CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Grooming => Topic started by: piewwiew on May 24, 2007, 08:14:40 PM
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hello me again sorry - questions questions
i look through lovely pics of all the dogs and i love - just love the way the dogs look with long coats
do people clip because they are not showing their dog
or is it ease of grooming
i would love to have a long haired dog but i suppose you will all tell me off because i suppose it takes lots and lots of time to keep it none tangled
let me know what you think - i want the best for the dog obviously but do like that fluffy look :luv:
teresa
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Hi
I think it is down to choice, I keep Charlie short cos he hates being fussed and groomed and he is always in and out of water,mud and other unsavory things, but the a long coat looks good too.
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Jaspers is long but with the hot weather coming I am wondering whether my personal preference for that bootiful coat might need to compromise somewhere.
It does take some work too, I was shocked that after not having a grooming session at the weekend, Jasper had some big tangles in his coat that needed the matt splitter to deal with so if you keep it long, be prepared to put the work in to keep them smart and knot free.
Personally I feel if I had wanted a short haired dog I should have had a different breed of dog. :shades:
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
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For the last three years, I have resisted clipping, and have kept Molo's coat tidy, but medium to long, using scissors and a coat king ;)
This year for the first time, I have had him clipped in a "pet clip" style, which is short to medium length.........I was worried about how the heat was effecting him while I was out day-hiking with him, and decided that my preferences come second to his comfort ;)
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thats actually great news i dont want to have him trimmed but didnt know what was best - i had two persian cats ten years ago and if i didnt brush them every few days they matted, but i just do prefer the look of a long haired cocker
maybe though my dog will tell me whats best for him, just like cdpop's charlie has told her and molo feeling too hot
:D
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I love my Rosie as a fluffy teddy bear, OH keeps saying to get her clipped but it would mean D.I.V.O.R.C.E.
I groom her every day, which she loves (and needs) especially after her runs in the fields, dips in burns etc. I always finish off with a Spratts 76 comb to take out loose fluffy hair and thankfully so far I have had no matting to deal with yet!!
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Two of mine are clipped and the other 3 are kept in show trim even though they aren't shown. I personally prefer the long style coat but I had to have one clipped because he has been neutered and his coat altered dramatically, and the other has such a thick black coat and really struggles in the heat so he gets the bulk of his clipped off but still retains feathering.
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thats actually great news i dont want to have him trimmed but didnt know what was best - i had two persian cats ten years ago and if i didnt brush them every few days they matted, but i just do prefer the look of a long haired cocker
:D
We had a persian, you only had to look at him and he matted - I spent hours cutting out matts, on reflection the pet style brushes we had were not good enough for the job and we've found with the dogs, you might need to invest in more professional style slickers and scissors because they do make the job easier...
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yes been reading lots of threads about these professional grooming items - do you know if they are a lot of money
how does one begin to know which ones you choose
:005:
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
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I prefer the longer coat as well, it does take a lot of work but it's worth it for looks. I must say though I went a bit shorter yesterday with Chloe as she is black and the last of her puppy fur is still coming out so I was concerned she would be too hot! :-\ Once I decided we weren't going to show her the stress of grooming went out of the window! I still keep her looking smart but don't stress over whether I've done it exactly right if that makes sense?
I splashed out on professional shampoo, conditioning spray, grooming table with noose, spratts comb, slicker brush, coat king, thinning scissors and ordinary scissors, rubber gloves for stripping and a grooming DVD, oh and I also got some of the grooming clogs which were recommended to me for their comfort! :005: I went a bit mad really and in total this came to over £300! :o Don't tell OH though! :005: I'm glad I did invest in all this though and other than sharpening scissors or replacing them this lot should last me quite a while! :blink:
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yes been reading lots of threads about these professional grooming items - do you know if they are a lot of money
how does one begin to know which ones you choose
:005:
There are quite a few threads on what you need and where to get, see the sticky topic at the top of this board http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=5949.0 Price - depends whether you think £20 - £30 is a lot for pair of scissors, I decided it was to start with and ended up trying lots of cheaper ones which probably cost me more than getting them at time, and if you are going to do it yourself, you would soon recoup what you would spend at groomers every 6 weeks ;)
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
Which short haired breeds have similar breed traits as cockers? ;)
I'm not sure Molo would be too happy about me trading him in for a short-haired breed anyway, tbh........I never intended to hike miles with him when I chose a show cocker; maybe I should let his fur grow and stick to shorter walks with him, instead........... :huh:
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
mmmhhh Not sure i agree here ;)
I wouldn't not choose a breed of dog purely on their coat, there are far more important features IMO
I had the intention of keeping Billy long, but his coat is quite fine & doesn't really have the WOW factor that some cockers have. Plus I had no idea the amount of dust a long coat brings into the house.
