I clipped Beano (my American cocker) off completely before we went to Cornwall last month. Didnt do it brilliantly as my blades were blunt.
Got back and took the blades to be sharpened. But they wont be back till next week. So thought I would treat myself and get Beano groomed at the local groomers, He was getting tatty around the face. But his skirt was growing back nicely.
i wanted to get him done so that I can take a load of pictures of him for mum to paint him and Gemma.
Well took him in. I was a bit dubious when she said about the feathers(thinking that was more english cocker than Am.) But thought they must know.
NOPE :( :( :( :(
He has come out with feathers on the back of the legs. the front and feet has been clipped. his skirt which granted was only about 3/4 inch long has gone :o And under his ears are just as they were when he went in.
His pom pom feet are clipped off and there need tidying up between the claws
I am going to have to sort him out once I get my clipper blades back :( :(
It wasnt a bad cut, FOR AN ENGLISH.
They did leave the ears and the Elvis quiff, but i think thats only because I stated this :( :(
I am not impressed. But me being me I paid the £20 and went.
Needless to say i will not be taking him back there and will do it myself in future :( :( :( :(
lea  who wants to cry :( :(

Oh, poor Lea and Beano!  This happens a lot at the groomers for Yankees.  Sadly, some just do not realise there is a difference between the breeds, let alone the trims!  But don't despair, it will only be a few weeks and he will be back to his old teddy bear self.  By the way, tell him he has a litter of baby brothers and sisters again.  His Daddy, at the grand old age of 10, has sired another litter for his owner, after a couple of years retirement.  There are 3 little boys and 1 girl - sadly, some people wanting pups will be disappointed, as there were more prospective owners than pups, will send you pics when I go a visit again next week.

bye
Gwen

Oh no, poor Beano! That happened to my Yankee when I tried a first groomer - she studied the book before starting, but made a right mess, and she took off all his topknot which was months growing back!! I now do him myself except if I foolishly enter him at a show when I know someone who lives about an hour away who grooms and breeds them. My trimming isn't brilliant, but I hope to improve once I've gone on a grooming course!

It makes it even more confusing mind you, that buffs are trimmed differently from blacks!

When I have a new owner bring their dog to me for grooming, I always have a lengthy chat beforehand to see what the owner wants the dog to actually look like as sometimes pet owners do not even have a clue themselves! I have 2 Americans who come to me; one, the owner just doesn't brush herself and she cannot cope with the long, flowing coat, so he is taken very short all over so it is more practical. The other the owner does try with the brushing and he varies from having 1 or 2 small knots underneth to having knots the size of walnuts under his legs-in which case she gets "told" off!! (Its just not fair on the dog.)
I love grooming the Yanks, mainly as I used to have one myself and realise the big differences in coat style but it is really about having a good relationship with the groomer, the groomer knowing what the owner is able/willing to cope with and taking things from there. But you do need to be so careful, many grooming parlours should just have a sign outside saying "shearing shop"!!!

thats the thing Setters4 me, I told them how I wanted him doing, leaving the skirt. I didnt want to go on too long as didnt think it was apt to tell them their job :( Wish I had now.
i like his skirt on, shortish but still so he looks like a Yankee. I clipped him off as he was going in the sea even before I decided to go camping so thought it was easier to have him clipped off. And was looking forward to him looking like a Yankee again. Going to have to wait another 8 weeks for that now :(
Going to enquire with a few other groomers and find one that knows Yankees before I decide to get someone else to do it next time I am snowed under!!!!
Lea.

thankgod they didnt take Beanos top not off!!!!! I would have gone mad then!!!!!!!
i am going to have to tidy it up but at least it is there!!!!!!!
My trimmiung isnt brilliant but i deffinatly wouldnt attempt to groom a breed that I didnt know, and just do it like i thought it was without knowing.And at least Iafter i have done him he can pass as an Am :( :(
Cant you tell I am still fuming
Grrrrrrrrrr
Lea.

