Tool box Cost under $5,
Stack-on Tool ToteEvery Cocker owner needs a few basic tools to keep their pet groomed. Like most hobbies, I sometimes wondered if I was getting carried away. No trip to a pet store or dog show was complete unless I looked over the grooming tools. Some have proven useful, some substitutes for other tools, while some just lie in the bottom of my tool kit.
In later reflection, I realize these tools have paid for themselves, both in grooming costs and in vet bills. Putting the financials aside, this has turned pet ownership into a hobby and I find I enjoy my pets more.
Below I show my favorite tools. I suggest you start small and add new tools as needed. I collected these tools over 5 years, grooming 5 Cockers with widely different coats. With my current pets, I use about half these tools frequently. The others have been useful in the past. All these tools are still being manufactured.
Tool box Cost under $5,
Stack-on Tool ToteAs odd as it may seem, my tool box is probably the most important tool I own. Personally I opted for a pair of open totes, one for commonly used tools, another for the various items used less often.
Before buying the tote, tools and medicines were scattered around the house in drawers, cupboards and the top of the fridge. I found my pets were groomed less often because each session became a hunt for the proper tools. In this one tote I keep all the tools shown on this page, with the exception of the large clippers, which are kept in their carrying case.
Combs and brushes $5-12,
variousThe first tool purchased by Cocker owners is a comb or brush. The pet store selection is overwhelming, each claiming to be the best. I have tried dozens... but these are the best.
The double ended comb (lower left) has wide teeth for thick coats, and fine teeth for the fine hair on ears. This comb, combined with a detangling rake, are all the basic tools needed for many pets. Various manufacturers, $5-8.
The detangling rake (right center) has a razor blade embedded in a protective covering. As it is pulled through matted fur, it cuts through the mats. I used a wet stone to sharpen the blade and reduce pulling of the fur. Some models have multiple blade, but I find they pull too hard and make grooming less comfortable. 4 Paws.
The card block (left top) has hundreds of spring wire teeth. After a thorough combing, the fur is blocked. This removes loose hair and gives the hair that silky, "poofy" look. Care should be used short hair to avoid scratching the skin underneath. Sergeants.
The grooming blade (top right) looks like a saw blade, leather handles. It can be used single handed, as shown, or unsprung to be held in both hands. The serrated edge is used down the dog's back, front to rear, to remove loose hair. Both dogs and cats seem to like their backs scratched with this blade, and you'll like it because there's that much less fur to fall off on the carpet. After a bath it's useful to "rake" excessive water from your pet's back. 4 Paws, $12.
I tried several "odd" combs, each claiming to work. Most didn't live up to my expectations. One exception was the varied-tooth comb (lower right). Especially useful for grooming ears, it can be held loosely in the hand, so it will "turn" rather than pull tangles. On a light combing, the widely spaced teeth "bite", with the other teeth coming into play as tangles are removed. I generally follow up with the double ended comb or with the card block. Wonder Fluff, $6.
Toe careCockers have hairy feet, which can make foot care more difficult. If hair is kept trimmed from between the toes and between the pads, the feet will stay drier, they will track less, and have better traction on slippery floors. This will reduce the number of foot infections and make nail care much simpler.
If your dog has sensitive (ticklish) feet, here's a tip for making grooming easier. Apply a bit of gum numbing jell (Oragel, Ambasol, etc.) between the toes and pads. His feet will soon be numb, and he won't squirm around as much. The effect takes 3 to 5 minutes to "set" but it wears off in half an hour.
I find the standard nail clipper is the best design. They are simple to use and maintain. The clipper should be kept clean and sharp. Most clippers come with a spare blade, but this is always lost before it's needed. Spare blades are sold separately.
Toe nails on your dog are a hardened protein, which grows around a "quick". The quick is very sensitive and bleeds freely if clipped. The idea is to cut the nail as short as possible, without cutting the quick. If you should cut into the quick, don't panic. The blood flow can be quickly stopped by applying alum or corn starch. Lucky has ticklish feet, so I clipped his nails too short twice. 2 years later, he's beginning to trust me again.
It is best to clip toenails frequently. If your dog's nails are long, remove 1/4" each week until they are of proper length. As the nail is clipped, the quick will withdraw. After this, keep an eye on their growth. Usually a monthly clipping will keep them short and smooth. Some dogs have clear toenails, so it is easy to see the quick. On dogs like Lucky, with black nails, I remove just past the "tapered" portion of the nail.
If the clippers are sharp, they leave the ends of the nail squared, with sharp edges. Dull clippers will splinter or crush the nail and can hurt the quick. These sharp edges must be removed. Special nail files are available, but require some patience on your part.
My vet showed me an excellent way to trim nails on my parrot. Dremel sells a battery powered tool, with a rotary sanding attachment. When charged, I can trim nails 6 or 8 times before recharging. After 2 years, I'm still on the same sanding wheel. When it begins to slow, I turn the unit on to completely drain the battery before charging. $40, Dremel Mini-Mite, with spare attachments.
With this tool, I don't have to clip as deeply into the nail, and can avoid the quick. If you should happen to sand into the quick, the heat cauterizes the wound. Nails can be quickly shortened and rounded, and my pets prefer shorter nail clipping sessions. I would suggest wearing a filter to avoid breathing the dust, and placing a light towel over your dog's face when doing the front nails. Flying dust is the main drawback to this type of clipping.