Billy is a mud and water magnet, I have tried to keep him short as it makes it easier for me and Billy :D
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I can't comment on my own dog as she is a working cocker & doesn't have the long coat, but will comment on one of my liitle charmers that come to me. He is a show cocker (golden) and is georgous, I love him with his long feathers and longer coat, but as he loves to swim run around in all the bushes etc he is clipped, his coat weighs him down in the water and he is always getting nasty things stuck to him so clipping him makes his life a wee bit easier. :blink:
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his coat weighs him down in the water and he is always getting nasty things stuck to him so clipping him makes his life a wee bit easier. :blink:
Billy always used to get bits of twigs and stuff stuck in his feathering >:D
He was very good though, if i showed them to him he pulls them out himself :lol: Its teamwork :lol:
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Jarvis is terrible for picking up stuff in his coat if its long, which was my main reason for clipping him.
On almost every walk he'd get loads of brambles twisted tightly into his fur, and he used to yelp loads when we tried to get them out. :'( To be fair he got over it very quickly but i hated making him yelp like that. Another advantage is how quickly he dries now. :D He does miss being combed for hours though. :luv:
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On almost every walk he'd get loads of brambles twisted tightly into his fur, and he used to yelp loads when we tried to get them out.
Billy never used to like it either. Then one day as i was pulling a twig out he nudged my hand out of the way and pulled it himself :lol:
So now when it happens (he's longer than i like at the moment) when i find a twig in his fur i say "Billy Twig" , show him the twig, and he pulls it out :lol:
It's hillarious :005:
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Billy's a genius. :luv: :luv: :luv:
(Jarvis is too fixated on his ball to even realise when things get caught ::) He'll happily run for ages on 3 legs rather than come back to be de-twigged! :005: )
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every dog should be brushed every day long coat or not .Its Personal choice really how you want your dog to look . Clipping a coat makes it go wooly and curly and graduly the coat gets woolier and tighter curls . a stipped coat lays nice and sleek although it takes some doing . pet owners can meet in the middle and have a long coat thinning the head legs and trimming the feet .you could have a go at grooming
as for hot weather and a coat well a few show people I speak to of different long haired breeds tell me that not only does a long coat keep the heat in when needed but if combed out well will trap cool air between the fur too , I think what they say might be right .
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Must admit, I like the spaniels if they are groomed similar to show dogs. I have an American cocker (with a lot more fur than English ones) and he will be only slightly shorter than a show dog. I don't like them all clipped short...
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For the last three years, I have resisted clipping, and have kept Molo's coat tidy, but medium to long, using scissors and a coat king ;)
This year for the first time, I have had him clipped in a "pet clip" style, which is short to medium length.........I was worried about how the heat was effecting him while I was out day-hiking with him, and decided that my preferences come second to his comfort ;)
;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
mmmhhh Not sure i agree here ;)
I wouldn't not choose a breed of dog purely on their coat, there are far more important features IMO
I had the intention of keeping Billy long, but his coat is quite fine & doesn't really have the WOW factor that some cockers have. Plus I had no idea the amount of dust a long coat brings into the house.
Billy is a mud and water magnet, I have tried to keep him short as it makes it easier for me and Billy :D
;) Just my view. As the topic title asked for ! :D
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I love cockers with long coats but both mine are clipped - they're not show dogs, they go in a river almost every day, and they also get incredibly hot during the warmer months.
I clip them myself as I resent paying someone £30 a go to do what is often not a particularly good job on them, and I like that if I do them myself I can do a less harsh clip if I want to. I went on a 1 day course to learn how to do the job a bit more properly but am still learning. ;)
Bella seems to really like having her coat shorter, she is always like a little spring lamb for the first few days after she's been clipped.
I also like that you can really see the lovely shape of their bodies when they have shorter coats.
But then I see lovely show dogs like Chelsea's Sid and Ringo and just inwardly sigh that mine will never look like that! :luv:
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I also like that you can really see the lovely shape of their bodies when they have shorter coats.
:lol: Or in Jarvis' case, you can now see that he's rather bow-legged. :005:
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I also like that you can really see the lovely shape of their bodies when they have shorter coats.
:lol: Or in Jarvis' case, you can now see that he's rather bow-legged. :005:
Aww Jarvis close you're ears :005: Wee poppet :luv:
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Definitely prefer them in full coat ;) Buttons is now clipped but in a show style which means I clip everywhere you would normally hand strip or use thinning scissors ans all the feathering is left intact but shaped accordingly.
The only part that gets clipped on Gracie is her chest and the tops/inside of her ears, the rest is done by hand even though I'm not showing her anymore, all feathers are left intact ;)
Lola hasn't got a lot of puppy fluff, she is going straight into a lovely silky smooth adult coat..thank god, as so far it looks like she's going to be easy to hand strip :D I also love the Blue Roan coat more than the other 2 as trimming it (so far) seems to be more forgiving..trying to thin the chest on a B&W without getting any scissors marks proved to be beyond my grooming skills ph34r
Overall I think clipping is OK but in moderation..leaving some feathering intact and not making them look like shorn sheep.
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I also love cockers with long coats. I hand strip all my 3 and I have used the coat king and the clippers on the pups, but for them all I have given them the show look.
Mine love being groomed so they just run to the shed and all 3 fight to go on the table first. I keep on top of the grooming so they don't get many tangles and grooming doesn't take forever. I always take mine on off road walks so they do get pretty grubby, but I wouldn't change their look.
