grooming heads

[maz26uk]

After much deliberation have decided to give grooming Minty ago myself. Started last night and she looks much better already But has anyone got any tips on what to use and how to get her head smooth and sleek? Any advice gratefully accepted as I have a cocker who looks like a punk!!!!                    

[Dessie]

Hi Marianne

Have a read through this thread http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/forum/viewtopic . php?t=1201 ....

You need to hand strip Minty's head by using your finger and thumb and gently pulling the dead hair out.  I use a rubber glove when I'm handstripping now as it gives a better grip than just using your finger and thumb.

HTH

Dessie                      

[FionaM]

Here is another good thread about grooming heads

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/forum/viewtopic . php?t=733;start=0

Michele posted some helpful photos if you are thinking of using thinning scissors                      

[Pammy]

Marianne - have just sent you war & peace on starting trimming as promised - thanks Jane                    

[*Jay*]

Any chance of sharing it with me cos I'm stuck                    

[jakieboy]

OOoh and me please   - don't have much problem with heads, ears, etc but i do get stuck on the legs, paws are ok but ebbie's legs still look a little bit too fluffy

Nikki xx                    

[Colin]

I have a cocker who looks like a punk!!!!

Ooh..I like the sound of that.......photo please !

Must admit I'm really torn on the top knot issue. Jimmy has more of a Billy Fury look than Sid Viscious... and everyone loves it. It attracts loads of attention every time I take him out. I love it too, but sometimes think I would like to see the shape of his head.....the sleek domed head is one of the many attractive features of a cocker.

Jimmy is due a tidy up soon and I really don't know what to do. Although I have been assured it would grow back......would it grow back the same way ? It is currently very fine and very blonde ! A couple of golden cocker owners I have met have told me they really regretted having the blonde mop removed as it grew back a lot coarser.......and stragglier .

Desicions, desicions.                    

[Shirley]

Morgan it still quite a Mopatop but I'm not too bothered by it   .  I seem to have the same problem as Nikki - Morgan has really hairy legs - Is it normal for a cocker to have feathering at the front and sides of their legs   .  He's actually two-tone at the moment, his back is a nice golden colour and his undercarriage and legs are so blonde they're nearly white!   I can see the short hair has grown in on the front of his legs, but the long hair (and I mean long - 8-10cm) just won't budge.  
I'd be really grateful for any suggestions?  before I have to get the Immac out!  

Shirley and Hairy Maclarey                    

[Colin]

William seems to be very similar to Jimmy.....reddy/gold on top (apart from head and ears ) and blonde underneath. Must admit with my own attempts at trimming I've found the paws the hardest to do......then again the groomer I tried didn't seem to fare much better.

Wherabouts is the 8/10 cm hair Shirley ? Sounds nice though. Jimmy's only got hair that long on his head and just below his tail.....it's like a  walrus moustache there .

Have you plucked up the courage to use the coat king yet ?                    

[Pammy]

It is quite normal for them to have long hair on the front of the legs. This can be hand stripped out - but does tend to take a while. The coat king can be used on the front of the legs too - or you might find using the thinners an easier alternative. I have also found a stripping knife4(the small Mikke type) useful here too as the coat king can be a bit brutal in the big and chunky sense.

The absolute best though is to hand strip  even just a few hairs several times a day will get it our eventually - but a very acceptable look can be obtianed by using any of the methods above.

PS just for those that might not know - trying this on a neutered cocker will lead to failure as it is almost impossible to hand strip a neutered cocker.                    

[Shirley]

Thanks for the tips Pam.  I thought you only hand stripped the back.  The hair on Morgan's head won't budge  .  

We have no professional groomers where I live and to get to one I'd need to spend 4 hours on a ferry (used to do this with an old english sheepdog every year - no fun ) so I've been keeping Morgan tidy myself.  I thought that when he got older and stopped his brush biting antics things would get easier but he's out-foxed me and deliberately grown masses and masses of hair   !

Morgan's breeder showed me how to keep his paws tidy and demonstrated hand stripping on one of his older dogs, which was quite good.  I have to say that this site has been invaluable, though - I'd never heard of a coat king before - no clothes or perfume for me last Christmas   - Santa got all my pressies from Diamond Edge!

Colin, I have used the coat king and it's great - I haven't been that brave though, two or three swipes a week   .  The really long hair is actually growing at the front and sides of his legs.  It's really thick and fluffy - did jimmy not have this?  I've got a complex now  , I'm beginning to think that Morgan is half Cocker - half Afghan Hound!!  

Shirley and The Yeti  

P.s He said to tell you he forgives you for mistaking him for William.  William belongs to Viv.                    

[Pammy]

Thanks for the tips Pam.  I thought you only hand stripped the back.  The hair on Morgan's head won't budge  .  

If it won't budge with hand stripping, then you can try the Coat King on it or use thinners. Have a look at the previous post on this thread that links to one where Michelle put some pics showing how to use thinners for this task.

hth                    

[Anita]

Had a look at the pictures - now I understand this grooming business a bit better. Do you use the same technique on the feathering on the legs. How do you deal with the longer bits in the arm pits??

Also the thinning scissors and coat king - can you only get them off the internet?                    

[Jane S]

Hi Anita

You can find thinning scissors & Coat Kings at any of the bigger shows - probably your nearest would be Birmingham Show at the Stafford showground but that's not until May 11. Some larger pet stores have thinning scissors but I've yet to see Coat Kings in pet shops.

I use thinners to thin out the hair in the underarm area - it helps to stop it all matting up under here. I also use thinners to thin out the leg feathering (on both outside & inside the leg). Sometimes it's possible to strip out by hand, the excess hair on the legs, but with thicker coats, you'd be better off using thinning scissors.                    

[Anita]

THanks Jane - I'll give the Thinning scissors a try. I'm hoping to get to the Birmingham Show.