My sister has recently adopted a beautiful american cocker.He has been kept in the show coat and although i dont think my sister will keep his coat long she wants to keep a similar look and wants to learn how to do it herself.What blades does she need for his face and neck and what tools does she need for stripping the back,trimming etc? Any advice appreciated,she is determined to learn.Thanks

There is a very good educational dvd presented by Mike Gadsby. It's available from AMP productions. It demonstrates both show grooming and presentation and pet trim. It also shows the range of tools needed to achieve the look. You could check out Amazon, or even just google for amp dvds.

Dawn R.

Is she in contact with a breeder who could mentor her? That would be the best thing as American Cocker grooming is not the easiest to learn/explain. A breeder can also answer questions and help her correct mistakes. I tend to use a stripping stone on the back and will only use a stripping knife if the coat is really dense/stubborn but different people have different preferences on that. She will definitely need a good pair of straight shears (ones that can get through a thick coat) for the feet and skirt, plus some thinning shears for blending and making the trimming look more natural. Thinning shears are also better for mat removal than straight shears.

Thanks will pass on the info x

I second the Mike Gadsby DVD, he has a section on doing a pet trim as well as the show trim. I find my pin brush and wide tooth comb best for brushing my Yankee. If she really wants to do a good job it's worth buying professional clippers and blades rather than pet clippers, yes they are pricey, but if she grooms him at home instead of taking him to a pet groomer (and I became a groomer because nobody seems to know how to trim an American cocker instead of an English) she will make back the money she spends in less than a year. :-)

pm lurchergirl she has an American cocker and knows how to look after his coat