I still feel like crying this morning :(
Got to go back in a couple of weeks to check his anal glands that are infected this time so he is on AB(the groomers is part of the vets)
And going to have a word with the vet nurse who will be doing it, go armed with photos of what a puppy trim Should look like on a Yank, and let her give them to the broomers.
If I go in now I will end up having a go!!!!!!!
Will take pics of him as he is now and then they can see the difference and the fact that they got it completely wrong :(
Would love to see the pics :D
BTW James loves the pics of Mables litter :)
Think he has one on his screen of his computer!!!!
Lea :)

Take a deep breath and concentrate on the fact it will grow back soon.  We are doing an article in this years year book on grooming and presentation - maybe you should show it to her! ;)  Will be taking the puppy pics next week, and will send some more Mabel babe pics too.

bye
Gwen

Hi Lea, just read your posts, OMG that is awful :( you must have got a terrible shock when you saw how he was groomed :( I cannot imagine it. :( :( I cannot even think how I would feel if it had been Pippin, shame on that groomer
take care and ((((((hugs)))))))
Carol

has anyone got any good pictures of an American cocker Spaniel clipped in a 'puppy trim' that they could email me?????
i want to take a picture in of what Beano should have come out looking like, as the more i look at him the more it is obvious they havnt a clue at what an american should look like, and i havnt got any that really show the trim.
Lea :)

Fraid not, you could have my photo of George as another example of what NOT to do!!! :-D

Hi Lea,

I can send you pics of Junior, if you would like, none in show stance, but soem moving shots which make his trim fairly clear.  Let me know if you want them

bye
Gwen

Yes please, that would be great as it will show what they should be trimmed like :)
Thanks Gwen :)
Lea :)

hi lea. sorry about the disaster at the groomers. some groomers don't know the difference between the english and the american cockers, probably because they haven'y encounterd them at their training or because they simply don't know how to do the american trim. i am a certified dog groomer and always do the specific trim for each breed. i once had a very bad experience with one dog, or should i say owner. she brought her american cocker to me to be groomed and i asked her what she wanted done as some owners don't want their dogs cliped but only get the tangles brushed out and wash/dry. she said the cocker cut, so after she left i did a beautiul cut on the dog. when she came back however she was extremely angry with me and told me i shouldn't groom dogs as i didn't know what i was doing. what had happened was that she had never seen the american cocker clip and was expecting her darling back with the english cocker clip, which of course didn't happen as i did the breed specific cut.ter listening to her for a minute of two i went inside and got my breeds book and showed her the different clips for the two different breeds. she was pretty flabbergasted and appologised to me for her begaviour, i said it's alright and asked her if she wanted me to bring the dog back inside to do the english version instead if she likes it better. so i ended up giving the american cocker an english haircut anyway. ever since, when i get a new client with an americqan cocker spaniel, the book comes out before i even bring the dog into the grooming room. i recommend that when you bring your dog to a new groomer, you should ask if they know the breeds clip and if possible get a look at photos of some of the dogs they have groomed.( i always take a before and after photo of new dogs for my own records and so i can show owners pictures of dogs i have groomed.) if you're not happy take your dog away and look for someone better or if you know how, do it yourself, because when you do it yourself you can decide what stays and what goes and you wont have to wait for a nasty surprise that will take weeks to grow back. better luck next time.

(ps, you shouldn't have paid that idiot of a groomer a penny, that would have thought him/her a lesson)

Oh dear, silly woman. At least she apologised - perhaps she hadn't even realised she had an American cocker and not an English one - I'm often amazed at the Cavalier owners that think they own a King Charles!!

Well thanks to gwen i now have pics of a puppy trim that they should have done. pics of Beano after i have trimmed him and will print pics of a Am cocker in a full coat from crufts and take them in on wednesday and see what they say!!!!!!
Thanks for all the support, and thankyou again Gwen, although poor beano has got a sad look on his face after i told him you laiughed at his pic :( (but think i am begining to see the funny side LMAO)
Lea :)

You could tell him Junior has severley reprimanded me for laughing at his poor little half brother in his time of greatest need ;)
bye
Gwen

Oh dear poor you!! some groomers dont know what there doing do they . I hate english cockers clipted full stop but how could she get it so wrong !!, From what you describe it sounds a bad cut for an english as well as us english fans love our lovely long skirts , while your there give them a pic of how an english should look like too :rolleyes: haha poor u Hopefuly it will grow back soon