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I think it's very much down to personal choice and if you show your dog. Mine are show dogs but I have never intended to show them. If fact Woody doesn't ahve enough coat to show :005: Woody is hand stripped but now he's been castrated that will have to change. Pepsi has always been clipped as she's always been a Woolly mammouth and I couldn't find anyone who would attempt to do it. She's been speyed now any way. Personally I keep her coat short as mine as walked by a stream every day and are in and out of. Pepsi's coat matts easily if it's long. She seems more comfortable in the warmer weather with a shorter coat too.
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hm !
now i don't know whats best as we will be up the farm everyday with the horses
i love my choice of show cocker chosen especially for his look and personality
but in hiensite (sorry i havent a clue how to spell this word) maybe i should have looked further into it and maybe a working cocker would have suited our lifestyle
it will all be ok in the end we will find a middle ground with everything coat wise in time ;)
teresa xxxxxxxxxx
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hm !
now i don't know whats best as we will be up the farm everyday with the horses
i love my choice of show cocker chosen especially for his look and personality
but in hiensite (sorry i havent a clue how to spell this word) maybe i should have looked further into it and maybe a working cocker would have suited our lifestyle
it will all be ok in the end we will find a middle ground with everything coat wise in time ;)
teresa xxxxxxxxxx
Why not wait and see, if it becomes a problem you can always clip latter, better that than clip early and wish you hadn't because the coat can change a lot after clipping.
Our younger dog Louie is part worker and although he has feathers most of the coat cleans off very quickly, if you want to see how much, have a look at puppy photos board and look for "Who wants...". If Jasper had the same habit the coat would have to be clipped much shorter :shades:
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Just because a dog has a full coat dosent mean it cant do the same things ;) Belive me mine are in the brambles there digging in the garden and they swim every single day ;) and I have 7 in full coats :lol:
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Why not wait and see, if it becomes a problem you can always clip latter, better that than clip early and wish you hadn't because the coat can change a lot after clipping.
I agree - we found that Molo didn't need clipping and I was able to keep him tidy and knot free for several years with a coat king, scissors and brushes :-\
I eventually decided to have him clipped as we took part in a charity walk of 14 miles, and he had been getting very uncomfortable on our training walks in the heat last month - of course, as soon as I had him clipped, the weather changed and he completed the walk wearing an Equafleece coat ::)
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Definitely prefer them in full coat ;) Buttons is now clipped but in a show style which means I clip everywhere you would normally hand strip or use thinning scissors ans all the feathering is left intact but shaped accordingly.
Thats how Indie is done now too :luv: I did for 3 years have her handstripped either by myself, but after each season she would drop her coat, especially her skirt! So she didn't always look right :005: I started having her clipped in a show style for a few reasons really, firstly, I could no longer handstrip her myself cos it made me ill (i'm allergic) shes quite an active dog too and spends a lot of time in the river, sea or trying to get down rabbit holes and in bushes, but the main one recently has been TICKS >:D I now live in a tick hot spot and found it quite difficult checking through a long coat to make sure she was clear after each walk :-\ It really did become a bit of an issue with me, Indie also detests being groomed and really wasn't happy to sit daily and have me go through her coat with a detangler comb. So off it came, i'm happy and most of all Indie is happy, she has no problems now when she goes in the bushes, she doesn't bring all the twigs out with her :005: I can give her a quick brush over daily and can check her for tics MUCH easier :D Theres also so groomer here, nearest being a 3 hour drive! So clipping her really is now the only option for me :D I haven't had her ears clipped, I have had them thinned out though and they look fine, although the last groomer did trim the length, which I wasn't too happy about, but hey, it will grow back ;)
I do love to see cocker's with the beautiful long coats though :luv:, there is nothing nicer, but for an active dog like Indie, it wasn't working anymore, she was unhappy being faffed with, so I am happy I took the plunge with the clipping :shades:
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Billy never used to like it either. Then one day as i was pulling a twig out he nudged my hand out of the way and pulled it himself :lol:
So now when it happens (he's longer than i like at the moment) when i find a twig in his fur i say "Billy Twig" , show him the twig, and he pulls it out :lol:
It's hillarious :005:
Just a warning, Ben used to do this, till one day the twig got stuck length ways in his throat and we had to drive like mad to the vets from the middle of nowhere in the Peak District as he couldn't breathe. The vet operated immediatly and all was fine (apart from the bill ;))
i know it was a one in a million chance that it happened but it scared the life out of me, and i woun't let him do it anymore
Bens mum :luv:
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I much prefer a long coat for Domino; however he has a very fine & silky coat which is comparatively easy to keep neat & tidy; I would probably feel differently if he had a thick, woolly & curly coat! ;)
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Billy never used to like it either. Then one day as i was pulling a twig out he nudged my hand out of the way and pulled it himself :lol:
So now when it happens (he's longer than i like at the moment) when i find a twig in his fur i say "Billy Twig" , show him the twig, and he pulls it out :lol:
It's hillarious :005:
Just a warning, Ben used to do this, till one day the twig got stuck length ways in his throat and we had to drive like mad to the vets from the middle of nowhere in the Peak District as he couldn't breathe. The vet operated immediatly and all was fine (apart from the bill ;))
i know it was a one in a million chance that it happened but it scared the life out of me, and i woun't let him do it anymore
Bens mum :luv:
:o :o Poor Ben!!
