Hello, I am looking for any advice and tips that any Yankee owners can give! My beautiful boy is 5 months old, he has been with me for nearly two weeks and we have been getting him used to us and continuing where his breeder left off. He is doing really well but I am panicking a wee bit over his back! He has a wavy back and I have been hand stripping and it is a lot flatter already, although because of his waves I am finding getting the line right a problem! Any and all tips welcome!
Also how do you all cope with the coat and the weather, will be getting him a weather proof suit but will he need to have this on every time he goes out to the garden in bad weather?
His breeders have been great but don't want to overwhelm them with all of my questions!
Eavie

Are you showing him????
Lea :)

When you are feeding him use a pair of tights to keep the ears clean...Re the back coat just take your time and check out with your breeder, there is a very good video on coat care which you used to be able to get, you could check with Mike Gadsby what the video is called.Hope this helps.

Yes, will be showing him, although chickened out of SKC as he would be 6 months 2days, would have been first show for us both, so on reflection decided that there was no rush!
Will be getting the DVD, helps that it is by his breeder! Think that I am just frightened of getting it wrong, although I am assured that it will grow back!
Will be starting ringcraft in August, very exciting time for me but a bit scarey!!
Eavie

I just had a mental image of you struggling to get a pair of tights on your dog every time you feed him, pulling them up to his neck and tucking his ears in. I think Cloughroe means that you cut a piece about 12 inches long from one leg of a pair of tights, from the middle of the leg so that it is open at both ends. You then have a nylon tube, put this over the dogs head to keep his ears out of his food. Cloughroe, thanks for the laugh, I had a splitting headache all afternoon, you've really cheered me up.

he could always take up bank robbing with the tights on!!
A blue sparkley snood will be on its way courtesy of a good friend, so hopefully have the ears covered..................no pun intended!
Eavie

an afterglow by any chance???
I only hve a pet afterglow, clipped off, but Gwen is around and alot of others that can help :) :)
Lea:) :)

Yes Lea he is an Afterglow boy, his dad is the stunning Blue Murder mum a sister of Sugar Puff.
All help and tips gratefully received! Your boy is Beano isn't he?
Eavie

Yes, LOL
Afterglow wandering hands, His dad was the american (sorry names escape me) father that unfortunatly died the other year.
Loads of coat, (so I am biased on coat) nbut the temprement of 1000 dogs LOL
Good luck, I dont show Beano so he is clipped off, but love to see yanks in a full show cot, and wander how  earth you have the patiece and time to have the like of beano in a show coat :) :) :)
Lea :) :)

Have just found out that his sister's "people" are on the board!
He is such a sweetie has settled in so well, can't believe that he has only been here two weeks (had to check the calendar, thought that it was longer!) He knows that he is a handsome boy as well!
Eavie

I elieve that there are alot of Aftergow owners on here!!!
Nursey and Gwen (mike show partner)n are 2 I know off the top of my head LOL
Lea :)

Hi Eavie, at his age nobody can expect his back coat to be perfectly stripped just yet.

Just do it little and often and keep a clear mental image of the end result. I never like to see a line as such. It's just a strip about two or three inches wide down his spine that should be hand stripped. Never hand strip down the sides. Only use a stripping knife there to take away the fluff, you want the longer, top coat hairs to give a smooth appearance without a visible line. The main thing is, don't panic, hair grows again, and more quickly than you'd think.

The grooming video mentioned earlier is by AMP products, you'll find it a great help.

Good luck.

Dawn R. (Irish Setters and American Cockers)

lots of brains to pick then! He is getting a bit of a fuzzy face at the moment but my new clippers can wait until I have watched the dvd several times! My OH finds it ammusing that he has a salon brand of conditioner for after his bath......
must admit, I am already taking more time over his grooming than I do my own!
Eavie

Thanks Dawn, I am trying to keep it short for him, don't want him getting fed up with it! I have found that it is easier to visualise it after his bath and blow dry when his coat is straighter. I think that he sleeps more on one side as it is flatter on that side!
Eavie

Hi, don't panic about keeping him in  a suit every time it is wet.  IT is not keeping him dry that is important, but the coat care you give WHEN it is wet or dirty!  His mental well being is as (if not more) important than his physical, so lots of excercise and free play are very important, whatever the weather.  Most Yankees are not remotley bothered by the rain, and love a good paddle given the chance.  You just have to be prepared to bathe and dry after these messy playtimes.  Of course, suits with legs do definetly have their uses, but as a standby, not a general use thing.  American Cocker Rescue sell snoods (to keep ears clean) rain suits etc.  Remember that puppy coat is a lot more fluffed up than adult full coat, so don't expect it to be as straight and flowing than an older dog.  Hand stripping  a back for tbe first itme is a long slow process, sounds like you are tackling it well, just keep up the little and often, and don't be tempted by things such as coat kings, although a good stripping knife is invaluable.

bye
Gwen

> His dad was the american (sorry names escape me) father that unfortunatly died the other year

Hi Lea,   It is very late, and I may be confused, but I think that Beano's sire is Rocko, and if so he is still very much alive!  He is coming up 13 now, and he sired a very unexpected litter of pups last year, so (literally) life in the old dog yet!
bye
Gwen

was talking to a friend the other night and was musing that we might not go far in the showring as I couldn't see him being at all confined as he loves being outside and rolling in the grass and as for the rain, unavoidable hazard living in Scotland! Good to know that he shouldn't be curtailed as he would hate it!
If he has just nipped in and out for a wee and is a bit damp, will he need a bath and dry on every occasion?
Do you mind if I mail you some pictures of him?
Eavie
edited to sort out late night spelling!

