shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 and we both realize we need to know more about grooming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Tried that once. Never again. Groomers deserve a lot more respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Ds took him to the dog show today. He looked pretty good, but the dampness and rain made his coat kinky even though we did blow it out before we left this morning. We really need to get in touch with a Cocker groomer. We are doing a lot of guessing even after reading books and watching videos. And, yes groomers definitely earn their money. I would NEVER want to take on grooming as an occupation. Feel free to comment on our grooming---but only if you have nice things to say. In this case, I'm not even opposed to lying! (but don't tell my kids) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Tried that once. Never again. Groomers deserve a lot more respect. :iagree: And grooming a German Shepherd and a Husky is not complicated--it would just KILL my back. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Ds took him to the dog show today. He looked pretty good, but the dampness and rain made his coat kinky even though we did blow it out before we left this morning. We really need to get in touch with a Cocker groomer. We are doing a lot of guessing even after reading books and watching videos. And, yes groomers definitely earn their money. I would NEVER want to take on grooming as an occupation. Feel free to comment on our grooming---but only if you have nice things to say. In this case, I'm not even opposed to lying! (but don't tell my kids) Your dog is absolutely beautiful! How long have you been showing for? We used to do UKC and I REALLY want to get back into showing. Did you purchase your dog locally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Your dog is absolutely beautiful! How long have you been showing for? We used to do UKC and I REALLY want to get back into showing. Did you purchase your dog locally? Hooray, my shameless hint for a compliment has paid off! :D Ds only competes in showmanship through 4H currently. He might consider AKC shows later. He's been involved in 4H for 4 years, but started getting serious and taking classes about 2 years ago. His dog is on the big side for a cocker, so doesn't fit breed standard. What he really enjoys is agility. He also likes rally. Freckles is a rescue and is registered with the AKC through their Purebred Alternative listing. When we got him he was afraid of everything. Just recently he has begun to let the judges touch him without trying to back off the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Hooray, my shameless hint for a compliment has paid off! :D Ds only competes in showmanship through 4H currently. He might consider AKC shows later. He's been involved in 4H for 4 years, but started getting serious and taking classes about 2 years ago. His dog is on the big side for a cocker, so doesn't fit breed standard. What he really enjoys is agility. He also likes rally. Freckles is a rescue and is registered with the AKC through their Purebred Alternative listing. When we got him he was afraid of everything. Just recently he has begun to let the judges touch him without trying to back off the table. I know absolutely nothing about the cocker breed so I wouldn't have even guessed that he was too big. BTW- I know that everyone considers AKC to be "the one and only" but I honestly hated the AKC shows. Way too much snoodiness and politics for me. I LOVED UKC shows. Still some rudeness here and there but mostly just a bunch of friendly people. :D I was JUST looking at 4H for my kids yesterday. I think it would be a good idea for my oldest and then my other kids as they get older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I know absolutely nothing about the cocker breed so I wouldn't have even guessed that he was too big. BTW- I know that everyone considers AKC to be "the one and only" but I honestly hated the AKC shows. Way too much snoodiness and politics for me. I LOVED UKC shows. Still some rudeness here and there but mostly just a bunch of friendly people. :D I was JUST looking at 4H for my kids yesterday. I think it would be a good idea for my oldest and then my other kids as they get older. We LOVE UKC shows too. They're geographically feasible for many around the country, though. And yes, AKC is rife with politics and crap. We are proud to say, though, that our dogs are ALWAYS 1--% owner-handled. Grand Championships, obedience, rally, tracking-- ALL owner-handled and trained. astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 He looks GREAT! And your son looks so serious! Gorgeous photo! Fabulous job with the grooming-- from one who knows just how hard it is! And HUGE kudos on how far Freckles has come on the table. LOVE to hear about those accomplishments! astrid Hooray, my shameless hint for a compliment has paid off! :D Ds only competes in showmanship through 4H currently. He might consider AKC shows later. He's been involved in 4H for 4 years, but started getting serious and taking classes about 2 years ago. His dog is on the big side for a cocker, so doesn't fit breed standard. What he really enjoys is agility. He also likes rally. Freckles is a rescue and is registered with the AKC through their Purebred Alternative listing. When we got him he was afraid of everything. Just recently he has begun to let the judges touch him without trying to back off the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 I know absolutely nothing about the cocker breed so I wouldn't have even guessed that he was too big. BTW- I know that everyone considers AKC to be "the one and only" but I honestly hated the AKC shows. Way too much snoodiness and politics for me. I LOVED UKC shows. Still some rudeness here and there but mostly just a bunch of friendly people. :D I was JUST looking at 4H for my kids yesterday. I think it would be a good idea for my oldest and then my other kids as they get older. Well, I hope I won't get flamed for saying this....I prefer the bigger Cockers. Ds and I do not like the tiny things we see in the AKC rings. If you look back at the history of Cockers and look at the champions from 1950 or so, you will see a larger, more sturdy dog with a larger head. We love the Cocker personality, but Ds doesn't know if he'd go looking for one from a breeder b/c of what he sees being bred. Yes, I've heard that about the UKC. I've looked into it and there aren't as many events that are as convenient for us. I haven't ruled out UKC at some point though. Dd is showing in AKC Juniors b/c her puppy's breeders are helping her and they are a very supportive bunch who live close to our house. Two of them came out early this morning and stayed to watch the entire 4H show. I have seen what you mean at the AKC shows, but Dd has also made a few good friends there too who are not at all like that. My kids love 4H. It's been a wonderful character training tool (training animals seems to lend itself well in that area) and a great supplement to our schooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 He looks GREAT! And your son looks so serious! Gorgeous photo! Fabulous job with the grooming-- from one who knows just how hard it is! And HUGE kudos on how far Freckles has come on the table. LOVE to hear about those accomplishments! astrid I know, super serious. He did smile, but not during stacking since Freckles is a fidget. Ds still needs to learn to relax a little more. Then the dog wouldn't be so fidgety. It's sort of a vicious cycle. Oh, the table. It has been such a long process of training him to accept the judge examining him. He isn't hostile, just wants to get away. Progress, progress...that's our motto. We aren't so concerned about placements and ribbons, though they are nice too. And thank you for the compliment. Previously we shaved Freckles back and sides, but are trying to groom him more like a show groom since I am learning to show groom Dd's springer.....but they are two different animals! Different texture to the coat and much more hair to fluff out on the cocker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 We LOVE UKC shows too. They're geographically feasible for many around the country, though. And yes, AKC is rife with politics and crap. We are proud to say, though, that our dogs are ALWAYS 1--% owner-handled. Grand Championships, obedience, rally, tracking-- ALL owner-handled and trained. astrid That's how we did it, too. We tried agility but my dogs didn't have the right temperament for it...err...or I didn't have the right temperament for it. lol Some day, I would love to have a working dog of some sort. Something to pour myself in to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg_puppy Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 You did a nice job on the grooming. I have two cockers and I need to figure out how to groom them. Are you on any cocker forums? I don't post on any, but I have found Zim cockers forum to have lots of good information about cockers. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 You did a nice job on the grooming. I have two cockers and I need to figure out how to groom them. Are you on any cocker forums? I don't post on any, but I have found Zim cockers forum to have lots of good information about cockers. Janet Why, thank you! Yes, I've seen their site, but I'm off to look again. Would love to see photos of your cockers--groomed or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 She's a very low-key personality though, and I don't expect perfect results. I just groom her to make her easier to brush, and to reduce the number of burrs she picks up. As she's so easy, I feel that getting her groomed is a waste of money. She sometimes seems almost hypnotised when I brush her, like a . Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 What is this breed alternative listing???? DD would love to do AKC handling competition, but you have to have a purebred for that and we don't want to pay the $$ for another dog. DD started showing this year thru 4-H also, with a belgian malinois mix...well, we think he fits the standard fairly well except that he is smaller than normal. We've had serious leash aggression issues with him. Although he improved dramatically this year, during his 1st show the judge came up behind him and he tried to nip her, warning her off. The 2nd show went much better; he gave the judge the eye but didn't lunge. It's great that you are willing to work on training. So many people give up and become overwhelmed and discouraged. Your Dd will learn so much about training if she perseveres. About PAL.... Look here for info about PAL/ILP listing http://www.akc.org/contact/answer_center/faq_reg_requirements.cfm Basically we had to fill out the form stating what breed we thought he was and send photographs. I remember there were specific guidelines for the photographs. Oh, yes, we had to send a check too. If you call the AKC they will be very helpful. With the PAL they are then eligible to show in Juniors, but will need to register for a junior handler number. That part is free. I will say that there can be a snobbish attitude toward juniors using dogs that don't quite resemble breed standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatherineNaomi Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I think your dog grooming looks good! We have an English Springer Spaniel who requires regular grooming and it's so expensive. We ended up finding an awesome series of step by step videos on You Tube. We bought a good set of clippers and some blades and can now groom her better than the expensive place :) Definitely check out You Tube if you think it would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 I think your dog grooming looks good! We have an English Springer Spaniel who requires regular grooming and it's so expensive. We ended up finding an awesome series of step by step videos on You Tube. We bought a good set of clippers and some blades and can now groom her better than the expensive place :) Definitely check out You Tube if you think it would help. In the past I used clippers on the cocker. Now I'm learning show grooming for our Eng Springer. He's not supposed to be clipped (except on the ears, neck face & around tail) b/c Dd's showing him. I've watched some videos, and they help some, but the most helpful thing for me is to take the Springer to one of the local breeders and have them groom one half of him, leaving a line down the middle. Then I take him home and make the other half match. I'm not good enough to get it exactly right, but I have groomed him completely by myself reasonably well (then the breeder makes a few touch ups). Since Ds isn't actually showing AKC, I practice on the Cocker. It gives me practice using thinning shears and blending. Those are the areas I need help with. Also doing the feet according to show standards--all just in case Ds wants to show. It certainly takes a lot longer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg_puppy Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 Here are pictures of my cockers. These are old pictures since most of my pictures are on my husbands computer right now. They are not groomed. This is Ranger. He is a big cocker. I think he weighs about 45 pounds. This is Candy. She is our little princess. She weighs about 25 pounds. We also have a cavalier cocker mix, but I don't have any pictures of her on my computer right now. Janet Oh, boy! Those photos make me want another one! Ranger is about the size of our Freckles (the freckles are on his nose). They are both adorable! I'll have to show them to Ds. He will love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 both dog and handler look like keepers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Well, I hope I won't get flamed for saying this....I prefer the bigger Cockers. Ds and I do not like the tiny things we see in the AKC rings. If you look back at the history of Cockers and look at the champions from 1950 or so, you will see a larger, more sturdy dog with a larger head. We love the Cocker personality, but Ds doesn't know if he'd go looking for one from a breeder b/c of what he sees being bred. Yes, I've heard that about the UKC. I've looked into it and there aren't as many events that are as convenient for us. I haven't ruled out UKC at some point though. Dd is showing in AKC Juniors b/c her puppy's breeders are helping her and they are a very supportive bunch who live close to our house. Two of them came out early this morning and stayed to watch the entire 4H show. I have seen what you mean at the AKC shows, but Dd has also made a few good friends there too who are not at all like that. My kids love 4H. It's been a wonderful character training tool (training animals seems to lend itself well in that area) and a great supplement to our schooling. We don't all breed for those tiny heads and fine bones. All mine come from lines that are still used in the field. My daughter is hoping to get her girls field titles although she's gonna have to put more effort in if she's gonna get there. Your pup looked pretty nice there. Grooming them takes time, practice, and a whole lot of trial and error. Finding a breeder that will walk you through it all is always a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 We don't all breed for those tiny heads and fine bones. All mine come from lines that are still used in the field. My daughter is hoping to get her girls field titles although she's gonna have to put more effort in if she's gonna get there. Your pup looked pretty nice there. Grooming them takes time, practice, and a whole lot of trial and error. Finding a breeder that will walk you through it all is always a good idea. So good to hear. I keep forgetting about field titles. Those dogs always seem more sturdy. I suppose, like other breeds, Cockers have been somewhat divided into show and field types. I've seen some nice looking smaller Cockers too, but we do prefer them bigger. Trial and error...that accurately describes what I'm doing! It's on my list to hook up with a cocker breeder for grooming tips....but then Ds has an interest in starting Freckles on tracking and we have so much else going on. We'll have to make it a goal for next year in his 4H project bk. Then there's hope of us getting it done! How old is your Dd? My Ds sometimes forgets about the effort part! Now, of course, I'm going to ask...where are your pictures? Please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 So good to hear. I keep forgetting about field titles. Those dogs always seem more sturdy. I suppose, like other breeds, Cockers have been somewhat divided into show and field types. I've seen some nice looking smaller Cockers too, but we do prefer them bigger. Trial and error...that accurately describes what I'm doing! It's on my list to hook up with a cocker breeder for grooming tips....but then Ds has an interest in starting Freckles on tracking and we have so much else going on. We'll have to make it a goal for next year in his 4H project bk. Then there's hope of us getting it done! How old is your Dd? My Ds sometimes forgets about the effort part! Now, of course, I'm going to ask...where are your pictures? Please? Here's a couple of our last pups. I don't think I have any of the adults on this computer. My daughter is 7. She saved for a year to be able to buy her pup, and she has done all the training herself so far. I'm pretty proud of her. I don't let her do any grooming other than brushing yet though. Sorry I can't figure out how to make the pictures any smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTwinsMom1 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) http://zimfamilycockers.com/Forums/index.php is an awesome place for all things cocker. Check out their grooming forum and they have videos that show all the different areas to groom and how to do it yourself easier. I have six cockers of my own and this forum helps so much. The forum owner, Zim's, also has a great step by step video of all the different grooming types for cockers also. Forgot to say: if you have facebook I have more photos of our munchkins plus all our foster cockers on there. it's http://www.facebook.com/thetwinsmom1 I always love seeing pictures of other cocker spaniels. :) Edited July 21, 2012 by TheTwinsMom1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTwinsMom1 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Here is our gang. L to R: Crickette, Sadie, Rocky, Sarah, Logrey and Xander. We have all ranges of sizes from "Moose" to "Little One" They range in size from 16lbs to 45lbs. We love the big ones also here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg_puppy Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 This thread is very dangerous for me. I love cockers. My husband says we are at our limit with 3 dogs, but cockers are just so cute. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 This thread is very dangerous for me. I love cockers. My husband says we are at our limit with 3 dogs, but cockers are just so cute. Janet :iagree:Absolutely.................and my husband agrees with your husband! (we are at 3 too) But TheTwinsMom1 seems tobe doing fine with more than 3..........hmmmmm....... It's great to know there are so many Cocker lovers out there. Too often I get a negative reaction when we tell people Ds's dog is a Cocker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 :iagree:Absolutely.................and my husband agrees with your husband! (we are at 3 too) But TheTwinsMom1 seems tobe doing fine with more than 3..........hmmmmm....... It's great to know there are so many Cocker lovers out there. Too often I get a negative reaction when we tell people Ds's dog is a Cocker. Well an unsocialized cocker can be a dangerous dog. Unfortunately if breeders aren't careful to make sure that the home they are sending a puppy to, is going to be able to socialize the dog properly, it's not uncommon to end up with a nipper or a barker and that just gives the breed a bad name. A well socialized cocker is an amazing dog. I've rehabbed enough dog though to know that it's the same story with a lot of breeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTwinsMom1 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Yeah, cockers got a bad rep for a while due to bad breeding and training. :( We love ours and thanks to zim's I have lots of cocker friends now, and a great place to look at cocker pictures LOL. Luckily our pack works well together and everybody meshes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElaineJ Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Beautiful dogs! I used to have a job as an assistant to the dog groomers at a shop. To get hired, the head groomers had to take grooming classes and have some kind of certification (I've forgotten exactly how that all worked now since it didn't apply to my position). To be a good groomer actually takes a lot of skill, and they have to be knowledgeable about all of the different breeds they might encounter. As an uncertified person, I was only allowed to brush, bathe, dry, give flea baths, do nails, and do "strip" cuts (where all the hair is trimmed at the same length). ElaineJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa3033 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Don't be too hard on yourself, cockers are one of the most difficult styles to groom! I worked as an assistant groomer and cockers are notoriously difficult. There is definitely a learning curve, especially for the face but then it gets much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 He's beautiful and I think you guys did a great job. My husband tried to trim our shih tzu one time and I had to take him to the groomers to get repaired and they laughed quite a bit at his sad state. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 Don't be too hard on yourself, cockers are one of the most difficult styles to groom! I worked as an assistant groomer and cockers are notoriously difficult. There is definitely a learning curve, especially for the face but then it gets much easier. So, I should really post a shot of the face if I want to find out how we did. I'm not sure I want to know....as I said earlier, outright lies about the wonderful job we did are perfectly acceptable to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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