I have a beautiful Cocker Spaniel and until recently had a lovely mobile groomer. Due to maternity leave I went to a shop and enquired re service etc and booked him for a bath and brush minus a cut to see how they were and if he felt happy.
He came back very subdued and  this is unlike him. Never had this problem before.? Should I worry or use them again?

We're you able to stay and watch the grooming?
Not all groomers are good with the dogs, I did work experance with one who would realy shake the dogs about if they didn't stay still. A poor westy was terrified from when it's owner left to when he picked it up again.
Not saying the groomer was rough or miss treated your boy but if you don't personally know them or couldn't watch you won't know how they handle the dogs.

My girl hates being left at the vets but when I've had to as soon as I've picked her up she has been fine, so I would be concerned if I had left her with someone then after picking her up she was not herself afterwards.

No I didn't stay. I did with his first bath with my mobile groomer and then happily left him in her care. As outside house I never heard any bother or distressed sounds. I just booked a bath to try the place out now I'm searching another mobile dog groomer one that comes to me.

If you're planning on showing him,  then it would be better to learn to groom him yourself ;-)  

Certainly,  if you're thinking of him being used at stud,  you should have the experience to be able to guide and advise new puppy owners on correct grooming and coat care and be able to demonstrate correct grooming etc ;-)

If I'd gone to my breeder to look at pups and been told to 'take him to the groomers'  I'd have run a mile!

I know friends who have used one of those "pet-chain shop" grooming parlous.... dogs were subdued afterwards - 4 months later they were in the paper for accidentally killing a dog in one of those large cupboard drying box things and then in the paper again a week later for "dropping" a dog who then had a damaged/broken something or other by his spine.  Pretty extreme I know and very unlikely to happen again anywhere I would hope but..... if I were you...if you have any doubts at all or concerns - just change groomer. Not worth the risk. Even if the groomer is fine you will always have niggling concerns sometimes a change is worth it just for peace of mind.

I have an absolutely fantastic groomer - I was the first one that she ever had that insisted on a proper full coat for a westie let alone hand-strip - she actually looked like she couldn't wait to actually do a full groom rather than a clip. I have used her ever since and that's nearly 10 years - my dogs see where I am driving them and start getting excited in the car when we get there and greet her like she is royalty, they aren't subdued when they get home but they are worn out exhausted and usually a lot more hungry than normal and just flake out. In fact she now has a "westie day" each month because during the past 10 years after people saw my dogs they all enquired about the breed and my breeder - now there are 9 Ashgate westie offspring all related in some way and they all go in on the same day for an unofficial westie party and groom together.  A well groomed and happy dog is a Groomers best advert.  If your Groomer didn't leave you happy and confident in her/him in any way, try another one until you find one who does.

I do bathe and brush and cut my boy's ears and in between paws (after watching many a you tube clip) However I still am unsure re clipping everywhere so twice a year have him clipper.
I won't use this shop for a clip now.
It is a choice not to clip him myself as it's not a must rule for every dog owner I'd hate to make a pigs ear of it and ruin his coat!
Asked my dog groomer to recommend a mobile groomer.

We often get dogs coming in that have been to a particular couple of local groomers and have seen the same thing - with one, we can even tell the owners what they saw before they tell us!  Same thing every time - the dog went a time or two then started to dig their heels in and had to be dragged in, and the owner stopped going.  Always the same.

The other one rushes dogs, does an awful job and I often see dogs that are reactive to me who have been with them.

Sometimes dogs do just react badly - I do a few that detest being groomed, very nervous, and go home stressed regardless of what I do with them.  But if that's not the norm for yours, then I'd be suspicious.

I'd hate to make a pigs ear of it and ruin his coat!

It's putting clippers on a Cockers coat that will ruin it.  If you are going to be party to producing puppies, then you need to be able to advise potential owners about the correct way to handle a Cocker coat.

It's putting clippers on a Cockers coat that will ruin it.  If you are going to be party to producing puppies, then you need to be able to advise potential owners about the correct way to handle a Cocker coat.

Although you can still look at showing if your boys coat has been clipped it has been ruined for serious showing unfortunately. I am surprised that your breeder did not advise hand stripping him and show you the basics of how this is achieved. I strongly advise all of my owners to hand strip or find a groomer that does as when they reach adulthood there coat blossoms.