thanks for that, hadn't thought of that ;)
Glad ben was ok ;)
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
Which short haired breeds have similar breed traits as cockers? ;)
I'm not sure Molo would be too happy about me trading him in for a short-haired breed anyway, tbh........I never intended to hike miles with him when I chose a show cocker; maybe I should let his fur grow and stick to shorter walks with him, instead........... :huh:
erm, a working cocker maybe ;)
i miss grooming a long haired dog soooo much. today i bathed dried and groomed ellies ears in under 1 hour. with maisie and even millie it could take a couple of days. aww it is sooo relaxing and you can have fun with the long coats. maisie once sported cornrows(just on the top of her head) and another time she had a pink ponytail for a few days.
there is nothing more pleasing to the eye than a well groomed long coated dog ;)
except for a well manky cocker after hitting the mud puddles :005:
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Lyn, please add you address so we can send you our long coated cockers - we'd hate you to miss out. However they may well be "manky cocker after hitting the mud puddles" ;)
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the muddier the better. it means they'll be knackered and will keep still.
send them all but, don't expect them back :005:
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
I agree too! :D
I like to keep my dogs looking as "traditional" as I can. I groom them myself and on Barney I use a combination of handstipping, Coat King, Stripping Knife and thinners.
His coat is starting to get woolier since he was castrated, so is need a thorough groom most days but for me thats what I signed up for when I decided to get a cocker.
I also have an American Cocker pup, like Vera. As she said their coat is heavier than an English and also has a skirt to the floor traditionally. I shall be keeping him with a full skirt, as I don't think they look right clipped short. I might live to regret it by hey ho I love grooming! :005:
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I think it depends on how the dog is clipped. I've seen show cockers done so that they look gorgeous and very natural but still a bit more manageable than a full show coat like Elisa's Bailey to give an example who I know :luv: I do like the feathering and skirts on show types, they look lovely but I couldn't handle all that grooming, especially with the lifestyle I have with my existing dogs where they're charging through the moorland, woods, mud and water two or three times a day and all they need is a quick ear comb every night... unless of course Sam decides to move north and then I could get a show type and she could groom it for me! :shades: :005:
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can we see a piccie of your little yankee sam :D
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My Cockers are just pets, but I try to keep them looking like show Cockers.... Try is the right word as I can't handstrip as I have arthritis in my thumb joints. So I use thinning and straight scissors on mine, people who meet them in the street have said how nice they look, so may be they aren't so bad!!! I did have a woman who told me she was a professional dog groomer ask me how I trimmed the girls as she thought they looked so good... God knows what she does to peoples dogs then I thought! ph34r
I find looking after a Cockers coat soooo easy though, probably because I am used to much bigger hairier dogs! So when the Cockers need a bath or a trim I am so happy to do it as there is so little work involved to me :D
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One of the teachers at my daughters school as an American Cocker and has it clipped short. That just seems like sacrilege :o I can't think for a minute he has it running anywhere particularly rough so I would of thought there must be a compromise.
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
Which short haired breeds have similar breed traits as cockers? ;)
I'm not sure Molo would be too happy about me trading him in for a short-haired breed anyway, tbh........I never intended to hike miles with him when I chose a show cocker; maybe I should let his fur grow and stick to shorter walks with him, instead........... :huh:
My sentiments exactly --- I didn't chose my dogs for looks but mainly for their personaility, and there's nothing like a cocker personality, in bucketfuls, and a long show coat would be a nightmare for a lot of the walks I do.
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
Which short haired breeds have similar breed traits as cockers? ;)
I'm not sure Molo would be too happy about me trading him in for a short-haired breed anyway, tbh........I never intended to hike miles with him when I chose a show cocker; maybe I should let his fur grow and stick to shorter walks with him, instead........... :huh:
My sentiments exactly --- I didn't chose my dogs for looks but mainly for their personaility, and there's nothing like a cocker personality, in bucketfuls, and a long show coat would be a nightmare for a lot of the walks I do.
Me too. The way they look is probably the last thing on my 'why I love cockers' list - and the list is pretty long. If my dog is overheating and miserable, it's up to me to find a way of making things easier for them. And I'd prefer to clip their coats rather than cut down on their exercise. I know that if you asked mine what they preferred in the summer - long walks or long coats - their reply would be pretty unequivocal. Obviously, it's different if you are showing your dog but if you just want a good friend to share in everything, I don't see what's wrong in sacrificing glamour for comfort.
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cockers have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
Which short haired breeds have similar breed traits as cockers? ;)
I'm not sure Molo would be too happy about me trading him in for a short-haired breed anyway, tbh........I never intended to hike miles with him when I chose a show cocker; maybe I should let his fur grow and stick to shorter walks with him, instead........... :huh:
My sentiments exactly --- I didn't chose my dogs for looks but mainly for their personaility, and there's nothing like a cocker personality, in bucketfuls, and a long show coat would be a nightmare for a lot of the walks I do.
