8 month old shaggy monster - help!

[Francesca]

Pepper is now coming up for 8 months old... can't believe how quickly the time has gone....

He has morphed from a cute, feisty little bundle off fluff into this enormous, shaggy haired beast doing quite a convincing impression of a shag-pile carpet.

People stop me in the street to tell me that "my Poodle is far too fat and I'm over feeding", and I have to patiently explain that it's very thick puppy fur, he's actually a little underweight according to my vet (scrawny little thing when wet) and he is NOT a poodle, thank you very much.

I really need some advice on what to do with him - here's my dilemma:

I know through reading the forum that I should wait for his puppy fluff to start to loosen up so I can start hand stripping him. I like the idea of a hand stripped dog - especially as he's a blue roan, but his coat is SO thick and dense and am constantly wrestling with huge knots, even though I brush him out daily. Which he HATES. So I literally am wrestling with him on a daily basis....

I met a breeder recently who said I could start Furminator-ing him, but I'm not sure if that's right - his puppy fluff isn't loose yet so wouldn't this be quite painful? Especially as he hates being brushed anyway and turns into a little toothy ball of fury every time the brush comes out (that's another post all together).

I'm also not sure if hand stripping is the best way to go now. I'm not showing him, and we do long walks every day on the beach, through long grass, he loves to swim in the river... and I wonder if actually a shorter coat would be more sensible from a maintenance point of view - I could keep some feathering etc to make sure he still looks like a Cocker! But I'm not sure if he'll look odd if he's clipped - does that suit blue roans? Any opinions on that?

Is there a halfway house? I've had to cut quite a lot of knots off his stomach recently, and actually his tummy looks really nice - it's not really short hair, just trimmed a bit - like a long clip or something....

Here are my questions in summary:

Do I need to wait until he's a bit older/ the puppy fur starts to come out before I think about coiffing him or can I get started soon?

Is there an alternative to a 'short back and sides', somewhere between being clipped and stripped so he doesn't look too short haired but has a manageable coat?

Can someone who has found a good solution to a similar dilemma as mine point me in the right direction to some pictures of their Cockers?

Help! Quickly! Before the next person calls him a Poodle and I'm forced to smother them with a poo bag....

[Karma]

I'm not an expert on grooming, but I know some people get their cockers trimmed or clippered with feathering etc intact (rather than an all-over shave!).

Also, can highly recommend the furminator - if there is nothing to come out, it won't pull it, but we got loads off Honey the first time we used it.  She's not keen on grooming, but tolerates short sessions with the furminator...

[Francesca]

Hi Karma,

Which furminator did you get? It seemed as if there was a whole selection with different sized teeth...

[LizH]

Hi Francesca

I'm no expert either but Pebble loves the water and she will get quite matted if it gets too long  .

I had to have her completely shaved back in March (my fault - I had let it get too bad). She looked like a naked lamb  It grew back though 

I have her clipped but not shaved (as per Karma's post)  and am starting to introduce more feathering.  She is far happier with her hair shorter and as I don't show her I don't have worry too much.  I would say I have a good groomer who takes off more or less each time now as we are experimenting a little to find the 'perfect' cut. I still brush/comb de-matt her regularly though and she is getting far better at letting me (front paws still a sensitive area) but the more I do it the easier it gets. 

[Mittens]

Hi - sounds like you need to join our Woolly Mammoth Club!!! 

I recently did a lot of ringing around groomers as I have the same problem with Eddie (he's nearly 7 months) - I eventually found one who listened to my needs and trimmed him up a bit with scissors without automatically saying "get the clippers out" as many do.... and am going back for more done next month.

I had my last Blue Roan clippered and I do think it spoils the roaning effect somewhat, where she had roaning, after clippering it did look more "spotty" or "patchy" - but we were never going to show her so it suited at the time. I agree with LizH though - if clippering is the way you want to go, make sure you get a groomer who will take the time to listen to what length/style of cocker cut you want - I've been to too many with my old cockers who have not listened, done what they think is right, and my poor dogs ended up with a very severe looking cut! 

[Pudding]

Hi, i have Bob he is a solid black show type and has a lot of fur
i do not show him and he has been castrated this dose make a differants to there fur
bob has his back, head, top of his ears,underarms, and, tummy, clipped,
he has a full skirt, trousers, bib, and feathers on his front legs,

i will see if i can find one with him standing up for you

[Karma]

Hi Karma,

Which furminator did you get? It seemed as if there was a whole selection with different sized teeth...

There was only one in the shop when I bought it, so I'm not sure which one it was - they knew I was buying it for a cocker spaniel, though...    Sorry I can't be more help...

[bajoleth]

Take a look at Mittens (tracey's) why oh why thread in 'puppies' and you will see you are most def not alone It will also explain the Woolly Mammoth club
Ithink we need a picture of the young mammoth to see your predicament. And for the record Bob looks great and def like a Cocker should and he is clippered

[laurenollie]

Ollie enjoys the long grass and swimming far too much to keep his coat long! I loved it when he a long coat but no amount of brushing could keep the mats out! I had Ollie cut quite short as it was so much easier for him and me! The point I'm trying to make is its personal preference. If your not showing him etc I personal wouldn't wait for him to be hand stripped it seems both you and him would be more comfortable with a shorter coat. You could awlays take him to a groomers and just ask them to scissor him - no clippers and see what the result is?

L&O x

Ps I am not expert on grooming this is just based on my experience with Ollie

[Francesca]

Ah - that's new for me - scissoring. Is that (stupid question?) just literally trimming the coat with scissors so it's shorter, but not as short as clipped?

[laurenollie]

Exactly that! People also don't like using clippers as it can change the way the coat grows back (i think!).

So using the scissors would just cut some off the length and could maybe just put you on until its ready to be handstripped if thats the way you want to go. As far as I am aware having it cut with the scissors wouldn't effect the way it carried on to grow. When Ollie went for his very first hair cut i wouldn't let them use the clippers! Different story now as it so easy to have him clipped short (he still has a few feather and his top knot to maintain the cocker look!!)

I'm sure someone who actuall grooms would be able to explain better!

thanks

L&O x

[GeoW]

We've always called it the ugly duckling stage, and there is a great temptation to have it removed.

Our last Blue Roan, Ted had a heavy coat but once we had him clipped it would grow back thick and much curlier, so once done we were committed to having him clipped and groomed about every five or six weeks. Not that he didn't look nice with a short coat with featherings. Fortunately a neighbour and a friend was a professional groomer and her charges were very reasonable, but that was eight years ago.

With our present cocker George, we resolved to do it ourselves without clipping and that is how we have gone for the last eight years. George is regularly groomed, trimmed with scissors, and thinning scissors, and with a very light use of the Wahl in his throat area and beneath his ears.

I think he has a natural look to him and his coat has remained fairly flat, If you're curious how he looks visit his pages (Introducing George) in the parti-colour section.

[SJP]

Hi Francesca - can't believe he's 8 months old  after all the agonies you went thru with him as a tiny puppy.

However, I can only comment on one thing regarding grooming, we had Lola clippered and scissored because I found her working cocker coat getting on top of me with all its mats.  It was the best thing ever.  She still has feathering and a bit of a "skirt", but its just soooo easy to manage as she is permanently routing around in brambles etc.

Look under grooming "Going over to the dark side" for some photos...

And good luck!