coat king and thinning scissors.
My blue roan I had to clip right from the start, her coat was like cotton wool. My solid black, I hand stripped upto and for about 18 months after her spay but then had to resort to coat king and thinners. Gradually it too longer and longer to groom her, the last one being 4 hours. In the end I thought who am I doing this for, and it certainly wasn't Ebony. She is now clipped it takes 2 hours to bath, dry and clip her. She's still as beautiful and to be honest she couldn't care less whether she is clipped, she prefers it to 3 hours standing on the grooming table.
It is a shame their coat changes, but many women post menopausal find their hair changes >:D but having lost 2 Cockers to pyometra and mammary tumours at a young age, I would still spay,but wait until they are have had a least 2 seasons
-
Hi
As an owner & a groomer of plenty of spade cockers dont give in to clippers just yet I have managed with my own & some of my customers to retain their top coats & featherings without full clip offs.
I would suggest you start now to get her top back coat under control by using a Mars coat king I use a wide toothed one think its 12 teeth along with a finer 25 tooth coat king these a brilliant for easing out the fluffy coat a good tip is to also use when wet so when bathing her apply conditioner & use wide tooth coat king you will be amazed how much of the fluff comes out.
I tend to clip arm pits generally I find its best to clip font legs or use thinning scissors back legs coming down from the top of back either thinning scissors or clip using a comb attachment give wuite a natural finish. I clip inside back legs & under belly but maintain featherings .
You will not get the lovely dark red shinny top coat but at this stage should be able to get a compromise without full clip off
Thank you for the advice! Will a coat king damage the fur after a while - have you found this at all?
-
I had Grace spayed after her second season as I wanted to be sure that she was fully matured before having this operation - I had read that early spaying was linked to incontinence amongst other things. Sadly, the breeder advised me that Grace's mum had mammary cancer and was PTS at 9 y/o last year - so I'm glad that Grace was spayed as hopefully this makes her less likely to suffer from this disease (?). I was trying to master hand stripping, but after spaying her coat did get more fluffy and matted more easily - I clip her quite short across her back and partially down her sides so that she does has length to her coat at the side - I use thinning scissors on her front legs and clippers on the lower portion of her rear legs - I also clip very short on the inside of her ears to aid ventilation and also under her feet. It's certainly not a professional job, but it works for us and keeps her nice and tidy whilst also having a nice length to her coat. I really don't like seeing Cockers that are stripped all over, especially when the ears are also stripped :( Grace is a Blue Roan and I do notice that the white fur grows the same as before being spayed - it is only the black fur that became fluffy and subject to matting??
-
Hi
As an owner & a groomer of plenty of spade cockers dont give in to clippers just yet I have managed with my own & some of my customers to retain their top coats & featherings without full clip offs.
I would suggest you start now to get her top back coat under control by using a Mars coat king I use a wide toothed one think its 12 teeth along with a finer 25 tooth coat king these a brilliant for easing out the fluffy coat a good tip is to also use when wet so when bathing her apply conditioner & use wide tooth coat king you will be amazed how much of the fluff comes out.
I tend to clip arm pits generally I find its best to clip font legs or use thinning scissors back legs coming down from the top of back either thinning scissors or clip using a comb attachment give wuite a natural finish. I clip inside back legs & under belly but maintain featherings .
You will not get the lovely dark red shinny top coat but at this stage should be able to get a compromise without full clip off
Thank you.