American Cocker Rescue sell snoods (to keep ears clean)

Can anyone please tell me where these can be bought ???  I have tried to google American Cocker Rescue but to no avail, could really use some for Milly who by the way is Bruce's sister
Many thanks in advance
Mike

>It is very late, and I may be confused, but I think that Beano's sire is Rocko

Duh, yes sorry it was late for me too and to many classes of Vino LOL Cant remeber what I was thinking, was it rokos dad that was the american???
Lea :)

The late, great Joan MacMillan of Lochranza gave me an invaluable tip. When trimming any dog, keep stopping, stack your dog, (although in those days, before we were americanised it was called 'setting up'), and check the effect, most importantly, remember... you can always take a bit more off, but you can never put a bit back on.

Hi Eavie, no a quick toilet trip won't need any more than towel drying his feet. What Gwen means, is when he's been out for a lovely run in the park on a wet day, and has got soaked and muddy. Those days when he comes home looking like a piece of chewed string.

I tried one of those rain suits once over, all it did was tat up the hair on the legs and chest. Not a pretty sight.

I'd like to see some pix too please.  e-mail address in my profile.

PS an e-mail to Gwen will get you a snood. Gwen is Amercan Cocker Rescue. :)

Dawn R.

That was what I thought but I wanted to have it confirmed, thank you! piccies on there way!
Eavie

My Yankee has a fairly full coat for a buff, and he goes off on long muddy walks and comes back looking like a walking haystack. You shouldn't and don't have to restrict their life too much, you just need to be prepared for the hard work of getting rid of all the mud and foliage after the walk! :-)

Hi again

Just email me for details of Rescue, we don't have a web page yet, but should have one soon (I hope), piccies would be great, and for all Yankee owners reading, we are just putting out an appeal for photos for next years calendars (and Christmas cards for this year too) we need 6 photos to appear on the calendar, and a bunch more for Christmas cards.  Not show poses, but cute, funny or just plain adorable shots.

Getting back to grooming, when he comes in jsut a bit damp don't panic - as Dawn said the hwole bath/blow dry thing not needed, however, don't go trying to comb/brush him out, just let dry, and remove any debris (twigs, leaves etc)  Golden rule is don't brush him out between baths, just brush when you are blow drying after his bath.

oooh Gwen i have such a cute picture that could be used

well everone seems to have coverd the posterd questions so theres not much more i can say, Hope you are having fun with your yankie, they are such a adorable breed and such a joy to show :-D

Fee x

Glad to have helped you out saxon....

Thank you for all the replies! Can I ask what show lead you would all recommend for him?
Eavie

> Can I ask what show lead you would all recommend for him?

There is not a straightforward answer to that one.  It depends on what he shows best on.  We tend to use the Resco waxed cotton ones with sliders, or if necessary a chain - just have to try and see which works best.  From an appearance point of view, make sure you get one which blends well wiht his coat, so as not to mar the outline.

so being black, should I go for a black one? I know that all these questions must seem really silly but I just want to start off in the right direction.
Eavie
Gwen did you get the pictures? I have sent you a pm

I use a half check chain collar with whatever lead matches the dog best, so my blenheim Cav has a dark brown lead and my tricolour a black one. So yes, I would go for a black lead with your boy, but lots of people choose something that complements their dog's coat, eg I think my buff Yankee looks nice with a blue lead. :-)

ps any spare pics going? Always love seeing puppies!

Lucy pm me your e-mail and I will send you piccies!

For a lead I always start with soft cloth ones for training in any breed and at only about £5-6 a lead you can try different types such as slip, halfcheck etc.  I don't put a chain on a pup untill at least 6-9 months as the neck is still very soft.

When the dog is older and trainned you can then invest in a nice, more expensive lead that is quite thin.  I personally love leather leads yet my dad loves cloth ones! (I have setters though so more often then not they are on a full lengh chain.

As said get black to blend in with the dog.  Why not try and get to a champ show and see what leads people use, talk to the breed people and see the different types then look round the stools to find something you like. :)

Another question!
For a show coat is it okay to use either a coat king or FURminator while stripping the back?
Eavie

> For a show coat is it okay to use either a coat king or FURminator while stripping the back?

Teh quick answer is no.  They can both cut the hair, and leave you with wavy/damaged hair.  Thumb and finger stripping, wiht some help from a stripping knife is the dest way to go  about it.