how should I tidy up my working cockers coat?

[*jean*]

Hello, my name is jean, I live in the highlands and I have 2 working cockers and a working cocker cross working springer.
 Ive had working spaniels for well over 20 years and Ive never had one with a "big" coat. they have a bit of feathering on the legs and tail but the body is fairly smooth.
Well, my wee chap Rolo, 2 years old , hes liver in colour, built like a tank but small. He has been getting a wooly coat which looks dry and is lighter in colour on his back and sides. Its short not long about 2 cms. He is an entire male, and also never been clipped.
 I bought a mikki stripping comb from vets it doesnt touch it, so Ive ordered a spratts 76 and a coatking superfine...( I was checking out all the other grooming questions and borrowed the advice.)  How does it work? does it come with instructions?  eg. I see there are replacement blades availiable. Are they easy to change and how often should they need changed.?
 All three dogs are in a run during my work hours with a kennel up on the croft but it doesnt seem to affect the others coats. They are in the house at night or when Im home. All his litter seem to have this wooly overcoat. I just want him to look shiny like his aunts. Hes also in excellent physical condition.
 thanks in advance and I hope Ive asked this correctly.

[Helen]

i use the coat king on my choc working cockers coat - fortunately he's now developed a more manageable coat (he was very woolly as a puppy), so tend not to need to use it often.

i just comb in long strokes with it, and don't tend to go overboard using it! (it seems to remove a lot at a time!)

good for ears as well!

what is it about chocolate/liver cockers and their woolly jackets?

...i'm no groomer so i'm sure other col'ers will have good advice for you soon   i remember someone saying they are more efficient when the blades are blunter?

[*jean*]

thanks, your dogs pic is lovely. rolo looks like hes wearing afgan boots from the hock up hes smooth. but I just want rid of the wool.

[Penel]

Definitely more efficient when Coat King is blunter - I've had mine about 5 years now and it gets better with time, and I've never changed the blade, or had it sharpened.....
Can you handstrip the wooly bits out Jean - have you tried - with a pair of washing up gloves on it's easier !

[Jane S]

As Helen says, a Coat King should help with your boy's coat and you probably won't need to change the blades. I've got a Coat King which is used a lot on pet Cockers (I've had it about 2 years) and have never changed the blades yet. The Spratts comb is very good at stripping dead hair out to leave a smooth finish but there is a knack to using one - you do have to press down quite hard with your finger & thumb and pull the hair towards you (it won't hurt your dog but you might get sore fingers )

[Helen]

thanks, your dogs pic is lovely. rolo looks like hes wearing afgan boots from the hock up hes smooth. but I just want rid of the wool.

oh we still have hairy elbows and ankles, believe me

[Penel]

thanks, your dogs pic is lovely. rolo looks like hes wearing afgan boots from the hock up hes smooth. but I just want rid of the wool.

oh we still have hairy elbows and ankles, believe me

... perhaps a trip to the beauty salon is in order Helen if that's the case  - I won't tell anyone don't worry 

[Helen]

thanks, your dogs pic is lovely. rolo looks like hes wearing afgan boots from the hock up hes smooth. but I just want rid of the wool.

oh we still have hairy elbows and ankles, believe me

... perhaps a trip to the beauty salon is in order Helen if that's the case  - I won't tell anyone don't worry 

i know.....my elbows are such an embarrassment.....long sleeves all summer for me...still at least it's not the knuckles!

[redmal]

Do you have any advice for those of us with hairy knuckles??HMMM

[*jean*]

  good advice!!
 rolo doesnt have a thick coat as in the show types so I have to be carefull when using the mikki comb stripper not to  be to rough and graze him.
 and as hes so fit he has not much fat on his back either, hes lean and musclular. the comb will have nothing much to comb through apart from his ears and fetlocks. the rest of him is pretty bare really even his tail. It looks like a sausage whipping about at super speed non stop!
 my other two have plumed tails which I leave on as they are pretty. I sometomes trim the fetlocks  and feet as they can be really messy, but thats about once a year. they hate it. havent done rolos as his arent that long yet. they dont have hair down the fronts if the legs or on top of feet
hair between pads pretty minimal too.
 apart from Rolos wool they are all easy to maintain due to the short coats.

[Helen]

i am going to try the thinning scissors on the hairy elbows  (jarvis's and mine ), will let you know if it makes us socially acceptable