Advice on grooming a working cocker

[SJP]

Lola is my first spaniel, she's 6 months old and beginning to get nice and hairy although she still has her baby hair on her legs (which I notice is slightly tinged brown - interesting). 

Now I think she looks absolutely gorgeous at the mo - all I do is brush her everyday with a very basic brush which I think I got from PAH.  Could anyone recommend a really really good brush?

Secondly.......when she's older do working cockers need to be clipped and if so, how do I know if they (groomers) are going to do it right?  Is it different from show cocker clipping/grooming??  I've looked at other peoples pics on here of their working cockers and they don't look like they are clipped.

Sorry to be a nuisance, but I want to do the right thing for her and I really do not have a clue!

[crazyspaniels]

the brown tinged baby hair is now dead and you can strip it out either by plucking it or using a fine comb (spratt 76) or a metal comb with an elastic band wrapped through it.
Your best bet with a working cocker is a nice fine metal comb and then a good double sided pin brush and if you have a hairy one then maybe a coat king.
You should not need to ever clip a working cocker though some people do, just as they clip springers, but if you stay on top of the coat it should be easy to manage. It is different from show cocker grooming as the workers don't get quite as much hair or feathers.
A pair of single sided thinning scissors will also come in handy for feet and feathers.

[Nicola]

Don't clip her! Tilly's previous owners clipped her and she looked awful and now that it's grown back she looks like a brown bear, hence her new name of 'Princess Fuzzybutt'   

I am doing her with a coat king (20 blade) every day to try to get the fuzz out but Alfie, my other worker has a very fine and silky coat and really all I have to do with him is a quick comb of his ears and the backs of his legs every day or so and he's good to go!

[mmathison]

Hi

I i have two working cockers cockers both are clipped its really personal choice although some
people feel very strongly about not clipping,mine look lovely but keep there feathers and trim there
ears.

Regards
michelle.

[ali]

barkley's mum, a blue roan working type, is clipped once a year but that's simply an ease thing as she is very much a working gal. it seems to grow back fine each time. barkley is 16 months old now and shows no sign of needing any type of trimming. his ears are gradually getting longer and i might trim them a little if they start to drag through things too much but the rest of him is absolutely fine.

[SJP]

Thank you everyone for your advice.  I do not intend to clip her, she looks really gorgeous and I love her hairy!

Crazyspaniels - I have ordered a double sided pin/bristle brush and a Spratts 76 comb, so thank you for that info.

[happydog]

Fern, working cocker, had a hairy stage that she grew out of.


She has never been clipped or trimmed ever, just brushed and combed.
This is her now at 7+ years old.

[cazza]

OOOOHHHHHH question How old was fern when she had her hairy stage?

Just wonderd so I know what / if my Fern goes thro a hairy stage

Mind you Fern could do with her fur growing round her belly where it got shaved when she was spayed back in March

[happydog]

OOOOHHHHHH question How old was fern when she had her hairy stage?

  I was hoping no one would ask that 'cos I can't remember exactly . I think it was about 12-18 months.

[cazza]

OOOOHHHHHH question How old was fern when she had her hairy stage?

  I was hoping no one would ask that 'cos I can't remember exactly . I think it was about 12-18 months.

Thanks, it is hard remembering at what age they do things etc isn't it, unless of course you have a memory like an elephant (which I definately don't, I'm awful at remembering things  )

[SJP]

Gosh she was hairy!  The middle pic looks like Sabrina out of the original Charlies Angels (that's showing my age).