This sounds a bit dumb but I have a Cocker and his coat is like cotton wool! He's quite smooth haired but is quite scruffy now!! What is the difference between stripping and clipping? Also, I want him to be still hairy as I like him that way and only have him as a pet, what's the best way to get him trimmed?

Stripping removes entire hairs (usually undercoat) but clipping cuts them all, and can leave a very "dead" looking coat. There are grooming videos available for cockers which I'll look up details for and get back to you....:)

thanks for that. But if they're stripped won't their hair still be long and messy? But I guess it would be thinner though and thats what we need. I do still want the long hair but neater. Would appreciate any help though Thanks
Monty

Hi Monty,
The company doing grooming videos is hurstm.ampprod@supanet.com

They do (English) Cocker Spaniel (show and pet) and ECS (groomer) versions (among other breeds). I haven't seen them so I don't know how good they are. Hope this helps :)

Oops. Tried to do the link thingy but it didn't come up with grooming videos, so I deleted it. Sorry :-( Just trying to help. Shirl :D

thanks for that!!

Make sure you get the Jackie Marris-Bray video on Cocker grooming as this is the one which covers handstripping (as well as clipping a pet Cocker). Like Jeangenie says, clipping can leave a v dull finish and it also usually results in the hair growing back more quickly & much thicker & sometimes curlier :-) Handstripping takes much longer than clipping but is worth it as it looks so much nicer & regrowth is slower. Even with stripping the top coat, you would still need to use thinning scissors to thin out leg feathering etc & straight-edge scissors to tidy feet etc. You can learn to trim your Cocker yourself but if you intend finding a groomer to do it for you, be careful as many high street groomers do not know how to handstrip a Cocker properly & will clip all Cockers routinely!

"be careful as many high street groomers do not know how to handstrip a Cocker properly & will clip all Cockers routinely! "

And back to the skin - and remove all the featherings!!

And don't they look dreadful after this treatment? :(

Yes they do look silly, but having said that if you knew the state some of the cockers that come in to grooming parlours look like, you wouldnt be saying that!

Plus the majority of cocker owners that bring their dogs into groomers want their dogs clipped off anyway, and even if they didnt we would have no choice than to clip their solid matted ears where people are too lazy to brush their poor dogs :-(

But if people are wiling to spend time grooming their little friend, after a session of stripping the dog will look amazing...
Vikki

Certainly true Vicky - I no longer accept Cockers for grooming if the owners refuse to keep them in a reasonable condition in between trims & make regular appointments. I used to try & teach owners what they should do to help keep their Cocker looking tidy but many will not listen - apparently they don't have time to spend 10 minutes a day grooming their dog!! On the other hand, there are caring owners who want their puppies stripped out properly & ask for this to be done but when they collect their pup, it has been scissored all over or worse clipped off - just as there are lazy owners, there are bad or lazy groomers out there too :-)

I know how you feel, I have recently started working in a newly set up parlour in Scotland as manager! Much better than Manchester! Anyway the times i have tried my hardest to advise people but they just dont care!

I bet you wouldve laughed the other day, had a Standard Poodle come in, brushed out so well, very well behaved, when the owner came to collect i asked where it had been before and she told me that the lady who runs the grooming parlour a few miles away will not trim the poodles top knot as she doesnt like them on dogs (says they look silly!) so they are clipped off same with Bedlingtons ears and with all dogs like Newfs, Goldies etc she clips their back ends advising poeple this is the way to go so poo doenst get stuck on their coat!

Needless to say i have had loads of her customers come in lately!
So if you see lots of poodles running around in Scotland minus the topknot you know where they have been!

Vikki
xxx

Trying my first link here...wish me luck....

http://www.dogservices.co.uk/publications/amp.shtml

Fingers crossed it's worked...

Yeeeesssss!!!! :D

The last time I looked, Monty was a Flatcoated Retriever, not a Cocker Spaniel!!! :D :D :D :D :D

Monty's Mum

sorry, it's my cats name. wasn't sure what else to call myself!!

Mmmm... Monty, meet Monty! ... could be very interesting!!! :D :D :D ;)