Cocker coats are notorious and many groomers cannot handle them appropriately.

If the groomer handles your dog well, your dog should be happy and relaxed when you collect him. However, as you only take him to the groomers twice per year it could simply be that he does not like the change of groomer. As you are aware, they can be very sensitive souls.

Thank you for the tips! I've never used clippers on his coat. We do his ears/paws/pads regularly.  We have left his coat from being cut last few months due to us wishing to find out re show/stud world what is show standard? We have tried a new groomer re a bath
first which he adores at home and being blown dry! Unlike his owner who cannot stand the hairdressers! We have lots of cocker owners by us and one that breeds but doesn't show. It's been an eye opener the last few months gaining more insight to the show/stud world.
I'm waiting on a call from a recommended groomer that cuts to show standard and If I can go with and watch and learn,

Just so that you have the right information when the new groomer rings, show standard means hand stripping and not clipping.  If they talk about clipping then they are not trimming to show standard. 
What colour is your dog?  If he has already been clipped, it can take up to 12 months with a skilled groomer to possibly recover the coat.

Most groomers will not know how to hand strip to Show standard unfortunately. As Westcoast mentioned they can clip to a "show cut", but this is completely different to hand stripping a coat to show standard. You may be able to "recover" his coat, but it will take months of investment to "undo" the previous clipping.

Reach out to your breeder, and ask them to invest some time in showing you the technique as really it would be good to have their support in this. They should be able to clearly identify show standard and if they live too far away for you to travel to them they should have connections with another more local breeder that would be able to offer guidance.

But, before you get tied into all the months of additional work that will be required to get his coat to show standard, if you are only looking to get his coat back to show condition so that you can get him into a ring, I would have someone with a "good cocker eye" have a really close look at him first to ensure he has correct confirmation and type.

My boy is black and white! Last cut he looked stripped! that was well over 8 months ago. He has still had professional baths to keep him used to being groomed. We do his ears/paws ourselves. We searched a lot of mobile groomers and parlours and enquired about show standard. Our breeder uses a groomer a friends business so we may just travel there.

Do people not like black & whites in cockers? I have more knowledge of the American showing of American cockers as that's what I have, but there are lots of gorgeous black & whites being shown over there. Anyway, as others have said, if you're thinking of showing seriously, get the groomer or breeder to show you how to handstrip and don't let anyone touch him with clippers. :-)

Just to add I have a very good mobile groomer who is brilliant however Betty my girl hates the thought of being washed and blasted to the stage she now pees herself. Not anything the groomer has done !

I am getting an IWS soon and so I am going to have to start to person how to groom for both a show and working coat.

I am going to go over and spend some time with somebody who is a groomer and an owner so I can get the principles then it will be all down to learning as I go along.

Coincidently Champdogs is starting a new business section, bound to be some great groomers listed

Most dogs hate being bathed and preened. Most of them go along with the brushing and grooming but as soon as you turn on the shower or drier they are on a different planet. What owners have to realise is that us groomers are doing something the dog does not want us to do. I have to say that ALL my grooms go back to their owners very exited as they cannot wait to go home. I always invite owners to stay for the at least the first groom but find that the dogs are much better behaved when owners are not there. Usually because they get their own way at home.
I show my dogs and they still hate the grooming process regardless of how often it is done.

Thanks Lynnnb. His fine is bathing him and he seems fine when trimming between paws and ears. I'm still searching for either a helping hand from local contacts or watching youtube clips and having a full go- but still loathe to do it solo without correct equipment etc.
Hoping to have a found a "mentor" here, :)

My pup was very unhappy after her first trim with a groomer who also bred and showed the breed. She is now 3 and to this day she doesn't like her legs being brushed, her feet touched or having her nails trimmed. Something obviously went on and she came home very subdued. She never went back there.
Trust your instinct.

> Hoping to have a found a "mentor" here,

The trouble is that no one can PM you now - and I suspect you realise we are all still a bit annoyed about being misled...

Do have a read of the thread about PM's though - if you didn't ask for them to be withdrawn perhaps you could urge Admin, as the injured party, to reinstate them.  You might get someone willing to contact you again with some grooming recommendations or contacts

As others have said - do listen to your dog though and take it slowly from this point with lots of treats for touching and contact.  Visit a groomers next time to ask if you can observe first

Thank you St Domino for your reply. I'll trust my instinct and I have a new lady to visit at the weekend who has been recommended to me by three different dog owners who I see/walk with on a regular basis.

