If you have a cocker, do you get it clipped?

[GinGeum]

We rescused a cocker a few months ago, and she came to us with very very short hair (totally scalped) because her previous owner hadn't groomed her at all, so she was matted right back to the skin

Her hair is growing back beautifully now, but DP and I are torn on how to groom her going forward.

She's really small for a cocker, so her belly is quite close to the ground, and we live on a farm. She gets very muddy. Often the mud gets clogged up in her fluffy feet, so at the moment I wash her feet after a walk, and then brush out any dried mud in her coat in the evenings. We haven't reached the full depth of winter yet, so I'm not sure if this will get worse.

We originally thought we would get her cut in Spring, but now I'm wondering if it would be better to just keep her fur shorter all year round. This is DP's preference.

What do you all do? We are new to long haired dogs, so any advice at all would be very gratefully received. She has very fine fur compared to our terrier!

[BiteyShark]

I have one and we have him clipped every 6 weeks. I have his legs and paws cut very short and vary the length on his back and belly depending on whether it's summer or winter.

Given that we go for walks in muddy forests and boggy fields this way it's easy to rinse him off and dry him. The downside is that everyone mistakes him for being younger than he is as he has what looks like a 'puppy cut'

[GinGeum]

I think that might be the way for us to go too, Bitey - ours looked very puppy like when we first got her, and everyone thought I meant '5 months' when they'd ask how old she is and I'd reply with just '5' - she's nearly 6 years old!

[gandalfspants]

Our adult (working) cocker isn’t all that fluffy so we don’t have her clipped. I trim the hobbit feet and the trailing bits on her back legs so she doesn’t get clogged with mud.

The younger one doesn’t have her full coat yet so we shall see.

I’m not a huge fan of how they look when they’ve been clipped so I’d rather trim if I can get away with it.

[bigsighall]

Yep. Short legs and belly. Long on top for winter and short for summer. I clip him myself... he looks like he's been chewed up but he doesn't seem to care

[Rumblemumble]

Our cocker is kept short all over all year round. He makes a beeline for every puddle/patch of muddy grass etc so it much easier to keep him clean and he smells less. He also get mistaken for a pup even though he’s almost 9!

[mummyflood]

I always ask our groomer from head to tail; trim bottom of ears, feet nice and neat, trim (not shave) his body, feathers off his legs/hocks but leave some on his bum, and leave his tail feathery. (he is only partially docked) He is smooth-coated (working type) with a slight wave on his back, and almost 2. He always looks fab-they do a lovely job. I wouldnt want any part of him any shorter, and he is pretty easy like this to look after, i.e. bathing, drying, etc.

[Liz38]

Don't clip! Wrecks their coat. It's designed by nature to be warm and waterproof and if it is clipped off it can't work and will not grow back properly. Wet dog bags are amazing, Google them. Thick towelling that you put your wet muddy dog into until it's dry. Dry dog comes out with mud and muck left inside. Shake the bag out and reuse, wash periodically. The cockers i had growing up always loved their bags, they were warm and snugly and the dogs just snoozed in them till they'd dried. The time you spend grooming lets you check for cuts, grazes, lumps and bumps and is a really important part of caring for your dog.

[Liz38]

Sorry, should have said yay for rescuing her and I hope you have a lovely time with her. They are the best!

[GinGeum]

Liz she's already been clipped previously by the rescue.

I've booked in to chat to a groomer on Wednesday. I don't know what we'll have done but I know she needs her feet doing if nothing else! She gets stones stuck in her fluffy feet when they're clogged up with mud, which isn't great.

[Spudlet]

I do mine myself. I find groomers can go a bit clipper happy and give him a very short ‘do’ - I prefer a little bit of fluff left on for warmth! I don’t use the guides but I guess I give him the equivalent of a number 3 all over, bar his tail and ears which I trim to sensible (ie. non twig snagging lengths) while leaving some feather on. In summer, I go a bit shorter but still not as short as the pros I’ve used.

Not a great picture and he is due a trim, when we have a suitable day (I do him outdoors) but you get the idea I hope. I think he looks very handsome (not necessarily due to my handiwork mind you), but I am highly biased

[BiteyShark]

Yes I agree we probably have ruined his coat by clipping but it's done now so we just keep him short and tidy but his legs and feet will always be clipped short.

[GinGeum]

Aahh Spud he is lovely. I've attached photo of ours when we first got her, and how she is now her fur has grown a bit. I think her ears have grown an inch in two months!

[BiteyShark]

Awww lovely pics

[Spudlet]

Sweet girl She looks lovely, and she’s growing her dog wig back too! Mine is a rescue as well - reading between the lines, he was overfed, undertrained, and stopped being a cute puppy . So he was out on his ear at 18 months old. He’s 10 now, drives me demented with his rolling in and devouring of poo and dead stuff, and keeps claiming to be deaf (until you rustle a packet, of course). But I do love him, the little grotbag ❤️

[GinGeum]

I think our poor girl was probably always matted in her first home. If you put a harness on her or brush her, she almost winces as if it's going to be agony, the poor thing. She's probably remembering being brushed when covered head to toe in tangles

[holdbackonthewine]

Ours is very curly for a cocker. Apparently it would be seen as a “design fault” if we wanted to show her, which we don’t! She’s beautiful and a lovely sable colour. She goes every 6-8 weeks as otherwise she gets matted and too hot. We started off with a lady who specialises in cockers and was a breeder. She trimmed her well but facilities were basic and she didn’t bathe the dogs so she now goes to a salon where the waiting list is longer than my hairdresser, ridiculously! She still shakes going in (like at the vet) but seems to enjoy it and comes home happy. Until she sees her brother (different breed) who doesn’t recognise her smell and tries to mount her.

[Spudlet]

Oh bless her, poor love. You might have tried this already, but if she’s a foody, you could try Primula cheese or liver paste in a tube. You can let her lick the end while you groom her, which will distract her and help to build a positive association with brushing too. (Apologies if this advice is not needed).

She might be nervous about clipping too, would perhaps be worth talking to the rescue centre for advice. Definitely, if you use a groomer, make sure you get recommendations for a patient, gentle one, and tell them about her history. The first groomer I used was chaotic - there were loose dogs everywhere running around and barking! We never went back there. I found a lovely, calm lady whose parlour was like a dog spa - it’s a two hour round trip away now or I’d still use her now.

[holdbackonthewine]

Liz38 we tried not to for about 2 years I think she just IS curly like me!

[GinGeum]

Any advice is always welcome! She will let me brush her, and as time has gone on, she is getting more trusting, but her initial reaction is still to cower a bit. She will do anything for a belly rub, so often I rub her belly while trying to get mud off her legs

The lady I've found runs a very small salon from her home, and just has one dog at a time which I thought would be best for her. She's a very happy little thing, but I don't think she needs the added stress of other dogs around.

[bluetongue]

No advice on clipping (whippet owner!) but just wanted to say she is gorgeous and good on you for rescuing her

[littlemissneela]

I clip mine only because she hates being groomed and she gets matted. Her coat was ruined after being spayed anyway, so its not worth the hassle for me to keep her feathers long. You could clip her now for winter and then see how it grows come spring. You might find an ideal length. Or you can just clip her belly and legs and keep her back and ears long. I have to say after doing winters with long and short coats, its much easier with the short.

[GinGeum]

Ah thank you blue - I should be thanking everyone on here really for recommending the rescue, I wouldn't have found her otherwise!

neela maybe it will just be a bit of trial and error then, and see which way we find easier to manage!