Me too. The way they look is probably the last thing on my 'why I love cockers' list - and the list is pretty long. If my dog is overheating and miserable, it's up to me to find a way of making things easier for them. And I'd prefer to clip their coats rather than cut down on their exercise. I know that if you asked mine what they preferred in the summer - long walks or long coats - their reply would be pretty unequivocal. Obviously, it's different if you are showing your dog but if you just want a good friend to share in everything, I don't see what's wrong in sacrificing glamour for comfort.
Plus ours are all woolly mammoths as well so clipping is the only thing to do ;)
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One of the teachers at my daughters school as an American Cocker and has it clipped short. That just seems like sacrilege :o I can't think for a minute he has it running anywhere particularly rough so I would of thought there must be a compromise.
My groomer told me recently that her experience is that owners who keep their dogs tangle and matt free are the ones who ask for it to be "all cut off" and the people whose dogs have matts are the ones who want their dogs to stay as long as possible (just a tidy up, please) ::)
She thinks that it is because the people who keep their dogs matt-free know how much time it takes and so when they can't keep on top of it for any reason, they prefer to have the dog clipped short than allow the dog to become uncomfortable and matted :-\
I am sure that most people who do their research when they chose a cocker do accept that there is a commitment to coat care - but lifestyles change, and if clipping the dog is the best way of keeping it happy and healthy, then to be honest, I think they should be applauded for properly considering their dogs needs, not criticised for what is after all a temporary, cosmetic measure ;)
If there is any evidence to suggest that clipping a long-haired breed short was detrimental to the welfare of the dog, then of course, the benefits have to be weighed up against the risks :-\
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Plus ours are all woolly mammoths as well so clipping is the only thing to do ;)
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Ruby's diet not going well then, Penny? Mammoth Cass sends her sympathies :005: :005:
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One of the teachers at my daughters school as an American Cocker and has it clipped short. That just seems like sacrilege :o I can't think for a minute he has it running anywhere particularly rough so I would of thought there must be a compromise.
My groomer told me recently that her experience is that owners who keep their dogs tangle and matt free are the ones who ask for it to be "all cut off" and the people whose dogs have matts are the ones who want their dogs to stay as long as possible (just a tidy up, please) ::)
She thinks that it is because the people who keep their dogs matt-free know how much time it takes and so when they can't keep on top of it for any reason, they prefer to have the dog clipped short than allow the dog to become uncomfortable and matted :-\
I am sure that most people who do their research when they chose a cocker do accept that there is a commitment to coat care - but lifestyles change, and if clipping the dog is the best way of keeping it happy and healthy, then to be honest, I think they should be applauded for properly considering their dogs needs, not criticised for what is after all a temporary, cosmetic measure ;)
If there is any evidence to suggest that clipping a long-haired breed short was detrimental to the welfare of the dog, then of course, the benefits have to be weighed up against the risks :-\
I don't have a groomer, I do keep my dogs matt and tangle free and I don't want it all cut off! I groom them to how I like them to look to the best of my ability with a coat king and thinners.
The reason I prefer my dogs with longer coats is a personal preference and not because my dogs have matts!
I think your groomer is talking out of the top of her head ::) What a generalisation!! ::) ::)
I have never criticised anyone for clipping their dogs, or suggested that it was in any way detrimental to a dog and I accept that it is their right to do whatever suits them.
All I have done is express MY preference!
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One of the teachers at my daughters school as an American Cocker and has it clipped short. That just seems like sacrilege :o I can't think for a minute he has it running anywhere particularly rough so I would of thought there must be a compromise.
My groomer told me recently that her experience is that owners who keep their dogs tangle and matt free are the ones who ask for it to be "all cut off" and the people whose dogs have matts are the ones who want their dogs to stay as long as possible (just a tidy up, please) ::)
She thinks that it is because the people who keep their dogs matt-free know how much time it takes and so when they can't keep on top of it for any reason, they prefer to have the dog clipped short than allow the dog to become uncomfortable and matted :-\
Not really sure what to say to that! ::)
I prefer the look of the longer coat for my two, (and it isn't because they gets matts) but each to their own ::)
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;) Personally I prefer long coats, that's what cocker's have ! and that's part of the deal imho.;)
If I wanted something easier to manage I'd choose another breed :D
Snap! :D
Which short haired breeds have similar breed traits as cocker's? ;)
I'm not sure Molo would be too happy about me trading him in for a short-haired breed anyway, tbh........I never intended to hike miles with him when I chose a show cocker; maybe I should let his fur grow and stick to shorter walks with him, instead........... :huh:
My sentiments exactly --- I didn't chose my dogs for looks but mainly for their personaility, and there's nothing like a cocker personality, in bucketfuls, and a long show coat would be a nightmare for a lot of the walks I do.
Me too. The way they look is probably the last thing on my 'why I love cockers' list - and the list is pretty long. If my dog is overheating and miserable, it's up to me to find a way of making things easier for them. And I'd prefer to clip their coats rather than cut down on their exercise. I know that if you asked mine what they preferred in the summer - long walks or long coats - their reply would be pretty unequivocal. Obviously, it's different if you are showing your dog but if you just want a good friend to share in everything, I don't see what's wrong in sacrificing glamour for comfort.
