Groomit

[6thSense]

You said he would let you strip him at shows. What is different here do you think? Do you use a table at home as this can make a huge difference? Does he have areas where he his particularly sensitive as I do use thinners on Tally in places that he finds it a little more sensitive like the tops of ears, throat etc, but never on his back. I do find the comb with elastic band an invaluable tool in this area and it does really get a fair bit out.

[SuperCat]

I think there is so much to watch and see at shows he just doesn't care. But he just won't let me strip his back, he will allow his head to be stripped to a certain extent, he also doesn't mind his thighs being done to a point, but mainly because there's so much hair that it virtually falls out. He is a bit of a sensitive chap so I think he might just really feel it. I do use the comb with the elastic on it but he can get a bit funny about that too. But as I said, unless he thinks there's something better to do he loves to be brushed. We just have a problem with stripping...

[6thSense]

I think maybe you may have to just stick with the coat king then if it's working for you. You wont get the same finish is all. It does seem strange though that he tolerates the coat king, but not handstripping or even the comb with elastic band as I would have thought they all pull to some extent even the coat king. Funny little chap. 

[SuperCat]

I know, you should see the great fist fulls of hair that come out with the coat king, he's not bothered at all. I do try and strip a couple of finger-fulls of hair but much more than that and he gets really upset. But he can be a very strange boy, I guess he just takes after his mum!

[Colin]

I know, you should see the great fist fulls of hair that come out with the coat king, he's not bothered at all. I do try and strip a couple of finger-fulls of hair but much more than that and he gets really upset. But he can be a very strange boy, I guess he just takes after his mum!

None of mine are show dogs but I used to handstrip Jimmy before he was neutered and he was really easy to do - he's red/gold and the dead hair was blonde and came away like pulling candyfloss, it seemed so easy but when I tried with Misty she'd squeal. It turns out I wasn't doing it right, Jane handstripped Misty for me once and had no problem at all. Maybe your technique isn't quite right, or getting someone alse to do it might help. Even after Jane showed me what to do I couldn't get the hang of it with Misty - she'd still squeal so I gave up.     Pronlonged use of the coat king did eventually damage her coat though.

[SuperCat]

Well what I do when I try to strip him is put rubber gloves on and work down his body getting little finger-fulls of hair pulling it out in the direction that it grows. When he gets really tatty like I said earlier I can almost just stroke/massage him and hair comes out on the gloves. But if I have kept up with his grooming then obviously it's harder to get out so as I said above it pull little finger-fulls out in the direction that his hair grows. But he won't tolerate this for very long. Is this right?

[6thSense]

This may help you and feel free to shop around as you may get it cheaper somewhere else, but this is a DVD on handstripping the English Cocker Spaniel by the well known Breeder and Shower of Cockers Jackie Maris-Bray (Helenwood). I have it and found it helpful. She demonstrates on a black Cocker and then goes on to clip a Gold at the end, but the handstripping is what I found most useful.

It's the 11 DVD down the page.

http://www.ourdogs.co.uk/acatalog/GROOMING_DVDS.html

[SuperCat]

Have just found this, is this the same video? If so snippets of this are on this website. Plus bits about the legs, feet, ears etc.

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Hand-strip-the-Back---English-Cocker-Spaniel-198452781

[6thSense]

Yep that does look like the same. I didn't watch the whole thing through, but I assume that's just a snippit of the actual DVD.

[bajoleth]

Have just found this, is this the same video? If so snippets of this are on this website. Plus bits about the legs, feet, ears etc.

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Hand-strip-the-Back---English-Cocker-Spaniel-198452781

Just watched all the 'how to' snippets, very helpful, thanks for that

[SuperCat]

I have watched all the cocker ones I could find. Then had a go on Murphy, either he was REALLY hungry or I was doing something really differently (even though I felt as though I was doing the same thing...) but he accepted it, he wasn't particularly happy but perked up when I asked him where the sweeties are and then let me do it! I have stripped out some of his head, he wasn't too keen on it around his ears and eyes but I assume I can thin those because they're so sensitive. He did tell me something while I was doing it though... It was something he wanted me to tell Sarah, it was that because you told his mum where to find the grooming tips he's going to find you at the Windsor Gundog and pull some of your head hair out and see how you like it!

[6thSense]

I have watched all the cocker ones I could find. Then had a go on Murphy, either he was REALLY hungry or I was doing something really differently (even though I felt as though I was doing the same thing...) but he accepted it, he wasn't particularly happy but perked up when I asked him where the sweeties are and then let me do it! I have stripped out some of his head, he wasn't too keen on it around his ears and eyes but I assume I can thin those because they're so sensitive. He did tell me something while I was doing it though... It was something he wanted me to tell Sarah, it was that because you told his mum where to find the grooming tips he's going to find you at the Windsor Gundog and pull some of your head hair out and see how you like it!

In all seriousness that is great news. It may well of simply been that you where more confident and he picked up on that. Every little bit is progress and like with all training I do with my gang keep the sessions short for now. Plenty of praise and always end on a good note, so that's what he remembers for next time. Look forward to seeing you at Windsor, I think.  

[Brimbeck(Dyllan)]

I have watched all the cocker ones I could find. Then had a go on Murphy, either he was REALLY hungry or I was doing something really differently (even though I felt as though I was doing the same thing...) but he accepted it, he wasn't particularly happy but perked up when I asked him where the sweeties are and then let me do it! I have stripped out some of his head, he wasn't too keen on it around his ears and eyes but I assume I can thin those because they're so sensitive. He did tell me something while I was doing it though... It was something he wanted me to tell Sarah, it was that because you told his mum where to find the grooming tips he's going to find you at the Windsor Gundog and pull some of your head hair out and see how you like it!

In all seriousness that is great news. It may well of simply been that you where more confident and he picked up on that. Every little bit is progress and like with all training I do with my gang keep the sessions short for now. Plenty of praise and always end on a good note, so that's what he remembers for next time. Look forward to seeing you at Windsor, I think.  

Well done Supercat
But some finger Cots on Sarah, he will run a mile

[Jeanette]

Have just found this, is this the same video? If so snippets of this are on this website. Plus bits about the legs, feet, ears etc.

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Hand-strip-the-Back---English-Cocker-Spaniel-198452781

Wouldn't it be great to have a dog that just stands there and lets you groom 

[SuperCat]

Most definitely yes. I bet she'd actually been practising on that bitch for years, it wasn't 11 months, it was 11 years but hadn't been groomed for 4 of those!!