How do I do the head?

[Trischie]

Ok, I'm gradually getting this together, I'm just wondering what to do with his head!

I'll be clippering his face and top third of his ears - very short, but how do I do the top of his head? I'll be doing his back with the coat king - michele's diagram says to clipper the head a bit longer than the face, but does that only apply if I'm clippering his back too? Should I be doing his head with the trimmer scissors instead?

Also - should I be doing the front part of his legs (opposite side to feathering) with the trimmer scissors or the clipper?

This is all theory, as it's not my birthday yet - I'm just getting it all planned so I can start off straight away on my birthday.

Thanks for your help

Chris & Co.

[bluegirl]

I'm no expert but when using the coat king on the back I also used it on the head, along with thinning scissors and a bit of hand stripping.
When clippering the back I used a number 10 blade on the face and head, tops of ears and down throat area then number 7 from top of neck and down back.
On the front legs I use thinning scissors rather than clippers and I cut round their feet.

[Michele]

It's up to you really, using the thinning scissors will take longer but will give a softer, more natural finish.

The photo is a guide only and not a rule of thumb. You can adapt around it as you please. 

[CraftySam]

Firstly, don't clip the top third of his ears!  It is American Cocker Spaniels that have the top third of their ears clipped short.  

On an English cocker you want to achieve an indent at the top of the ears/head, I do this with thinning scissors.

On the top of the head I use a combinations of handstripping and stripping knife. However to make it easier use thinning scissors, I've just started to do this when I'm short of time and have got good results.  I wouldn't clip the top at all.
Barney is 17 months and I've only just started to clip his face and I take very little off now. Up until the last couple of months I would just handstrip any bits that needed doing. You don't want to clip it very short, that is how you do an American cocker.

I use a coat king on his back, I've never clipped that so can't advise on that.

I use thinning knife on the front of his legs, thinning scissors could also be used. His feet should look like "cat paws" and you can do this with thinning scissors. Between his pads underneath you can either clip them out or do with small scissors.

You could use the clippers to clip from the breast bone up, throat and under the chin, also the neck under the ears.

[Trischie]

Yes, you seem to be right, CraftySam - I've been looking at the photos more closely. Maybe it's a regional thing, but over here in Germany they seem to do the English Cockers with the top thirds of their ears clippered too. I'll check out some more show photos from over here to check the difference.

Michele - what do you say, you seem to be the clippering expert! 

Love

Chris and still unclippered oscar!

[Cob-Web]

Molo had the top of his ears clipped when he was given a professional "pet clip" - and I have done the same thing  I also use the clippers across the top of his head 

[Trischie]

Thanks for the encouragement IWLass!

I noticed you've been experimenting on the clippers now you've got your own. I'm still waiting for my birthday presents to arrive before I can let loose on Oscar - I'll get some photos sent when he's done (unless I'm so ashamed of what he looks like, that I don't dare!).

[Cob-Web]

Thanks for the encouragement IWLass!

I noticed you've been experimenting on the clippers now you've got your own. I'm still waiting for my birthday presents to arrive before I can let loose on Oscar - I'll get some photos sent when he's done (unless I'm so ashamed of what he looks like, that I don't dare!).

When I did Molo for the first time, the neighbour was looking over the fence, and she reassured me that there is only two weeks between a good and a bad haircut 

I decided when I started with the clippers that the worst that could happen is that Molo would look like Bonnee (she was completely shorn all over a few days before she came to us ), and so I felt a bit more confident that the worst I could do would not be a total disaster 

When I first started trimming Molo with scissors, I just tickled the surface, and it really didn't look right at all - but as I got more confident and snipped more brutally, then it began to look better 

[Michele]

For the majority of my pet trims I clipper the top part of the ear, but it depends on the coat and colour of the dog as to which blade I use. Usually it will be either a 7f, a 10 or a 15.
For example an orange roan would look awful with its outer ear clipped on a 15 but looks ok with a 7f and thinning scissors to finish off.
A black in my opinion looks better for having a 15 used.

I always clip inside the ear and 99% of the time down the inside of the ear leather too - it makes no difference to the appearance of the dog when it is stood, but makes life a lot easier checking for those dratted seeds, and for the owner to brush the ears through in the weeks that follow.

I would never clip the ears of a dog that is being shown.

[spanielcrazy]

but as I got more confident and snipped more brutally, then it began to look better 

That's actually the biggest hurdle, when we start out we are so afraid of making mistakes, but actually you learn that when they don't look right it's usually because more needs to be taken off. 

For a dog who isn't going to be shown there's no harm at all in experimenting with different hair lengths, blade sizes or trimming styles. It's really the only way to learn what works and what doesn't for you and your dog.

[JaspersMum]

but as I got more confident and snipped more brutally, then it began to look better 

That's actually the biggest hurdle, when we start out we are so afraid of making mistakes, but actually you learn that when they don't look right it's usually because more needs to be taken off. 

For a dog who isn't going to be shown there's no harm at all in experimenting with different hair lengths, blade sizes or trimming styles. It's really the only way to learn what works and what doesn't for you and your dog.

That's exactly how I felt when I started on Jasper - before we went on holiday I did the chicken version and all the time we were away I could see it was uneven and still didn't seem right, so on Sunday morning I got stuck in before the dog show and took off tons of hair and we are almost there - still a couple of tidy up bits but I am quite pleased with the results and don't think he looks as harsh as when the  pro did him I used the 7F on his back.

[Gilly]

On Buttons I clipper, the head, tops and inside of ears, throat, back and under the tail. I trim feathering were needed but she looks really neat and tidy. Minimum fuss for her but with a nice effect 

[Joelf]

I find the trimming of the top of the ears the hardest bit.

I hate to admit this but I have this rather natty little pair of clippers that I use for trimming my bikini line; they have a little plastic top that goes on the top of the blades to prevent the hair being cut too close (I think the idea is that you can make pretty patterns with them!! ) Anyway I used them on the top of Domino's ears & head & the result is reasonably tidy; I wouldn't want to clip his whole body (they certainly wouldn't be up to the job) but for just trimming a small area they work quite well.

(I trim the back of Robert's hair with them as well so they're multi-functional!! )

[Cob-Web]

I find the trimming of the top of the ears the hardest bit.

I hate to admit this but I have this rather natty little pair of clippers that I use for trimming my bikini line; they have a little plastic top that goes on the top of the blades to prevent the hair being cut too close (I think the idea is that you can make pretty patterns with them!! ) Anyway I used them on the top of Domino's ears & head & the result is reasonably tidy; I wouldn't want to clip his whole body (they certainly wouldn't be up to the job) but for just trimming a small area they work quite well.

(I trim the back of Robert's hair with them as well so they're multi-functional!! )

  I'm sorry, that made me laugh - I can just see my OH face if I used my bikini line clippers to cut his hair next time 

I'm not sure I'd want to use them again if I used them on the dogs 

[Joelf]

  Don't worry, Rachel - I posted it in a very light-hearted way!!!

I also use the same pair of scissors to actually cut Robert's hair as I use to trim Domino's paws; they're nice & sharp so they do the job quite well!!