My dogs Have long coats they are not miserable because of a long coat ,they do go for long walks , they swim and do what any other dog does I do not stop them playing and mucking about . and as for sacrificing glamour for comfort my dogs are comfortable !
I have a feeling some of you seem to think those of us who take pride in looking after our dogs long coats are not letting them have fun ,and are making life for them hard in the summer months This is not true , I have Friends with cocker's some clip them some have full coats and the clipped ones get just as hot :-\ .
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My groomer told me recently that her experience is that owners who keep their dogs tangle and matt free are the ones who ask for it to be "all cut off" and the people whose dogs have matts are the ones who want their dogs to stay as long as possible (just a tidy up, please) ::)
She thinks that it is because the people who keep their dogs matt-free know how much time it takes and so when they can't keep on top of it for any reason, they prefer to have the dog clipped short than allow the dog to become uncomfortable and matted :-\
Do you agree with your groomer Rachel ? If so, why quote her when you could just say it yourself ? If you don't agree with her why even bother posting what she said... or are you just trying to provoke a reaction ?
Going back to the OP - all it takes is about 10/15 mins a day to keep a Cocker with full coat properly brushed and trimmed, IMO it's no great hardship - with maybe an extra 30 mins here and there every month or so. I never take my three out in the full glare of the summer sun ( I wouldn't if they were clippered off either) - I just walk at times of the day when it's not so hot and let them cool off in the lake. Re the debris they pick up - I suppose it depends where you walk your dogs, I've never found it too much of a problem, even when on holiday in the wilds of Scotland ( apart from one time they got covered in catkins). It's each to their own I guess - personally I prefer a full coat on a Cocker and even with 3 I don't find it difficult to maintain or that it impinges on them enjoying life... far from it. :D
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I'm quite lucky, because bracken has some working cocker mixed in, she has the nice feathering of the show type, but with quite a fine coat elsewhere.
10 minutes of strip combing a day (maybe 3/4 times a week), no matts or tangles and a nice soft coat. She looks a bit like a show cocker that has been clipped short but had the feathering left.
Her coat has a nice shape and at the moment I will continue to strip comb her, but seeing how fluffy some of the monkeys on here are... There would be a part of me that would be tempted to clip them.
We were told for the Roan coat it is best to strip otherwise the pattern would go pie-bald. Not sure if that is true though
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My experience is totally different to Rachel's groomer - my clients who keep their Cockers' coats well groomed and matt free are generally the ones who prefer to keep the coats longer whereas the "short back and sides please" clients are the ones who don't have the time for grooming or prefer a short cut for other reasons. I don't think keeping Cockers with longer coats is detrimental to their welfare or prevents them going for long walks in all weathers - I have often hiked with Cockers in full show coat (show dogs need as much exercise as the next dog ;)) but accept that a shorter cut is more practical for many owners (particularly for those with neutered Cockers whose coats may matt up very quickly). Some of our own Cockers are clipped because they have been neutered and their feathering is cut shorter than dogs we currently show but I don't shave them off - you can have a practical pet trim which still allows a Cocker to look like a Cocker :D In the end it comes down to personal choice - I certainly wouldn't blame anybody with a woolly neutered Cocker choosing to have a short clip (sometimes there is no choice with some coats) but I also don't think it's very fair for those that like a short cut to imply that it is somehow selfish to opt to keep a Cocker in a show style trim ;)
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I agree with Jane, its horses for courses :shades:
I wouldn't want anyone to be criticized for their choice of coat length, I am sure we can all say our dogs are loved, walked and cherished equally :shades: No matter whether they are clipped or in full coat :luv:
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I agree with Jane, its horses for courses :shades:
I wouldn't want anyone to be criticized for their choice of coat length, I am sure we can all say our dogs are loved, walked and cherished equally :shades: No matter whether they are clipped or in full coat :luv:
:shades: Exactly,Well said Magic Star
Jann ;)
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Do you agree with your groomer Rachel ? If so, why quote her when you could just say it yourself ? If you don't agree with her why even bother posting what she said... or are you just trying to provoke a reaction ?
