For all show cocker owners out there.
For christmas our workman got Whistler a couple of T shirts with logo's from Debenhams, for a laugh.

But we find that in the bad weather and mud is a right pain, but if we stick his t shirt on it keeps his underneath clean if not dry, then slip it off into a bucket of "vanish" on the rad and ready for the next wet muddy day.

I hate dressing up dogs so i did day 1 for the blokes benefit but it kept most of his underneath mud free so a lot easier to keep him clean, he has such a soft silky hair that it matts easy and needs a lot of grooming, this really does aid the grooming.

Cokers also take a size 4 - 6 Hi Vis waistcoat, cut off the bottom bit to the first flourescent stripe (so he doesn't pee in side of it, and it works a treat costs about £4 and they are advertised at about £15/£20 each

Some good tips :-)  Where do you get those hi viz waistcoats? I would think they would do for a lot of breeds.

Whistler I hate this weather, I hate the mud, the wet, the dirt, the extra washing and the grooming. I actually have nothing against anyone wishing their dog to wear a coat T/shirt it's an individual thing, I just like to see a dog covered in mud :-D I know they have had a good time and plenty of our past show dogs have been covered from top to tail. :-)

I always worry that coats/t-shirts make a dog sweat or prevent it from drying and could actually make a dog colder, the waterproofs at least will keep a dog dry and some dogs can't stand the cold as well as others, so there are valid reasons for some coats etc, but IMO a Cocker, it's made for the wet and mud, in this weather the dirtier the better, but each to their own. :-)

>I always worry that coats/t-shirts make a dog sweat

Dogs don't sweat. ;-) That's why they can overheat so easily.

I walk my Paps over the very muddy Epping Forest and when its very boggy over there I put coats on all of them, its a total pain to come back from a lovely walk with 9 very very muddy dogs, those of them that have long fur on their bellies get in the worst state, the coats do help quite a bit and the dogs have got used to wearing them now.

Dogs don't sweat.  That's why they can overheat so easily.

Did I really just write that. (Yes, I did :-D) Well, I knew what I meant. Doh! **shakes head in shame**

I think a thin cotton t shirt is less likely to make a dog overheat than a rain jacket.  I'm happy to cope with it but I would not blame anyone for wanting to keep the undercarriage of a cocker cleaner.  Rather that than denying them to opportunity to get out and about regularly regardless of conditions.

A lot of Cocker owners use Equafleece jumpers to keep out the cold and wet (bit more expensive than a t shirt though :-)). Ours just get wet and muddy except for the old boy who does have an Equafleece for wet walks which keeps his body warm and dry. I don't like nylon jackets/coats as they can cause condensation to build up inside the coat (unless you get the really expensive ones made of breathable material)

I walk a show cocker into work he then spends about 10 hours in a centrally heated office and anything to avoid mud is great. The T shirt is stretchy stuff washes like a normal T Shirt.

Weekends I can bring him home for a shower but not in my office. Our BC ended up with a shower last night when he got home, and a hose off this morning when he got to work - that would freeze my shower cocker to bits he hold water all day in his ears and undercarriage unless I can hair dryer him dry and its so cold outside now and -5 by Sunday here.

Working cockers no problem but my show cocker is a different kettle of fish (or dog) I just think it makes his and my life easier, less cow pats to wash off.

I just thought it was an easy idea, reflective jackets we get from Arco, Travis Perkins, Scats any builders merchants velcro fixing, they are a light weight nylon that workman wear over jackets no arms just a waistcoat fixed across the chest size 8 - 10 fits a BC, and kids use on the way to school around here they cut down a treat and you can stick them through the washing machine. Much, much cheaper than dog ones I can have two on the go for each dog. OH's head torch picks Jake up from a long way away and my hand torch picks up Whistler easily.

So what do you all do with your dogs if they do get wet and or muddy??

I have no option but stick fred in the bath, shower and shampoo him, dry him, then groom him. After getting really muddyon a walk/run its a 2-3 hour job when we get home which means a mornings mucky walk can turn into an all day affair :-O
I know some people just hose down their dog.

Would like to know what others do?