The ones I groom vary enormously - most are ok once on the table or in the bath, but some of them batter at the door to get into my house, or drag their owners towards the house - and others have to be gently dragged from the car and then carried in haha!

I would say that 95% of dogs do not like their legs or feet being touched. Nothing to do with any incident, it's just a dog thing. My bichon boy who is now 6, had him from 8 weeks, absolutely hates his legs and feet being groomed, nothing I've done it's just the way he is.
Please don't always blame the groomer, easy to blame someone else for your dog's fetishes.

My dog ( then pup) had no problems in this area before going to that groomer. She came back subdued and obviously not happy.
I have since heard bad things from two others about this groomer.
My dog doesn't like going to the (new) groomers even now but she is always happy and playful when she comes home, unlike when she came back from the first groomer.

> I would say that 95% of dogs do not like their legs or feet being touched.

Yup.  I have a lot of dogs and most only tolerate my attentions in that area.

I visited a new groomer and watched her work on a poodle. He seemed happy and blasé about it all.  Owner advised she had brought him here from a puppy and no problems. Appointments are booked way in advance! So next earliest mid April (only works three days) so I either wait and brush daily and de lug his hair and let it get longer or after watching videos and reading a book have a go myself solo!

Why don't you ask your boy's breeder to mentor you on his grooming?

I've visited with a new furminator and new combs and watched as I did a grooming session. Health issues have stopped her grooming her own. Cut his ears and paws in a new way for me. So its a learning process still. Not sure re the puppy cologne scents thou

Oh yes I can't stand those places that spray strong scents all over the dog. The smell of a nice clean dog with a hint of lingering shampoo is much nicer if you ask me!

Sorry!  I use those.  Well, I use a gentle baby powder one anyway, and it is gentle - not at all overpowering.  But a lot of the customers I deal with complain if the dog doesn't come back sprayed!  Wouldn't be my choice though, I prefer just-washed-scent too.

Do a lot of groomers use Furminators these days?
I didn't find it very useful for my medium-long haired dog (cut the top coat and didn't pull out the undercoat very well), but it works very well on my short-coated one. I have found an undercoat rake and pin brush much better for the longer coated one BC x Belgian Shepherd).

I don't, I stick with a combo of slicker, undercoat rake and decent comb to finish.  Depends on the dog - most dogs with a heavy undercoat I will use mainly the rake and comb, but there's one husky I do who is unbelievably sensitive, and who the rake does next to nothing for, so he has to be done thoroughly with the slicker before I can think about touching him with a comb or he's squealing and shrieking at me!

Furminators are not usually recommended for Cockers - this tool is best for double coated breeds and the Cocker is not a double coated breed. As a groomer of Cockers, I have tried a Furminator and found it to be pretty useless to be honest - a coat king is better for Cocker coats (pet only as they cut the coat so not suitable for show coats)

I have a slicker and two good combs, he doesn't mind the fine combs and the furminator a new purchase advised use just once a week? Had a good lesson with his ears and felt more confident with trimming. I'm looking at just visiting a show first to absorb the day.

I use a Coat King on cockers and Cavaliers, very handy for those woolly neutered coats they develop. A 5/8 blade is my new sneaky trick to get some of the weight out for the coat without scalping the dog!

> I have a slicker and two good combs, he doesn't mind the fine combs and the furminator a new purchase advised use just once a week? Had a good lesson with his ears and felt more confident with trimming. I'm looking at just visiting a show first to absorb the day.

Are you going to try showing your boy? If so, hand stripping is the way to go really. I found the furminator did not work on show type Cocker coats at all - the only dog I had some success with was a working cocker mix with shorter hair. If it works for you, then great but try to look for Cocker specific grooming advice (there is quite a bit on the Cockers Online site) rather than tips from groomers who don't have specialist knowledge of the breed

I'm unsure re showing so going to absorb the day,meet new people and dogs :). I know hand stripping is the way forward if I show. I'm looking over the Cocker site and also chatting to two breeders I've been put in touch with. Thanks for the tips Jane