Author Topic: Facial hair  (Read 6451 times)

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Offline David Morgan

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Facial hair
« on: January 24, 2018, 09:30:12 AM »
I've checked the old threads and it seems whenever the subject of facial hair comes up, most posts are on the best way to remove it. Our puppy Mason is very hairy: he has a beard, which comes to a rather attractive point just below his chin, and long, flowing, hair all along his snout. If I hadn't seen his pedigree, I would be convinced he was crossed with a lhasa, or a floor-mop. He is, in our eyes, gorgeous and we don't want to remove the facial hair, other than a trim to keep it out of his eyes. He also has a very hairy body. All his fur is silky.

You do not see spaniels with hairy faces, so my question is: is a hairy face rare or are people removing the hair? also, what are people's thoughts on the issue of "hipster" cockers with facial hair?  :005:

PS - Mason at 8 months is my avatar picture; he is 10 months now.

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Facial hair
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2018, 11:03:31 AM »
I agree, he does look gorgeous the way he is......  :luv:
I think the amount of hair and the general coat  does vary enormously, Humphrey has a  fine coat which is very wavy, but doesn‘t have a lot of facial hair, except around his cheeks, I do shave the goatie because on Humphrey it doesn‘t look cute, - he‘s got an unusually long nose and a beard makes him look like someone from the Spanish Inquisition!!  :005: His top notch, being the colour that it is, is also kept short to avoid any similarities to a certain American politician, to whom he‘s been compared on several occasions!!  >:(
I have seen pictures of cockers with fairly hairy faces, most of the grooming videos demonstrate how it should be removed so I assume its not that uncommon. Although I like my dog to be recognizable as the breed that he is, he‘s a pet not a show dog so I decide how I want him to look, for me it has to be practical and for Humphrey it has to be comfortable. (Contrary to a lot of grooming instructions, I leave whiskers on for example because I think they‘re there for a purpose) .
It could be that once Mason‘s adult coat comes through, he‘ll look a bit different anyway but at the end of the day, its your call so don‘t let anyone persuade you otherwise!

Offline Londongirl

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Re: Facial hair
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2018, 11:29:54 AM »
There are a few people on here with hairy-faced cockers, I’m sure they’ll chime in soon.

Henry has a smooth face but a very full beard. It started as two Emperor Ming points then filled out. I have a feeling their beards are actually whiskers that they use for sensing what is under their nose (which is a blind spot)  as he really doesn’t like his beard being removed. The one time we did, he spent days pulling his head away from things he was approaching from above, like his food bowl, and giving little yelps. Now I trim it to about three inches long.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline David Morgan

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Re: Facial hair
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2018, 01:09:30 PM »
Thanks both.

Our other cockers (the soon to be 10 Molly and Murphy) have smooth faces and I've not seen a hairy cocker; unless I didn't notice or recognise any I've encountered. We won't be shaving Mason; we love him far too much the way he is. That said, as his way of drinking involves sticking his whole face in the bowl we are forever drying his beard and that is annoying. I would be happy if he kept the beard and learnt to lap the water like his big "brother".

As bizzylizzy says, his adult coat may be very different and we will take what comes.

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Facial hair
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2018, 01:48:04 PM »
There are a few people on here with hairy-faced cockers, I’m sure they’ll chime in soon.

Henry has a smooth face but a very full beard. It started as two Emperor Ming points then filled out. I have a feeling their beards are actually whiskers that they use for sensing what is under their nose (which is a blind spot)  as he really doesn’t like his beard being removed. The one time we did, he spent days pulling his head away from things he was approaching from above, like his food bowl, and giving little yelps. Now I trim it to about three inches long.

I‘ve never thought of it that way!!  come to think of it, they are more like whiskers than ordinary hair, - much coarser.  Perhaps I should leave them in future 🤔

Offline Finvarra

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Re: Facial hair
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2018, 05:06:37 PM »
Dylan is extremely hairy, he is a blue roan but very dark, and it seems to me that the darker hair is more prolific. My previous boy Milo, was light, and his face didn’t need a trim. Dylan would look like a schnauzer if I left it, it also makes him look very puppyish, and personally I like the sleek look for my dog. Also I'm concerned that he might food trapped around his lips, people on this forum have had that sort of trouble with lips folds. So I do trim his face close, but funnily enough he doesn't have prolific whiskers, in fact on one side he's only got one!

Having said that, I love the look of some of the less trimmed dogs on this forum, and it's your dog, so whatever you want goes. Trimmed or I trimmed, each has it's own particular charm  :luv:

Lesley and Dylan
Remembering All the dogs of my life, especially Milo

Offline KeresleyKate

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Re: Facial hair
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2018, 03:09:26 PM »
Arvy is very hairy faced but I shave it. He gets very hot and the hair gets in front of his eyes. He gets a lovely beard too which means water gets dribbled everywhere. I leave his whiskers, which groomers do remove and I think cruel having watched something which showed how much animals use their whiskers. I also clip his legs and tummy because he is a complete muck monster and likes every bit of muddy water. I king comb the rest of him. After 4 years I'm contemplating clipping him because he gets so hot, I probably won't though.
Kate

Offline David Morgan

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Re: Facial hair
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2018, 01:15:09 PM »
As I'm not the one who takes the pups to the groomer's, Mason did get clipped and shaved on his first visit. Our groomer did leave some hair and a short beard, but he's mostly smooth-faced now. At first I was a little upset, but he looks more cocker-like now and I grew to prefer the neatly trimmed little-man very quickly. He facial hair grows very quickly though. Mason dribbles water after a drink - partly because of the beard, partly because he dunks his whole head.