Working_Setters Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 (edited) I have 2 young (10 month) Irish setters. They are working (field) dogs and I'm starting to have a problem with them collecting grass seeds. The breeder clips all her dog twice a year and recommends I do the same, so I'd like to learn the basics of clipping/grooming. I don't need anything too fancy, since I don't show my dogs, just interested in keeping the dogs cool in summer and reducing the amount of grass seed they pick up. The breeder recommended I use a "show clip", (behing the ears, chest and hocks). Can anybody recommend a good dog groomer (Brisbane), that has experience clipping setters and will be happy for me to watch/learn as they do my dogs? Alternatively are there any experienced setter show people out there that would be willing to teach me how to clip my dogs? TIA Edited September 9, 2005 by Working_Setters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Yoooo Hoooo Showdog, Miranda!!! Working Setters those DOLers should be able to give you some tips. In the meantime, is there any way you can post some pics of your dogs? You don't see many working Setters these days and I'd love to see them. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Working_Setters Posted September 10, 2005 Author Share Posted September 10, 2005 (edited) Hi Poodlefan Thanks for you reply and for your interest in my dogs, I've posted a pic in the photo section under my name "working setters". If you're interested in seeing more working reds, I'd recommend the following site kilsheelan Edited September 10, 2005 by Working_Setters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Hi Working Setters, I don't know of anyone in Brisbane who could teach you to clip your dogs, but showdog who is more conversant with Irish may be able to help you. I do know of someone near Toowoomba, but that would be too far for you. If you want to do a show clip you will need to purchase some clippers plus a no. 10 blade would probably be the best for your purposes. You will also need some thinning shears with one straight edge and one serrated edge. I have some diagrams here, but you will find it much easier if you can find someone to show you how it's done. I can scan the diagrams and send them to you if you're interested, they are actually for a Gordon Setter, but the three setter breeds are all clipped in basically the same way. What lines are your dogs from? Sandy's? Are you intending to work your dogs in summer? Just wondered because of the problems with snakes. Anyway it's nice to have another setter person on DOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-time Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Hi there! Welcome to DOL! You could try Caroline Pearen (Hi-perelle Irish) She's just bought kennels at Greenbank. She has show Irish though... With my local Irish Setters, we oil them up for working - those grass seeds are an absolute pain in the rear end - and the BURRS Greasy dog for a day or 2 while you're in the field but believe me, totally easy to brush out. Incidently, not doing trials, just herding cattle!!! For that kind of thing, we just use Olive Oil or a good vege oil but if you want to be fancy, Plush Puppy has Seabreeze Oil. If your dogs swim, it's not worth using an expensive oil. Just drench them in it the day before you go out - NO COUCHES PLEASE! - brush it through and the next day they won't look like such big drips! The burrs and grass seeds just slip out! If you don't mind an "odd" look about the dog, just buy some clippers and take off the feathering with them and trim the bulk of the body where the feathering meets, with thinning scissors as recommended by Miranda. The thinning scissors "blend" the hair so the you don't get ugly demarcation lines where you've been clipping. It takes a while but hey, if you're not showing them, you can afford to learn from your mistakes! Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 If you don't mind an "odd" look about the dog, just buy some clippers and take off the feathering with them Oh t-time as a show person this idea horrifies me. I can see the practicality of it, but the thought of it......... All that lovely Irish feathering, such a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alainnah Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 i have a 13mth old english setter as a pet, should i clip his feathers for summer as we will be at the beach lots and they will probably get sandy and matted. also, he gets excited whenever i brush him and tries to eat the brush/comb. what techniques does everyone use when grooming long-coated dogs, particularly setters? TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Working_Setters Posted September 10, 2005 Author Share Posted September 10, 2005 (edited) Miranda, Thanks for the advice, breeder recommended no.10 blade also. I'm hoping to find somebody around Brisbane to show me how to clip, but if I get desperate I'll contact you for those diagrams. No I'd never work my dogs during the summer, snakes and heat are dog killers. I'm constantly worried about snakes, I've seen them in Vic in the middle of winter, just never know when or where they'll turn up. Heat is a lot more predictable, if it's a warm day to humans, keep a very careful eye on any hard working dog. I've just returned to Oz after 4 years in the USA, the opening day of the 2003 South Dakota pheasant season was an unseasonably warm day, over 100 dogs died from heat exhaustion. Heat and hard running dogs is an ugly combination. I'm just wanting to clip my two now to help them through the Brisbane's sub-tropical summer, will clip again prior the season to cut down on grass seeds. The only "work" my dogs get during the summer is long runs on the beach. Pups are from John/Robyn Gaskin in New Zealand, I put the link to their website in a previous message. As it turned out the Gaskin's had two unrelated litters only 2 weeks apart and I took a pup from each litter. The dam of my bitch pup was imported from Ireland and the sire of my dog pup was imported from Sweden, the other parents are kiwi locals. I was in the paddock with Sandy earlier this year, she had a very fast and exciting dog with her that she'd imported from Sweden (I think). Sandy has imported some nice working blood and I'll very interested in using some when it comes time to breed my pups. t-time , thanks for the olive oil tip. I've heard of working Springer people doing the same thing. Quick question, if you olive/veggie oil, do the dogs enjoy the taste and lick it off? Cheers Edited September 10, 2005 by Working_Setters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Most working setters have such little hair as it is it isnt worth clipping & what they do have gives them protection. Once you clip the coat it ruins the texture & grows back odd colurs & often cottony. Personally i would by a dog suit from the states which protects the coat plus lets them work still or just put the hardwork in in. As for oils just purchase the avon skin so soft Most of the field working setters that are aslo showen with massive coats are still keeped in coat . A 10# will be fairly severe on a fine coat ,depending on the coat & if you truely want to trim the feathering of i would use a #4 or#3 stills leaves a little covering without scalping it .I use a 10/15# on the throats & that leaves it very short Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-time Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 We don't clip them Miranda - that's just what the OP wanted to do! Working lines (generally in the smaller English lines) have shorter coats anyway so they don't get bogged down in the bog! No 30cm feathering here! Showdog, not talking about shearing the entire dog, just the feathering God, they look ridiculous enough without feathers, let alone naked I'm talking about leaving the body of the coat at natural length and just clipping off the feathers only. I haven't ever done this myself, just have seen it and had a look at how it was done. I agree, the coat is needed for protection. Think about sunburn too Working Setter even though you won't have your dogs out working in Summer. They need their coat. Sunsuits are great, I have one for my TT but they can't be worn in the field. And what's the point in clipping them all off and then BUYING a suit when the dogs' coat did the original job properly. ;) Also Working Setter, are you kind-of thinking that you should be clipping them simply to keep cool in Summer? If that's the case, that theory is a little out-of-fashion now. I remember we always used to get our Newfie shorn but that was in the 70/80s. Those big fluffy coats IMHO are a bit hot still in Summer but the theory is that they offer insulation against the weather - all weather. But I still remember what Emma was like after a clip - danced around like a puppy!! Still, really not necessary with Irish Setters. I don't think you'll find a single setter person who completely clips their dogs off for "comfort" just because they live in Qld. The Setters adapt to the heat and just use regular cooling methods for your dogs, shade, a damp towel in their kennels/cages, ice packs, spray bottles... Do they swim? Also, here in Qld, the temperatures do tend to get you by suprise. It might be 35 degrees during the day so when it drops to 20 degrees in the evenings, you really start feeling chilly! And a dog without a coat would feel the same way... Olive oil: The dogs don't seem to be fussed with the taste but then, they are bathed first and then oiled up - the shampoo/conditioner smell is still there. I've used Avon Skin So Soft as well, but Olive oil is still cheaper! Mind you SSS smells yummy! Whoever it was about the beach - don't clip off your doggies! Just give them a good proper hosing after they've been or get them hydrobathed the day after. A bit of sand is not going to give them matts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 T- time i now that thats why i said feathering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Working_Setters Posted September 11, 2005 Author Share Posted September 11, 2005 Just back from a training event, out of a dozen dogs, my bitch was rated #1 in the field, not so strong in the retrieving thou. Yep, my dogs swim and generally loll about in the water to cool off. They have a toddlers wadding pool in their run to help keep cool. I'm not wanting to clip body hair, just the fuzzy stuff behind the ears that always gets matted, the front of the chest/throat (again more fuzzy stuff) and between the toes, collects grass seeds which can be FATAL. I would not be above using clippers/scissors to shorten feathering and under body hair if it were collecting too many seeds. I understand many of you are show folk and would find this idea horrific, but to me it's just hair and my primary concern is functionality. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me true beauty is a brace of setters flowing over the ground with a fast, smooth and athletic ground eating gait, then the intensity and intelligence they show when working birds. Thanks for suggesting Caroline Pearen, I'll get in touch and see if she'll help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Working Setters, if you haven't got much coat on your dogs you may manage with just thinning shears and you can use ordinary scissors on the feet, I usually use the thinning shears, but ordinary scissors will be quicker. Just put your thumb between the toes and flick the hair up and then, with the points of the scissors pointing towards the dog's leg, just cut it off. When you've done that lift the dog's paw up and cut off the hair under the foot and at the rear of the pastern. Behind the ears put the thinning shears into the coat (against the lie of the hair), cut and comb out. Keep going until you've got out enough hair then turn the scissors so that you're going in the same direction that the hair grows and trim any remaining hair that may be sticking out. You can do the same on the throat, but it's slightly harder because you're trimming a concave area so be careful that you don't cut into the dog's skin. You'll soon get used to the technique If you don't have any scissors and you have to buy some I would recommend that you buy a good brand ($100+) as the cheap ones don't work as well, they're much harder on your hands and they don't last. Good grooming equipment is a must IMO if you want to get the best results. Yes Sandy imported an Irish and a Gordon from Sweden, I don't know the breeding of the Irish, but the Gordon is from Zettertjarns Kennel one of the top working kennels in Scandinavia. If you want me to send you those grooming diagrams PM me your email address and I'll send them to you. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Also, here in Qld, the temperatures do tend to get you by suprise. It might be 35 degrees during the day so when it drops to 20 degrees in the evenings, you really start feeling chilly! Wow t-time you'd die of hypothermia in Melbourne, quite often our summer day temperatures aren't much more than 20 degrees. You're spoiled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 also, he gets excited whenever i brush him and tries to eat the brush/comb. what techniques does everyone use when grooming long-coated dogs, particularly setters?TIA! Alainnah brush him on a table instead of on the ground, you can buy proper grooming tables, but any table will do, just make sure that you put something on it so that he doesn't slip. If you still have trouble purchase a grooming arm, these attach to the table with a clamp and have a noose (collar) which you put the dog's head into and it will stop him moving around while you groom him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alainnah Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 thanks for that Miranda, also wondering what order should i be grooming him in (if that makes sense) eg. slicker brush first then bristle brush all over? whats the best place to buy good grooming tools, the ones we have at the moment are starting to die (a bit chewed) in melbourne? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Working_Setters Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 (edited) Hi Miranda, Many thanks for your advice and suggestions. If you don't have any scissors and you have to buy some I would recommend that you buy a good brand ($100+) as the cheap ones don't work as well, they're much harder on your hands and they don't last. Any suggestions as to the best brand to buy? TIA Edited September 12, 2005 by Working_Setters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-time Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Sorry Showdog - I'm confusing myself now! :D My apologies. OP- Congrats on your #1 rating!! How excellent! WELL DONE!! Would like to come and see one day. Miranda - do you use a slicker on the Gordons? Just asking 'cos we don't on the Irish..pin brush and a greyhound comb. Showdog, what would you use? Just wondering if it's a heavier coat type thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 t-time no I don't use a slicker brush at all nor do I use a pin brush, at the moment I'm using a Plush Puppy anti-stat brush that I purchased at Sydney Royal (30% off ) and I'm finding it very good. I also have three combs, coarse medium and fine. However everyone uses different equipment so if you're happy with the gear you're using and getting the results you want stay with it Alainnah as I just posted I don't use a slicker brush at all, I actually can't stand the things and just use a bristle brush. I use a very fine comb and a stone to remove dead hair and for the topline. But grooming is an individual thing so if it suits you go for it. I buy clippers, blades and scissors from Mega Pet in Ringwood and I usually get brushes, combs etc. from Pet Network in Mitcham. Pet Network also have an online ordering service. Working Setters I'm currently using Roseline straight edge and thinning scissors, from memory they were around $150 each, but you can get cheaper brands that are still quite good. I don't know what's available in Brisbane, but you can get everything on the net if you can't find anything that suits. Just don't buy a 'no name' pair for $40 'cos I can guarantee that they won't last and they won't be nice to use. You can end up with callouses on your thumb using cheap scissors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alainnah Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 thanks for that Miranda, I will check out the Pet Network site now, i will also see if the plush puppy anti-stat will be selling at the melbourne show Alainnah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now