6 month old fluff ball criticised in show

[sarah phillips]

Took my 6 month old to his first show yesterday. A companion show to get him used to things and so we could practise his ring craft skills (not that well sadly!)  Anyway the judge was not impressed with his whiskers or fluffy coat. I have let them alone until they can be hand stripped.

New to all this!
Should I trim his face and generally tidy him up now now or leave until he is ready for handstripping? His coat is not ready to come out yet.

Do I accept that until he is hand stripped he will not be placed or have you experienced other judges who are more understanding. I don't want to do the wrong thing and damage his coat for later.

[M4ndy]

Sorry I'm no help but I was wondering the same thing. I have seen people showing them at 6 months and they do look quite smart and have wondered how they achieved this when they can't yet be handstripped. I presume legs and face can be trimmed but what do you do with a top knot that won't come out?

[JaspersMum]

I guess some judges expect to see the cardboard cut out of what they expect the cocker to look like and don't make allowances for the fact they are 6 months and fluffy.

Charlie will definately be fluffy when he starts although most of his facial hair and his feet have been tidied in readiness (the bits that don't get stripped).  You can't please every judge 

[bajoleth]

Hi I am sorry your first showing experience wasn't such a positive one, I too have a very fluffy Cocker that is to be entered in Shows. I took Belle back to her breeders just before she was 6mths he handstripped a lot out and tidied her face that is all her whiskers around her nose under her chin etc, used a thinning scissors on the tops of her ears, shaped her legs, feet and chest. She was still a fluff ball but had the basic shape. Are you able to find a groomer that does Show Cockers or are you going to have a go yourself, hanstripping does take forever but I use a comb with the elastic band and groom every day it is coming out but is a long process. I am taking Belle back again next weekend as she has a show 2 weeks later, when she is generally tidied up despite still being fluffy she looks more like the show cocker the judges expect to see. I hope this helps a bit and don't be put off  Jo and Belle

[sarah phillips]

I'm trying to do this myself but it is very slow progress at present. Some comes out with a comb but very little so far.

I will have a try with thinning out the face and other areas not to be hand stripped.

[bajoleth]

Have you seen the stickys at the top of the grooming board they may help, would love to see a pic of the offending fluffball

[hovis]

.................what exactly did the judge say though?

[sarah phillips]

She said 'those whiskers do look silly.'

I said I was waiting to hand strip him and she said but he's so very hairy.

I don't know that it actually made any difference to the outcomes as he didn't show his best anyway but she clearly wasn't happy with his coat.

[6thSense]

Was she actually a Cocker judge though as it was a Companion show. It may well have just been her personal preference and not a knowledgable response at all. I trim Tallys eyelashes and whiskers, but he has never really had much more hair on his face. If he did I would probably use thinners if need be, but the fan as it were on the nose usually strips out. Even with my two bitches that are spayed. I wouldn't worry to much as he is only 6 mths.

[Penelope]

Don't worry too much - a steward at a companion show told me Harriet's tail was too short!
I was shocked as it obviously hasn't been docked or anything - came home and checked it against the breed standard, and it's perfect!
Guess she didn't know as much as she thought she did about cockers after all!!! 
Have fun at companion and fun shows - we love them! and good luck.
Don't forget, at the end of every show you are taking the best dog(s) home!

[sarah phillips]

Here's Pebble complete with whiskers - they have now been hand stripped!

[Victoria25]

He'd win any show I judged!

[6thSense]

Awwwwwwww, bless him.  It really doesn't look that bad from what I can see in that pic. 

[Rooster]

Lovely  He really looks quite tidy compared to my fluff ball!

[Michele]

I would take it all with a pinch of salt.
I remember placing a real fluff ball of a baby first at an open show once, it was clean and tidy - head, ears, feet and tail had been trimmed but the body had no real outline. I placed it because I preferred what I found underneath to the others in the class.