Need help stacking and tail

[isaka]

My 8 month fluffy boy will stand perfectly still for anybody except for my husband and myself, he will stack properly but will turn his head to look at me, I used to be able to just put my  finger and thumb gently against his cheek to hold his head straight, but now he lifts hes head and looks at me, and if I do the thumb on muzzle and fingers beneath it, he struggles and goes backwards..... Any advice greatfully received, no ringcraft lessons overhere, we have to learn at the deep end. Also what to do with an undocked tail, how are people showing them in England now? I've been told to hold the tail like a setter. the second doubt I had about the tail, is how to groom it, aparently in scandinavia they trim the hair off from beneath the tail, ie. no fringes, but the standard in the spanial club booklet now says to allow a fringe.  So what is it to be ... fringe or no fringe?
Shelley in Spain.

[spanielcrazy]

When stacking, try gathering the loose skin at the throat in your hand and holding it to your side (also tucks up the throat nicely!) and use that skin to control his head. If he looks at you or puts his nose up you can still use your thumb on top or side of the muzzle to place his head. That way you arent holding his whole mouth and not making him feel "trapped" (you might want to have a look at his teeth just to make sure it is not painful for him to have his muzzle held)

Can't answer the tail question, I'm in the US (but my own opinion would be that a nicely trimmed fringe like a setter would look best)

[Jane S]

Also what to do with an undocked tail, how are people showing them in England now? I've been told to hold the tail like a setter. the second doubt I had about the tail, is how to groom it, aparently in scandinavia they trim the hair off from beneath the tail, ie. no fringes, but the standard in the spanial club booklet now says to allow a fringe.  So what is it to be ... fringe or no fringe?

It's still very early days for showing undocked dogs in the UK so there is no uniform approach as of yet. Not many people are holding the tails out like Setters though - most people seem to be holding the tail where the docked tail would end. I think it will come down to individual exhibitors how they trim the tail. A very heavily feathered tail can make a small breed like a Cocker look a little unbalanced so some may choose to leave only a shortish fringe of feathering and some may strip the tail out completely in the Scandinavian way. The KC have told American Cocker exhibitors that it's acceptable to show an undocked dog with the tail stripped out (their standard requires tail feathering in proportion to the coat) so presumably this will also apply to Cockers - time will tell