The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

Hello, I think it'd be useful (for myself at least) to see the different cuts that people give their cockers.

I've read/heard different terms like Field Coat, Puppy Cut, Sport Cut, Full Coat, Natural Back etc. and I think a visual referance would be nice.

With summer approaching our pup, Lemmy is due for a visit to the groomers -- he is very much an outdoor dog who absolutely loves to jump in our pond and will be accompanying us on our outdoor adventures. I think it's safe to assume we're looking for a short cut that is easier to maintain and will keep him nice & cool in the summer. What do we tell the groomer so that he still looks like a cocker. :)

Can you post a picture of Lemmy so we know the type of coat he has? A field coat is thinner on the legs and has more of a feathery look, so you probably don't need too much in the way of grooming except for a good trim. If Lemmy has a heavier coat, though, I'd ask for a puppy cut - which is where the legs are cut short, but long enough to be "fluffy."

If you post his picture, I'm sure people can help you to figure out what to tell your groomer.

A field coat is not a cut, but actually how the hair grows - thinner and more wispy. For an active cocker, a puppy cut is great, which is kinda short all over. I keep Sadie in a puppy cut in the summer. She is black, black, black and the black tends to redden in the summer sun if left long.

MJ, I buy a shampoo for black dogs (even though my boy is blue roan and tan) and it tends to keep the deeper color during the hot summer months.

Thank you for the replies. Here are some pics of Lemmy. He's black on black on black as well.. so it may be tough to see his coat in the high-contrast against the snow.









From the descriptions, I gather he's more of a field coat. The breeder mentioned he came from more 'field' lines as well.

He looks black and white in that first photo.

He is a cutie. We keep our Molly in a puppy cut year round. She is a tom boy and loves to roll her diva butt around in the mud. As soon as I even think of growing her out she is matted with sticks, weeds and mud. Lexi we keep a little longer. She wants nothing to do with outside.

It's hard to tell, but he doesn't look field coated to me, though he hasn't got a super thick coat either. I would look around on the forum or use your own pictures of him, to actually show the groomer how long you want the hair on the body and the legs, as a 'puppy cut' to one groomer can mean a very different thing to another.

What he has in the photos is what my groomer calls a summer cut except the back, tail, and head are shaved. The ears are cocker ears.

This is SO true. Most groomers actually hate the term puppy cut, because it can mean so many different things.

If you are active in summer, I would ask for a 7F on the back, a cocker head, and 3 3/4 on the legs.

It would look like this dog in the middle. You could have the ears shortened. It's still a little bit of a cocker cut, just short and very manageable.

I've just bought myself a 3 3/4 blade Julie and now I can't wait for my cocker to come next week that has a cut a bit like that so I can try it out!

Thanks for all the advice in this thread. After reading it and some of the other posts in this forum, I decided to get some Andis clippers, a 3 3/4 FC, 7FC and the 10 the clippers came with, follow Julie's post(s) above and have at it myself (wow they have a lot of hair! ) I was surprised how well it turned out and Lemmy seems happier and cooler.

What I would ask is? How active is your dog? Does he get to run free at a dog park? Do you want long fur on the legs and body? As Julli said a seven fine or a ten on the back then how far do you want that to cut down the sides. I cut more fur off of the ears about two thirds down there length on both sides with a seven or a ten, I like the seven my wife likes the ten look.

I think Jim Zim, goes three blade wide from the center of the spine in his films.

Joe, we live in dog heaven -- 73 acres with a pond Lemmy finds irresistible particularly in this heat wave we're going through. There's lots of tall grass, forest, and burrs that love to get matted in his fur. The dog gets the run of the place (supervised) leash free and loves flushing birds I also camp (up in your neck of the woods actually -- across the lake on the french).

He's very active and almost refuses to put on weight no matter how much he eats.

I clipped him with a 7 on the neck, back, sides, tummy and 3 3/4 on the legs. 10 on his throat down to the chest and about a 1/3rd of the way down his ears. Still trying to figure out what to do about his head.. for now i used the 7 there too. Perhaps it's not the ideal 'cocker' cut but I think it will work well for our / his lifestyle.

That is one interesting do Joe.Is that the same dog that is in your avatar?

It just goes to show you can cut your cocker any way YOU like it. Jim likes his mohawk topknots Joe likes his fringed ears. whatever floats your boat.

Julie, just have to mention that this picture of three of your dogs is one of my favorites!

Same dog, Jullie. Doesn't need all that hair now retired. He's a working dog! Doesn't need that pretty cocker look any more.

If my dog had that large of a run, it would be shorter that the center dog in Jullie's photo.

Sorry for that hair-dew as his mother dries his fur not me, got to make her happy. I keep on telling her to finish him off he's to wet! She likes that Shirley Temple look. He gets dirty and needs a shower every five to six days.

The bottom is shaved also with a ten or seven, to stop the matting on all four leg pits. We hike the bike trails, paved paths, and the dirty up hill roads and down hilly roads with that nasty car brake dust doesn't brush off. No side walks. Doesn't sit in the house to look pretty. Most of the time we don't need to trim his nails as he grinds them down. This really isn't a chore with him too so lucky

Can I trust him not to run out on the street you bet! Loves the kids. Sorry he doesn't have any to play with.
Four ticks and they looked really sick not enjoying his blood and no fleas. Yes, ticks came from those PM messages on the weeds. Got pee mails.

I wasn't referring to the curly hair, just the fringy ears, and toupee topknot.

Not a single one of my dogs has the same haircut, I've got one with a stripped back and shortish puppy cut, one shaved naked (mostly due to a surgery) one in a four all over (also due to a medical emergency) one in a long puppy cut with a four on her back, and one with shorter body and skirt and longer legs. All have traditional cocker heads with topknots like show dogs and long ears. It's all about what you like on your dog.

People should know when I give grooming advice it's usually a traditional look I'm advising on, not my preferences.

Thanks Marianne. I liked it too.