Question for people who fully clip

[Magic Star]

I'm in a quandry and need some advice

Indie is in season atm, and is already starting to drop her coat   The hair that comes off her is really affecting me (i'm allergic)  I am considering having her clipped after this season, for a number of reasons really, one being I am hoping it will reduce the shedding and this is where you come in?  If you clip them, do they shed less?  As she will be getting spayed soon, her coat may be hard to handstrip too, this is another reason for me considering clippering her, she also hates being groomed and its taking ages to keep her lovely feathering tat free, she runs away as soon as the grooming bag comes out

Thanks

[Helen]

so you're coping with indie's season and your allergy...you must be having a FAB time

i can't help with the show cocker coat issue (although i do like the smart crops molo and sarahp's daisy have got...) as we're not so hairy anymore (and neither's the dog with his adult worker coat...). am sure you'll be rescued soon by the col grooming brigade (one day i aspire to groom correctly )

sending you lots of sympathetic hugs and cyber tissues

x

[Magic Star]

so you're coping with indie's season and your allergy...you must be having a FAB time

i can't help with the show cocker coat issue (although i do like the smart crops molo and sarahp's daisy have got...) as we're not so hairy anymore (and neither's the dog with his adult worker coat...). am sure you'll be rescued soon by the col grooming brigade (one day i aspire to groom correctly )

sending you lots of sympathetic hugs and cyber tissues

x

Aww thanks Helen   Her coat is lovely at the moment, but tbh, for a cocker who loves swimming and dragging through hedges etc etc its not really that practical and as shes a pet, it may be the kinder thing to do, instead of her having me constantly tug bits of twigs from her coat

Achhhhoooooooooooo!!!

[Annette]

I'm not able to offer any help either, but do sympathise, even if not quite as eloquently as Helen!

Hope you get some real help soon.

[MrsMac]

Sorry I'm no help either but I hope someone comes along soon with advice    I don't suffer from hayfever but OH does its horrid, hope you're feeling a bit better soon.

[Michele]

Emma, I think everything tilts in favour of having Indie clipped.
Yes, you should find that she'll shed less hair being clippered although you would still get some from belly and leg feathering.
I think if clipped it does look nicer to keep this feathering, but because the body is shorter you can have the feathers shorter too without it looking too drastic.
That should be of benefit to you with not having to pull out so much debris.

If you've decided already that you are going to have her spayed, then I'd say you've got nothing to lose really.
The only really important thing is make sure you get someone who will clip sympathetically and not scalp her 

[Magic Star]

Emma, I think everything tilts in favour of having Indie clipped.
Yes, you should find that she'll shed less hair being clippered although you would still get some from belly and leg feathering.
I think if clipped it does look nicer to keep this feathering, but because the body is shorter you can have the feathers shorter too without it looking too drastic.
That should be of benefit to you with not having to pull out so much debris.

If you've decided already that you are going to have her spayed, then I'd say you've got nothing to lose really.
The only really important thing is make sure you get someone who will clip sympathetically and not scalp her 

Thanks Michelle, that helped a lot  

If anyone can post a piccie of a cocker who has been sympathetically clipped, I would be so greatfull, I can then take this to a groomer and explain how exactly I'd like her done

Just another quessie Michele, what about her ears?  I reall am not soo keen on the ears being clipped?  Whats the best way to deal with these?

[Michele]

Just another quessie Michele, what about her ears?  I reall am not soo keen on the ears being clipped?  Whats the best way to deal with these?

You could ask to have those blended in with thinning scissors.

I don't know if I've got a photo, but I'm off to bath my Meg in a while and I'll take a photo of her afterwards.
Just bear in mind that she is 12 so it is short to save messing her about 

[Magic Star]

Thanks Michele

[shonajoy]

Hamish is clipped, but not fully - but yes they shed a LOT less. He's clipped all down his back, and still has a bit of feathering, and it's 100 x easier to clean and maintain. Ham HATES being groomed, and I think it's a good reason along with your allergy to clip - she'll be happir toom, and cooler in summer.

I bought my own clippers which were expnsive, but I'd rather do him at home (less stress) and not pay someone thirty quid every so often, so thy'll pay for themselves eventually. I did try using my argos clippers - but they got caught and pulled the hair as they weren't sturdy enough.

[The Moog]

Moog was clipped right back except for a tiny bit of feathering and although she looked funny at first, I could tell by her demeanour hat she felt lots better.  She sheds less and takes very little grooming - when I bath her I let her dry on her own in this weather apart from her ears.  Merv is clipped but has much more feathering but I'm seriously considering clipping it right back, esp in the hot weather.  I had Moog hand stipped for the first 12months but its a lot of work for a pet so I totally know where you're coming from.  I was in massive turmoil until I took the plunge and dont regret it.  Dont forget - it grows back!!

[sarahp]

Emma, take a look at this thread linky

there are some good clippered pics and some really good advice 

[suki1964]

I finally gave in and had Alfie clipped a few weeks back and although it was a bit of a shock at first, Im already thinking next time he goes in I shall ask for it to go a bit shorter.

Id always had him hand stripped which was fine for our lifestyle then, city living with nice manicured parks to walk in. Moving to the country where hes out all day getting covered in cow and sheep poo, getting tangled in the hedgrows and picking up the pines in the forests clipping was the only way to go as he hates being groomed with a vengence.

The groomer clipped the back and sides short, took out all the belly hair leaving short feathering just along the sides and chest. Same with the legs, all thinned out but a feathering effect left. She also done a great job on his ears, really thinned back but looking more like a cockers ears then ever before. Hes a lot more comfortable and Im a lot less stressed

Go for it, take a picture of the look you want along to the groomer if you are not sure what to ask for- Im sure rachel wont mind you using Molo as a model

[shonajoy]

That's a good point, Hamish and Indie are rarely on leads, and pretty much never walked on roads, so basically hurl themselves through bushes and into streams when we go out.

That's probably why Hamish's coat was such a nightmare.

[sarahp]

That's a good point, Hamish and Indie are rarely on leads, and pretty much never walked on roads, so basically hurl themselves through bushes and into streams when we go out.

Same here - Daisy and Dill dont consider it a proper walk unless they have been swimming and gathered have a ton of crap in their fur - my kitchen floor is permanently gritty where it drops off when it dries    Its driving me mad    double short back and sides might be on the cards on the south coast too