Now - don't hit me too hard - I saw some long tailed cockers at Crufts yesterday with completely stripped tails, and personally I thought would have looked so much nicer with feathering on them.

Is this stripping now going to be recommended with show dogs generally, or will they be allowed to keep their feathering?  

Jo

going to keep the curls on my spanish water dog tails.

I prefer the feathering too!

would have thought a matter of choice for the exhibitor/owner. no judge should be remotely interested when judging unless there is something in the breed standard.

The ones I've seen have had feathered tails like setters. I personally thought they were very attractive.

Interestingly, the KC breed standard says this:

Tail
Set on slightly lower than line of back. Must be merry in action and carried level, never cocked up. Customarily docked.
Docked: Never too short to hide, nor too long to interfere with, the incessant merry action when working.
Undocked: Slightly curved, of moderate length, proportionate to size of body giving an overall balanced appearance; ideally not reaching below the hock. Strong at the root and tapering to a fine tip; well feathered in keeping with the coat. Lively in action, carried on a plane not higher than level of back and never so low as to indicate timidity.

Debs

That's interesting. Debs - I thought that's not how I would have preferred them (stripped), but as they're not my breed, I wasn't in a position to say!

Jo

I think the undocked Cockers you saw were all from Sweden where it does seem to be the style to completely remove the tail feathering - presumably so they can give the impression the tail is docked when stacking the dog (they often bend the tail back so you can only see the length you would see if it was docked).

I think the whip tails draw less attention therefore look less different to the original docked picture.  A feathered tail totally changes the outline and balance of the dog, even if it is a more attractive tail.

Cockers or american cockers?  I've seen yanks with shaved tails

They were ordinary cockers (not Yankees)

Jo

Not the same breed but a tail question from a person who knows nothing about showing, clipping or anything at all specific about most breed of dogs.

The Portugese Water Dog ( hope I have got that right) was clipped in a lion cut according to the commentator on tonights TV coverage. Can someone please explain what this particular type of clip is for. It's a serious question that I would really like to know the answer to- if the dog is used for retrieving from water would it not need a full coat all over it's body to stop it getting cold in the water? If it doesn't get cold being clipped why aren't they clipped all over?

If anyone could enlighten me I would be very grateful :)

Thank you

They said on the programme the coat was for boyancy and the clipped back end is to help with swimming.  I saw some unclipped ones at crufts on Thursday and thought they were scruffy Afghans

Does anyone know exactly what Portugese Water Dogs are used for ? I thought they were a gundog :rolleyes:

Apparently they were used as couriers taking messages between fishing boats and the shore, and retrieving ropes, lost tackle and nets.

Newfs seem to manage fine in the water with a full coat all over, so I wonder how much additional 'manoeuverability' the clipped rear end really gives?

Clare Balding explained it on the programme. :) The rear end is clipped for manoevrability in the water with the front end left long to trap air for buoyancy.

Well I saw some with feathering ,they looked a bit like mini Setters. :)

The stripped ones I thought looked very peculiar.:rolleyes: