Working Cocker Spaniel Grooming Styles
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Different Working Cocker Spaniel grooming styles by dog groomer Rebecca Goutorbe. Gundog grooming service available here at K9 Dog Grooming in Matlock, Derbyshire. Prices start from £35
The Working Cocker Spaniel
One of my favourite breeds of dog to groom is the Working Cocker Spaniel. I’ve always been a Gundog person but after photographing the Working Gundog events for the Kennel Club. Which included photographing the Spaniel Working tests at Chatsworth 2016 – 2018 and the Cocker Championship in 2018 at Sandringham. The Working Cockers really are an impressive dog to watch work.
Working Cocker Spaniel cut styles
- Natural cut
- Tidy up
- Clipped
- Short
- Puppy cut
Natural cut
The natural cut is what it say’s. A natural look, as the Working Cocker Spaniel should look. Most Working Cocker owners want this look for their dog.
- Long Spaniel ears, trimmed behind / underneath the ears. Any knots removed, knots behind the ears is quite normal for Cocker Spaniels. But seem to happen overnight.
- Feet trimmed
- The feathers (hair on the back of the legs and underneath) tidied up, but not cut too short.
- Not clipped with the dog clippers on the back.
Hand stripping
Some Working Cockers will ideally need the coat on their backs hand stripping. I don’t offer hand stripping as a service any more.
Alternative to hand stripping
I do offer an alternative to hand stripping which is with the Premium Andis de-shedding tool (the black one). This alternative will depend if the dog is neutered or not. Neutering a dog or bitch over time will change the condition of the coat, it will go fluffy and sometime woolly. Every dog is different and it is possible for your dog to still resemble breed type by just being tidied up.
Tidy up
The tidy up is very similar to the natural look style wise. But is usually a term I use for the neutered Working Cocker Spaniels which I groom. Owners which don’t want their dog clipping but also wonder what has happened to the dogs hair. Because the coat has gone light in colour, fluffy on the legs and it sticks out at the sides. The best solution to this is a tidy up with thinning scissors. Which will create the natural look again of the Working Cocker.
Clipped
The clipped Working Cocker haircut style is the dog clipped with the dog clippers. This is usually the hair cut for those which have been neutered for a while. As the dog hair over time on a neutered Spaniel will get thicker and thicker. The same happens to a Setters coat too when they have been neutered. This is a popular Working Cocker Spaniel hair cut, clipped with dog clippers, and creates a neat and tidy trim. Below are some before and after examples of clipped Cockers.
Before
After
Before
After
Short
The short hair cut or the shave off for Working Cocker Spaniels. This is a very short all over cut with the dog clippers, which a lot of clients like. The hair cut lasts longer, the ears can be left long to keep the Working Cocker look.
Dog grooming video
The video is of a Working Cocker Spaniel clipped off who was very matted. The dog got very matted through Covid-19 when most dog groomers had to close.
Working Cocker Spaniel puppy hair cut
I’ve had lots of Working Cocker Spaniel puppies in for their first puppy groom. It is usually just a small tidy up trimming wise and a bath. The pups usually end up with their front legs over my shoulder when it comes to the dog hair dryer and getting them dry.
Get used to coming to the dog groomers
This groom is more about getting the puppy used to everything that will happen at the groomers. More importantly the puppy needs to feel safe and happy on the first groom and the whole experience be a positive one.
Dog grooming tools for Working Cocker Spaniels
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