I think I have been misunderstood - the point that my groomer was making was that those people who do take time over their cocker coats, and then realise they CAN'T keep on top of it for whatever reason are more likely in her experience to ask for a "short back and sides" (just like Jane said ;)) but her experience is that there are a lot of people who have allowed their dogs coat to get matted but then go to the groomer expecting their dog to look like something that has just walked out of the show ring, and complain when the hair is cut shorter ::)
IMO comments like One of the teachers at my daughters school as an American Cocker and has it clipped short. That just seems like sacrilege :o
will undoubtedly provoke a reaction from those of us who are doing what we consider is the best for our dogs - I have always seen it as just hair, but it's removal seems to provoke as many strong feelings amongst some as removing tails and other body parts........ ::)
I'm sure everyone has different reasons for clipping or keeping their coats short, but condeming one or the other as a violation seems very intolerate and not in the spirit of this forum :(
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I think I have been misunderstood - the point that my groomer was making was that those people who do take time over their cocker coats, and then realise they CAN'T keep on top of it for whatever reason are more likely in her experience to ask for a "short back and sides" (just like Jane said ;)) but her experience is that there are a lot of people who have allowed their dogs coat to get matted but then go to the groomer expecting their dog to look like something that has just walked out of the show ring, and complain when the hair is cut shorter ::)
I think we can all be forgiven for misunderstanding, as that version bears absolutely no relation to your earlier telling of the anecdote... but hey never mind. ::)
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I think I have been misunderstood - the point that my groomer was making was that those people who do take time over their cocker coats, and then realise they CAN'T keep on top of it for whatever reason are more likely in her experience to ask for a "short back and sides" (just like Jane said ;)) but her experience is that there are a lot of people who have allowed their dogs coat to get matted but then go to the groomer expecting their dog to look like something that has just walked out of the show ring, and complain when the hair is cut shorter ::)
I think we can all be forgiven for misunderstanding, as that version bears absolutely no relation to your earlier telling of the anecdote... but hey never mind. ::)
Tired.....on lunch break...typing quick......not perfect ::) ::)
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For the record, the two doggies lying here are matt free, knot free, tangle free, and with long coats!!! Because I take the time every day to brush them through and keep on top of it :D
Oh and they also like a good romp in muddy dirty hilly places, they aren't kept in a glass bubble because they have their long coats, they are allowed to still be cockers! :D
To me a cocker has a long coat so that is how I choose to keep it, that's all, other people may not have the time or the dedication to Grooming that I do, they also may just prefer a dog with a short coat. It is all about personal prefernce.
A dog with a long coat, can have as much fun as a dog with a short coat, it's just that obviously the long coat will take more looking after and give the owner more to do.
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For the record, the two doggies lying here are matt free, knot free, tangle free, and with long coats!!! Because I take the time every day to brush them through and keep on top of it :D
Oh and they also like a good romp in muddy dirty hilly places, they aren't kept in a glass bubble because they have their long coats, they are allowed to still be cockers! :D
To me a cocker has a long coat so that is how I choose to keep it, that's all, other people may not have the time or the dedication to Grooming that I do, they also may just prefer a dog with a short coat. It is all about personal prefernce.
A dog with a long coat, can have as much fun as a dog with a short coat, it's just that obviously the long coat will take more looking after and give the owner more to do.
I don't think anyone considers you do keep them in glass bubble, Lise - I certainly don't think you do as I know it is perfectly possible to enjoy hiking in very rural and muddy countryside in mid-winter with a full coated cocker (with the help of a hosepipe :005:)
At the end of the day, Molo is the same dog - I made an irreversible decision to have him clipped purely for his benefit, despite my own preference for a full coat - if I am judged to have violated my dog, then so be it :005: Oh, and I still groom him every day, too - but that IS for my own benefit, as I enjoy it......... ;)
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dont hang me.. This is only my opinion..and a quick question.. I like seeing show types with coats but my lot who are workers get in a fearfull mess with brambles, stabby thorny stuff and whins and in the snow sometimes they can hardly move for the snowballs they accumulate that I have to pull them off which they dont like.. i know we get deeper snow up here but it can virtually stop the dogs in their tracks. how on earth would you get anywhere with a full coat youd be stopping every so often to pull the stabby stuff out ( ouch!) and as for sticky willies.. my lot have full ears and what a mess they get in. in open ground fields they are fine but my lot prefer rough ground. but I have to say if I got a show type id want her to look like mellycome ( mrs macs dog) who has a long coat and is just lovely and she obviously manages to stay clean. an tangle free . maybe shes not as keen to shove herself into brambles as my lot are? ( and if brambles can snare a sheep would it not tie up a long haired dog?) It can take me ages to get every stab out of my lots coats and ears. some thorns are in really deep and have to be pulled out of their skin .. then theres the ticks.. >:(
ps I like the cocker trimmed look too with long ears feathers and some belly hair.. its the totally shaved off look Im not fussed on specially if its a fat little cocker..
perhaps theres more to this .. maybe its the worker in mine that make them go into cover a show type might be daunted from entering? so there fore a longer coat would be fine as theyd not get strangled in the brambles.. Im interested as I might one day get a show type..
and I dont clip my lots feathers or ears or talis as some workers are as I like the look of them with a bit of coat..I just have to comb them out more! ;)
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Brambles can be a pain Jean :D this is very true! But there is a knack to getting the little blighters out without too much hastle :D
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I remember one horrific incident in a field of thistle-style plants with hooked, prickly seed pods; well, the walk was nice, but the following two hours wasn't much fun ph34r ph34r
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I remember one horrific incident in a field of thistle-style plants with hooked, prickly seed pods; well, the walk was nice, but the following two hours wasn't much fun ph34r ph34r
were those pricklies teasels rachel? i have been admiring a crop of them that have taken residence in the wild bit of our garden. i won't chop them coz the small birds love the seed heads in the winter.
ellie is extra smooth coated so i hope they don't invade her :005:
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I remember one horrific incident in a field of thistle-style plants with hooked, prickly seed pods; well, the walk was nice, but the following two hours wasn't much fun ph34r ph34r
were those pricklies teasels rachel? i have been admiring a crop of them that have taken residence in the wild bit of our garden. i won't chop them coz the small birds love the seed heads in the winter.
ellie is extra smooth coated so i hope they don't invade her :005:
They were much smaller, Lyn - I have no idea what they are, but there is a field of them growing just up the road, and I avoid it like the plague, now :005:
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Rachel, I am sorry you seem to think that my comments about the American cocker being clipped are a front to yourself, it is simply my opinion that there are compromise clips as many others have stated on here rather than clipping completely head to toe. I've already stated that whilst I like Jaspers coat long, should he become uncomfortable and unable to cope with hot weather I will consider whether some (or all) of that coat needs to be removed, in the meantime he's welcome to roll in what ever he wishes and go on any walk and I will deal with the cleaning and the grooming necessary.
