When do I start grooming?!

[odieandgizmo]

Hi all, once again I need your help!!
I brush gizmo every day and he loves it but when should I take him for a hair cut? His feet seem rather hairy to me (being I'm used to a beagle lol!!)
Advice very much appreciated 

[lettie10]

There are no hard and fast rules as dogs coats vary greatly.  Show type have much fuller coats than workers for instance.

I have 2 show type and they are completely different

A puppy coat shouldn't need what I would call a full groom but Bailey is a fluff monster and her feet were HUGE so I took her to the groomers at about 4/5 months mainly so she would get used to going there and it would be familiar to her.  I just got them to bath her and just trim her feet the first couple of times.

She has just turned 1 and is going to the groomers again on Friday.  The only sad part is once she had her first proper groom although it was a lovely cocker cut, she didn't look like a puppy anymore.

My Jazz is just 2 and if I let her go more than 8 weeks between grooming she starts to resemble a poodle on a bad day   she has a really curly coat and very curly ears where as Bailey's are very long but much straighter.

It also depends on how you would like him groomed as hand stripping is different to clipping and you can't really do both.  Both of mine are clipped but I don't show or anything they are just pets.

Brushing everyday is a good start to get him used to being groomed so a trim to his feet would be fine to start with I think.  Owners also vary greatly in how they like their dogs to look according to time available etc.

Just go with what you think is best.   Good Luck

[chrisnjulie]

Our puppy is 13 weeks old and he is booked in for a short pamper session next week . Short and sweet just to get him used to going . We brush him daily , me one end with the brush and Chris at the other with treats ....

I've already trimmed his feet and they need doing again after just 2 weeks .....I'm hoping to keep on top of it myself after that ......
I think the sooner they go the better , they're like sponges at the moment and taking everything in ....it will be a good learning experience for him .....I will have to do before and after pics ....ahhh bless , I just love him .

[odieandgizmo]

Our puppy is 13 weeks old and he is booked in for a short pamper session next week . Short and sweet just to get him used to going . We brush him daily , me one end with the brush and Chris at the other with treats ....

I've already trimmed his feet and they need doing again after just 2 weeks .....I'm hoping to keep on top of it myself after that ......
I think the sooner they go the better , they're like sponges at the moment and taking everything in ....it will be a good learning experience for him .....I will have to do before and after pics ....ahhh bless , I just love him .

Ohhh that would be good to see before/after photos. Gizmo was 12weeks old yesterday,so still young. Hope the process is not to traumatic for me or giz!!

[odieandgizmo]

There are no hard and fast rules as dogs coats vary greatly.  Show type have much fuller coats than workers for instance.

I have 2 show type and they are completely different

A puppy coat shouldn't need what I would call a full groom but Bailey is a fluff monster and her feet were HUGE so I took her to the groomers at about 4/5 months mainly so she would get used to going there and it would be familiar to her.  I just got them to bath her and just trim her feet the first couple of times.

She has just turned 1 and is going to the groomers again on Friday.  The only sad part is once she had her first proper groom although it was a lovely cocker cut, she didn't look like a puppy anymore.

My Jazz is just 2 and if I let her go more than 8 weeks between grooming she starts to resemble a poodle on a bad day   she has a really curly coat and very curly ears where as Bailey's are very long but much straighter.

It also depends on how you would like him groomed as hand stripping is different to clipping and you can't really do both.  Both of mine are clipped but I don't show or anything they are just pets.

Brushing everyday is a good start to get him used to being groomed so a trim to his feet would be fine to start with I think.  Owners also vary greatly in how they like their dogs to look according to time available etc.

Just go with what you think is best.   Good Luck

Giz is a working cocker,although I don't have plans to work him! Is that controversial?!
If im right, working cocker coats don't get as long as show cockers?

[bluegirl]

Working cockers don't generally have all the skirt and leg feathering that show cockers have. With workers its most likely that the only bit of maintenance especially if not neutered will be a bit of top knot management, trim feet and a bit of feathering touch up. Some are clipped short though, like springers which usually means that over time the coat texture may change to a thicker woollier look regardless of whether neutered or not and you may then feel you will need to continue clippering to keep the dog neat.