ScissorsEveryone who grooms their pets needs at least one pair of scissors. As a novice, I used whatever scissors were lying around the house. After all, scissors are scissors, right? After visiting a local dog show, I visited the vendor section outside... and was introduced to more types of scissors than I thought possible. These are available in an almost endless array of size, shape, and cost. Starting around $15 for a good pair, they range to over $100 and finishes range from stainless steel to brass to gold. A wide variety are available, especially from German manufacturers.
When looking for a good pair of scissors, find a pair that are comfortable and can be picked up with one hand. Blunt tips are always a good idea, especially for those used around the face and ears. You never know when your pet will turn.
For general clipping, I have a pair of inexpensive scissors (top). Their longer blades are good for trimming the feathers and skirts, where long strait cuts are needed. $8
Trimming the ear flaps called for a different set of scissors. Blunt tips are necessary in this area, and I opted for a set with a slight curve in the blade (center left). These also work well in trimming hair between toes and around toenails. $18, Millers Forge.
Trimming inside the ear canal required a smaller set of scissors. I chose a pair with enlarged blunt tips (center right) and found these also work especially well on foot pads. $20, Fromm Ice Stainless.
No set of scissors is complete without a set of thinning scissors (bottom). The larger blade has a number of teeth, each with a U shaped leading edge. On many dogs, the feathering is too heavy to lay properly. These blades are used to thin and taper the feathering so it lays more "naturally". I've seen it done in the grooming shops, but I have trouble with this grooming technique. When I'm finished, instead of a smooth transition, it looks more like it was trimmed with a weed whacker.
ClippersWhen I brought home Buddy, I loved to see him looking his best. This isn't just owner pride. When your pet looks and smells good, he receives more attention. Cockers love to be crooned over, and told they are pretty dogs. For $20, Buddy came home dipped, clean, and neatly groomed, with little blue bows in his ears, wagging so hard he could barely stand. BTW, keeping your pet tangle free will cut your grooming costs. Average cost of grooming a Cocker is quoted at $30-60.
Buddy was an exceptionally hairy dog. On a bimonthly grooming, he'd give up 1/3 of a grocery sack of fur. With weekly bathes and grooming, a clip would last a month before he needed another visit to the groomers. With the purchase of an inexpensive set of clippers, I was able to extend his grooming visits to a 3 month schedule, while keeping him healthy and happy. Eventually, I took over most of the clipping of my pets, visiting the professionals less and less frequently.
Hair clippers vary widely in cost and quality. The Wahl clippers (left) start under $20, while professional clippers, like the Oster (right), are priced at $100 and up. A wide variety of optional clipper heads are also available.
Wahl markets a number of different clipper packages. They all come with combs, which are attached to space the clipper head further out, allowing various lengths of clip. Some kits come with scissors, hair combs, and even a video on clipping your pet. For general clipping, I prefer the Wahl model MC and would recommend it for any beginner. Notice the lever on the side of the Wahl clippers (white). This slides the upper and lower blades forwards and backwards. When slid together, the clip is shorter for clipping around the eyes, when slid apart, the cut is slightly longer, for trimming the head and inside ear flaps. The longer clip helps avoid "stubble" which can cause your pet to scratch.
When buying your clippers, look around. 5 years ago, Wahl marketed their HomeCut model in one color for people, the same clipper in a different color for use on pets. Side by side at K-mart, the HomeCut was $10 cheaper, and it occasionally went on sale. In the pet stores the clippers were sometimes priced even higher. I picked up my first set for $18. With moderate to heavy use on two pets, these last about 2 years. Eventually they will begin to "growl" intermittently, which scares my dogs. I gave my first clippers away when they began showing signs of wear, and I've nearly worn out my second set.
I picked up the Oster model a couple years ago, because I do a lot of heavy clipping. I also picked up the optional "gap tooth" clipper head, about $35. In this head every other tooth is much longer. This allows a heavy coat to be sheared, while leaving enough length to avoid razor burn. The tips of the teeth are sharp very sharp, so some care must be taken when shaving around the neck "rolls". I find they do a quick, professional job. They are much heavier and the cord tends to twist the clippers in your hand. Their round shape and heaviness makes them more awkward than the Wahl.
Your clipper must be maintained properly. This includes keeping it oiled and cleaned. Allow the clipper heads to cool frequently. One mistake I made was to clip my dog's body, working down to more sensitive areas, like the feet and belly. By this time the clippers were quite warm and uncomfortable. The solution here is to split up your grooming session into several sessions, or to own more than one pair of clippers. Even though I own two sets, I like to split my sessions to avoid stressing my pets.
Between clipping pets, use a good head cleaner. This will clean out excessive buildups, and sterilize the clipper heads. Pour a little cleaner into a shallow dish and immerse the clipper heads into the cleaner, while they are running. When done, remove, clean, dry and oil your heads.
One additional item is needed to make a clipping complete, the requisite doggy bone. Most grooming shops give these out liberally, but I'm more stingy with treats. Give too many treats and they lose their special appeal. Each treat should be given with enthusiasm, so the dog knows they are something special, only given out because he was very good. Treats of cheese used to give out pills. Doggy bones are given for clippings and bathes. A vitamin or half a bone might be given out for sitting well while ear medicine is applied. Your pet will be as happy when receiving a small bone as when receiving the larger size, and he won't gain excessive weight.
If you plan on showing your dogs professionally, you'll need to learn from a professional. For the rest of us, a bit of experimenting is allowable. This isn't brain surgery. One of the best groomers I've met started when she was 12 years old, practicing on the family pet... and now she does show quality grooming. If you make a mistake, it will grow back. At worse, you can always visit a professional groomer. Just tell 'em it was my fault. I've been there. I blamed it on the kids. (Just kidding.)