Thankfully he leaves the deep mud to Louie who with the worker mix coat, is much easier to keep clean and only needs feathers thinning. Even then he's got goose grass dangling off his head and twigs stuck to his bum.... thats life.
When I had horses they were clipped according to the work I was doing with them - it'll be no different with dogs.
Have I missed the point, I thought that the OP wanted opinions on long or short? Its for them to decide what sort of life their dog is going to lead and how much they can cope with keeping on top of the grooming not what everyone else is going to think of them by their decision.
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Have I missed the point, I thought that the OP wanted opinions on long or short? Its for them to decide what sort of life their dog is going to lead and how much they can cope with keeping on top of the grooming not what everyone else is going to think of them by their decision.
Exactly! If I had read this thread before I had Molo clipped, and realised how some people judge the owners of clipped dogs, then I would have agonised even more about my decision, thinking it was somehow reflecting on my competency as a dog owner ......:(
Of course it is down to individuals; but the way you commented specifically about a dog you know, and your judgement of the owners actions, could easily make the decision more difficult :-\
I do agree with Colin, I didn't find it too hard to keep Molo's coat well maintained - but it seems a shame that if someone isn't confident enough when they are looking for a puppy to make that commitment then they would be advised (by some) to choose a short-haired breed instead :huh:
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One of the teachers at my daughters school as an American Cocker and has it clipped short. That just seems like sacrilege :o I can't think for a minute he has it running anywhere particularly rough so I would of thought there must be a compromise.
My groomer told me recently that her experience is that owners who keep their dogs tangle and matt free are the ones who ask for it to be "all cut off" and the people whose dogs have matts are the ones who want their dogs to stay as long as possible (just a tidy up, please) ::)
She thinks that it is because the people who keep their dogs matt-free know how much time it takes and so when they can't keep on top of it for any reason, they prefer to have the dog clipped short than allow the dog to become uncomfortable and matted :-\
JaspersMum - Personally I agree with you. I myself am choosing to keep Morgan with the coat that was intended for him. He may not be kept in an exact show cut but he will keep a long skirt, trimmed to a suitable length for him (when in grows). When choosing to own an American I took on board all that came with that choice including his coat care. I know and have seen American's clipped very short and thats not what I would choose. One of Morgan's littermates isn't going to be kept with a full coat but neither is she clipped short, she's being kept very much at the stage they are now which length wise is about the same as Barney's skirt length though its a much thicker coat. Thats a compromise that works for them.
Rachel - I do object to that sweeping generalisation by your groomer . >:(
I do and will keep my cockers, of both varieties, coats long. I do NOT leave them to get matted and uncomfortable by any stretch of the imagination. I spend a full 12 hour day every week giving them a thorough groom and as long as it takes every day to ensure that they remain matt free. This is part of my commitment to owning my dogs. I do know exactly what it takes to keep my dogs matt free and comfortable and I shan't be cutting it all off. >:(
This decision however does NOT mean that I do not care for the comfort of my dogs. My Lab gets just as hot as my longer haired dogs. All the dogs, long and short haired, go on the same walks over the fields and through the woods, and like lots of dogs they roll in unmentionable stuff but again thats part of being a dog and they get cleaned up when they get home.
All of these comments and my previous post are my opinions. If an owner of a cocker spaniel is unable to commit to the time needed to keep a long coat matt and tangle free then of course they should keep their dogs coat shorter for the sake of the comfort of the dog.
What I won't condone are statements that infer that only owners that keep their dogs coat short care about the comfort of the dog, that is just not so.
can we see a piccie of your little yankee sam :D
You can. :D The pics I have are a bit old so I'll take some pics for you after he's been groomed tomorrow and I'll post them for you in the other breeds photo section.
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Rachel - I do object to that sweeping generalisation by your groomer . >:(
I have already explained, and apologised to the OP that it was a poorly worded post that was in no way meant the way it has been taken......
the point that my groomer was making was that those people who do take time over their cocker coats, and then realise they CAN'T keep on top of it for whatever reason are more likely in her experience to ask for a "short back and sides" (just like Jane said ;)) but her experience is that there are a lot of people who have allowed their dogs coat to get matted but then go to the groomer expecting their dog to look like something that has just walked out of the show ring, and complain when the hair is cut shorter ::)
Sadly, it seems that one poorly worded post, which I typed in haste and which was corrected at the first opportunity, has resulted in the dominated this thread - but hey, we're not all perfect ::) ::)
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Time to close this thread again as Rachel has already explained what she meant and there seems no point in continuing this.