Hose down.  Rub dry with a towel and restrict to the warm kitchen until dry enough to brush out any remaining mud.

I've usually got my mum's dogs with me for walks and with all the family dogs too, there is no way I could cope with the mess after winter walks, so I've had an outdoor shower room built, so we all trot in after our walk and shower off the dogs, boots etc in nice warm water, quick towel rub, then into a heated room to dry off and brush through. 30 mins later mum and I are in the kitchen having a nice hot cup of coffee and then mum and her clan are off back home, dry, if not almost dry.

Fully understand with taking your dog to work Whistler that you are doing the best thing and as I've said no probs at all in others using dog wear, it is just down to personal preference, I do like the sound of the reflective jackets though, much better than the dog collars, if my girls got her head in a bush I can't spot her, so might think on that one. ;-)

> So what do you all do with your dogs if they do get wet and or muddy??

The wiry mongrel hates hose or bucket so I try to avoid a wash, just rub him down with a towel then he goes to bed for an hour.  When he gets up it's all dropped off!

My WHV gets a slosh off with weak solution of Hibiscrub from a bucket (our local mud makes him itch), a scrub with a towel and he's done.  I can brush him when he's dry but often don't need to.

Both my boys are classed as wire coated but on one the mud will just fall off when dry, whilst it sticks to the other and has to be removed by washing or brushing out.  Odd...

But what about the  muddy doggy smell if you just give them a quick hose down?! :-)

What about it? :-)

So what do you all do with your dogs if they do get wet and or muddy??

The Papillons get bathed -no other option with them. But they wear coats this time of year so often only get legs dirty and I can live with that until their next bath. (They are done once a fortnight.) The Malis and Goldens you just put in the kitchen and wait for them to dry, then it all drops off them. Just leaves the kitchen to clean which is easier than doing all the dogs. :)

>So what do you all do with your dogs if they do get wet and or muddy??

Wash muddy feet in a bucket of water. Rinse off the thickest mud from bellies and legs, then towel dry. Any remaining mud will brush off when the dog's completely dry. They stay in the kitchen till then, and I can just clean the floor.

What about it? 

:-D

Your not fooling me for a second Isabel, that beautiful dog in your avatar looks as though it is radiating sunshine, and visits the beauty parlour daily. :-D

Same here last night Jake was covered in fox pooh so no option but a shower in the bath, he then sulked in his crate for the rest of the evening - I kid you not. Whistler just peeled his Tshirt off washed his feet all done in 10 minutes.
Weekends they have a two hour romp up Farley Mount then Jake gets a hose, Whistler is in the bath for his shower, in the dog zip up towell thing. Hair drier his ears and chest and they settle in a warm kitchen until dry. Then I keep Whistler in a Tee ( for wet walks) until next weekend. If its just cold no Tee just his reflective jacket if dark. Jake has a reflective jacket am and pm only no Tee he has teflon fur and seems to shed the wet.

Re the smell, air freshners all over the place or reed difussers, then when its really strong ie you can find them by the smell alone its a good shower in the bath, I dont think doggie deoderant is right, no idea why, but mine are dogs not bitches in case you use them during a season????

Taking up Carringtons point we are having our house rebuilt and my "utility" room has a wet room (hand held) shower room WC accessible to the garden, plus it is big enough for a shoe and wellie store, racks and washing machine & tumble drier area and crate "bedroom" area. Its going to be bigger than my kitchen!! Plus underfloor heating in case you all thought we were being cruel!!!

You won't regret it Whistler, it's the best thing I ever did!

> that beautiful dog in your avatar looks as though it is radiating sunshine, and visits the beauty parlour daily.

Thank you :-)  I think regular grooming is enough to keep a dog generally clean such as you might be aware there is a wet dog lurking in your kitchen but it should not be too offensive and will go away when the dog has dried off.  I know some breeds and coats are a bit more problematic though.

> So what do you all do with your dogs if they do get wet and or muddy??
>

Patterdales are no problem at all. Mine are out with me in all weathers. If it's really wet they go in a barn, but are usually covered in mud by the end of the day. By the time I get home they are usually dry and a lot of it has fallen off (but you should see the inside of my car :(). A quick brush and they come up like new. :)

ETA: The Equafleece rugs are brilliant - we use them for the horses. I assume the dog ones are the same material?

