haircut 100

[Tina]

Hi Jen,

If its any help, he doesnt look as bad as when I first took my Blue to be 'trimmed'. I had just started showing him and a helpful person suggested I got him trimmed up professionally. Being new and still learning I found a reputable groomer who said she could do cockers and I dropped him off at the agreed time. I wanted to stay with him as I was quite anxious but she did not allow people in while she was working. When I collected him I nearly died!  He was shorn all over. No feathers, no fluff just lambchops on a bad hair day.

Of course this ruined his show career,  as the coat does not grow back the same. Following this I learnt how to handstrip and to groom them myself. No one has touched my dogs since. Its well worth having a go. I am in the Midlands if you want some help.
No one touches my dogs to groom them nownly me                    

[Loraine]

Hi Jen

Monty still looks really cute.  He really is enormous!! isn't he?  

I think I mentioned before, I had a real hard time finding someone suitable to groom Candy so have decided to do it myself.    As soon as you mention handstripping they try and talk you out of it and start brandishing the clippers!  They also talk you down and you're made to feel as if you don't know what you're talking about.

I was very lucky too because I met a woman in the park who used to breed/groom cockers and has offered to give me some lessons.

I bought a coat king at Crufts and some toe scissors to do her paws and I already had a Spratts 76 for day to day use.  

It's actually really therapeutic and as Mike says it's a great way to bond with your dog.  I'm not saying I'm brilliant or anything but once you get going it's not as hard or time consuming as you think.  Think how much money you'll save!  The only problem I have is bathing and drying Candy, she's still terrified of water and the hair dryer!                      

[Jen]

Hi Jen

Monty still looks really cute.  He really is enormous!! isn't he?  

yep! - 16.5" high and 13KG - about fully grown now I think
Good for you on the grooming front....I am considering getting  the gear in as I feel guilty about what I have done to my poor boy! :-                    

[angelad]

He doesn't look too bad Jen, better than I expected after what you had said                    

[*Jay*]

I bit the bullet yesterday and decided to start on Vegas and we didn't get off to a very good start...I tried to tidy his top knot up using thinning scissors but it just looks like I chopped it off - how do I get it to blend? Also, on closer inspection his throat seems to have it's very own Betty Boo hairdo going on - it quite literally turns outwards. Whats the best way to deal with this?                    

[jakieboy]

i had chopped off ebbie's top knot just before i got all the grooming equipment recommended on here - used the coat king - and it blended it all in and made it look a 100 times better, apart from one tiny bit that just would not blend in - does now though, after a few goings over with the coat king.  

Hope that helps

Nikki xx