The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

Sad that what started as good intentions turned so bad....

http://www.globalanimal.org/2010/12/02/ ... eed/25768/

It is sad, but I'm not sure what he expected to happen. IMO it would have been obvious.

I feel badly for the man that did it since his intent was good and - as so many things do - the idea backfired. Once again we see that our technology has exceeded our maturity.

I dont think Moose or I have seen one. I know that there is not one near me

There are several around here and their owners love them. I don't think they've been a mistake at all!

Nothings a mistake! Everything happens for a reason.

I love the dogs but not necessarily the breeding or the high-prices people sell them for when in all honesty, they're just mix-breeds. I have many friends with them.

From a groomers perspective the 'breed' is a nightmare. It's not the dog, it's the breeders, and the owners who buy into what the 'breeders' feed them. They only need grooming once or twice a year. Umm yea, if you want their beard to be gross and stinky for 10 months out of the year. If you want them completely shaved down to the skin because they are so matted. If you want ear infections because the hair has never been pulled. The majority have poodle type coats, and thus need grooming every four to six weeks ideally.

I don't get why people buy into that. I recently had two PhD educated people ask me about a sheepadoodle. An Old English Sheepdog x Poodle. The 'breeder' stated that they NEVER need grooming and stay in a puppy cut their whole life, making them ideally suited for hotter climates. Really? A poodle, whose hair would grow like a Komondor if you let it (and went through the trouble of cording it) and an OES who would grow hair to the ground uncut, magically mixed together create a dog whose hair only grows two inches long? WOW!

The ones I groom are lovely dogs, and the owners take good care of them. They are however my highest priced dog to groom. They are massively sized, and most have the teddy bear head, poodle coats and take forever to groom.

You're right Julie. Since my friends all keep their doodles' coats clean and short, I didn't even think about how long they could get. I've always been thankful for your continued advice on the various lengths we can keep our Cockers' coats. Rugby's coat has gotten shorter as I've gotten older. Another few years, and he'll look like a Beagle!

I've groomed a cockerpoo and I would never do a labradoodle, they are much too big for me with all that coat! I hope the cockerpoo comes back a 3rd time as he's a sweetie. First time I did him with the 5/8 blade and she loved it. Second time she asked for it shorter plus she admitted he had got matted while they moved house so I did him on a 4F which was the next longest one I had, and he didn't look nearly as nice and she was quite horrified, poor lady. I promised her it would grow back in just a few weeks, and have invested in some blades in between those lengths!