When I take my lot up the fields in this weather, they are literally up to their eyeballs in mud - but they luuuurrrvve it :)  we're all terrain toy dogs ;)  They've all got cosipet jackets, waterproof and fleece lined and cover their underneaths.  They keep them warm - but they get covered in mud and aren't much use if they decide to gorge walk (cross the burn) so I run a warm bath for them and plonk them all in to soak off, rub them down and send them to their radiator beds.  Thankfully, my breed don't have doggy odour.

I have a room that we call 'the dog room' - its like a utility room with a quarry tiled floor, our dogs sleep in there at night. After a particularly wet and muddy walk, I put our dogs in this room until they dry off and then once dry, I brush the mud out of their fur. They have beds in there that they can curl up in whilst drying off, and the room has a babygate where the door used to be so they can see us as we're usually in the next room. The dog room is a blessing at this time of year although I'm forever shouting at my OH as he always lets them in before they're dry!!

Looking at your Avatar you must really have your hands full!!!

Oh yes - Meggie tends to bring half a field's worth of mud with her on her undercarriage (if you were able to zoom in to my avatar you'd probably be able to see this for yourself!) She loves running through the fields though and doesn't actually like mud and will try to avoid it - I think the mud just tries to find her!

I think you should put a pic of Whistler on your avatar - black show Cockers are one of my fave breeds :-)

Let them dry out in the kitchen after wiping their feet, then brush it out as it just turns to powder once dry.  Remember though different parts of the country will have different types of mud :-)

No idea what the horse ones are like - the Equafleece I have for my dog is a fleece. :-)

Jake was sitting with me on the sofa when he left it was like a dust storm!!!

Whistler just matts up if I Leave him wet, I use pantene on his feathers when I was at Crufts a breeder said use it and its magic.. I still think the seeds are worse than mud in the spring & summer it took two hours to de bur him with those sweet heart things... I can see why some cocker owners use snoods but I will not sink to that for Whistler.

Snoods are one of those things that went out of fashion for a reason - my mother has one and its embarrassing.

Burrs, oh my goodness where do you start with burrs!  I would take mud over burrs anyday.

Me too - we have been avoiding one particular walk around where we live as last time we did it, my poor girls were covered in burrs. They're awful!

sadie the standard coat gets a quick rub down when shes really bad and then goes in the kitchen, yoda my long coat doesnt even get a rub down as he prefers not too-im lucky he goes in his crate for about an hour and a half and its all dried up and fallen off- not even the need for an extra brush-his coat is great i only have to brush him twice a week

If my next Yankee has a proper coat there will be fireworks with hubby - normal walks in the park aren't a problem, but when hubby takes George off to the Lakes he comes back with literally just his topknot still clean, and not just mud, he is tangled hopelessly in the twigs and bracken. If I had a Yankee I was showing seriously I would insist he wore a coat with legs for walks like that, and hubby says he would look too stupid to take out like that! Uh oh!!

My friend has a cocker. H e wears his EQUAFLEECE  coat.It as legs  so the only bits that need a good rub with a towel on wet/muddy days are his feet and ears.  Its the best thing shes ever bought for him!

Carrington and Whistler the "Wet Room" is on my list of "Must Haves". Stayed in a cottage near Offas Dyke which had a wet room. In with the dogs no problems. So it is not an "I want" it is an "I must have"....

Funny one dog smells really bad after wet weather, (even worse after fox poo.) and takes forever to dry. The other a quick rub, a  shake and fresh as a daisy,
( well almost).

Cockers also appear to end up with yeti feet in the snow, and his ears! we have taken a few photos of Whistler in the snow with his yeti feet and snow ball ears. He ploughs through it all in his day glo coat tail wagging so much its a blur. All the local kids are stroking him and laughing at his ears they look like he has huge round white earrings in!! Jake's BC showing off looking like a real sheepdog, my OH was so pleased it was showing he walked in with Jake and had snow ball fights big kid. Its coming down thich here so we will be off home before dark.