Top knot, or not...

[Holly2009]

Off! Off! Off! 

[Archie bean]

I'm a smooth head fan too. I dont mind a curly top knot that much but I'm really not a fan of curtains over their eyes.  Pearly is beautiful either way of course. 

[Jane57]

Must admit I liked riley,s top knot until  he had it all off a month ago, now its growing I'm desperate to have it all off again . I love the smooth domed look.

[Sarah/G]

I'm a top knot fan, as you know Jayne,
But then I like hairy dogs, Brodie has his top knot, Ugg boots and his dinner jacket  xxx

[Ralu A]

I prefer the smooth domed head, and ears trimmed at the top , but everyone has different taste.

[JohnK]

Dennis did have a "top", but now his puppy fur had game, we have managed to slick it down and he looks really great.

Photos to follow

[Nicky]

I much prefer a smooth head but im sure Pearl will look great either way! 

[Pearly]

Thank you everyone for your replies.  Much as I love Pearls top knot it is getting in her eyes and the tops of her ears worry me when they get so matted - but then its part of her character

I've just come in from an evening out and she has yet another matt in her ear.....Looks like Pearl is about to be all "grown up" when she next goes to the groomers

Would love to see some more photo's though

[praia]

I'm not a fan of the shaved skulls or the floppy wig top knots.  Either a nice and naturally stripped head or a goofy but controlled top knot.

We tame our spaniels' top knots by stripping and thinning them.  Even our show girl who is active in conformation grows a bit of a top knot when she hasn't been to her breeder for a grooming in a while.  Of course the breeder hates them.

The bleached blonde mohican was part of the reason why we were drawn to our older spaniel when we first found him at the pound.  Now it's just a part of him and his life at the beach.  We would be horrified if it were to be stripped completely away.  

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Charlie has a nice stripped head, it's down to what you prefer/find easier to manage. If you did get it cut, it will always grow back if you didn't like it short

[Pearly]

Thank you! 

I have been trimming the fur over her eyes to keep it under control and using thinning shears to get the front bit to stand up but it's all getting very fine, fluff like, especially on her ears

Much as I love Pearl's top knot, it is irritating her and she hates it being groomed by me.  I'll ask the groomer to strip it rather than clip and see how we get on with that.  I've given up this morning and got the scissors out to a subborn strand that was hanging over/in her eye - poor dog now has a half curl sticking out at right angles........ need to book a professional grooming session!

Really appreciate everyones thoughts,

Jayne
x

[bluegirl]

Personally I like a smooth head on a show cocker. I don't mind top knots on pups or workers (only a small one mind on workers). There is a woman near me who's cocker is the same age as mine (6yrs) and they have always insisted his top knot was left, to me it just doesn't look right on him, he just looks like he's wearing a wig.

[SophieBlueRoanLover]

A woman near me uses a tiny little clip on her show cocker's top knot - it looks a bit ridiculous! It's one of those tiny clips you get on orchids to keep them attached to a spike to keep them upright.

Henry has a bit of fur still on his head, but I stripped out all the bulk at the back of the head (near the top of the ears) with a coat king and it makes so much difference. He looks so much better with less mess, but would look a bit odd if I got the whole lot off.

How about a compromise and leave a little?

[Pearly]

On the meet today there were all different lengths of "top knots" from Baileys very long, through Brodies curls and Tobys very sleek look!  All the dogs looked gorgeous except Pearl who looked like a real scruff bag with fly-away hair! 

After all your comments and the research today I think we'll go with the Jinley look - which is just as well as we have the same groomer  

Jinley has her top knot hand stripped and isn't too short but at the same time gives the "domed" look....

Thank you!

Jayne
x

[karen488]

I used to love a top knot but once I've had smooth down the top 1/3 of their ears I prefer the whole expression. You could always have smooth and grow it out