1st Cocker---Oh My God!!!!!!

[Luvkitties]

I am in training, one on one with an instructor. However, she doesn't huver over me every second and trusts me, so that is nice.

However I had my first cocker and it took me sooooo Longggggggg!!!!
First off, he had to be muzzled, he likes to chomp on any body part that he can get a hold of. He was extrememly over weight and I fought him every 5 seconds to keep standing. (I am trying to learn the hard way, before I buy my Groomers Helper. But if a salesman had come around selling one for 500.00, I would have charged it on the spot!)

Trying to get a nice skirt on him without lines was a little frustrating...blend blend blend. Plus its amazing just how much fur they actually have, I felt like it was similar to shearing a sheep...I have watched sheep on tv being sheared. LOL

Then I was afraid to take off too much of the fur. I always feel I can cut more, as opposed to taking too much off, so I took back small amounts.

My instructor would come back to me, check him out and say take more, take more, take more.

All in all, it probably took me 3 hours or so. Plus the drying took forever, even though I really did a lot of hand drying.

Now my instructor does not believe in over charging the customer. Her saying is "I am not hear to make a million bucks, just enough to live on and then some." Well she charged $45 which after grooming him, I was thinking it should be more like $450. LOL I still think she should have charged more though. Like $60...maybe.

[furrybestjob]

Welcome to the wonderful world of cocker grooming. Actually, I don't think 3 hours for the kind of dog you described is bad at all. Aside from the ones that require much scissoring, cockers do take longer than most breeds...at least for me. Drying time alone takes a long time. I charge alot for cockers because of this. (and that's why I only groom 3 of them...hee hee). I really do like doing them when they're well behaved and have a nice coat though.

[doggiestlist]

dont worry once you get a bit more familiar with the breed you will find they realy aren't that hard to do.other than possibly dodging a few teeth here and there lol j/k.majority of cockers dont like their feet to be messed with.kinda comes with the spaniel line itself at least ime thats how it is.as for the fee she charged id say it was about righ on the money when it comes to breed cut and est time.once you get used to it you will find it to go by faster each time.however 3 hrs for your first cocker isnt bad at all.

[petstylist]

"I am not hear to make a million bucks, just enough to live on and then some."
Oh that is one of my biggest pet peeves!! (excuse the pun!) Why do most of us groomers have a problem with charging what we are worth??? We deserve to make a great living for what we do!
One of my best friends who is also a groomer just kills me. I have seen her rush to groom a matted shih, that the owner wants left in full coat and needs to pick him up in a hour and a half and she only charges $20 bucks?!?!
I almost fainted the first time I saw her do that, she doesnt want to charge her clients to much....
Sorry for the venting, that just happens to be the one thing that gets under my skin!
Tammy

[k2p1e]

I am still VERY slow after school, during school we did everything old school, preclip, bath, then hand dried EVERYTHING (yes labs too...)...then we started clipping again, then scissoring...Yup 3 hours every time.

But now I can do things the way I want, today I did a poodle, took over and hours to scissor...they wanted him done like a Bichon, never did one before so I was reading my "Notes from a Grooming Table" while schissoring, lol. He looked decent as he could.

What did I charge? (And this guy behaved)$40, no matts, no problems.

[PoodlePal]

When a breed really takes a long time or I really don't like grooming a certain breed, the price goes up. That way, if I have to groom that dog, it will be worth my while or the customer decides to take their dog somewhere else.

[milhasavilla]

Cocker in my shop

Luvkitties, I think too that 3 hours wasn't excessively long at all for your 1st cocker. They normally (for me anyway) take a little more time, just becuase of drying and the coat type. I attached a couple pix of a cocker I do - she's very old, blind and overweight. So I feel for you, when you were saying what a challenge it was to keep them standing especially when they're overweight. This cocker also hates to have her feet done, I get thru them as best I can without her going too nutso. She takes me around one hour and forty minutes (start to finish) and I charge around forty. I have charged more on a cocker before depending on the cut and other special needs. You'll get faster, and then the price your shop charged won't seem so bad anymore. You're doing good girl!

holy smokes petstylist - I can't imagine giving a full groom for 20 bucks!! I hope she doesn't get burnt out with that low fee.

[mustluvdogs1]

I am not bragging but, I can do that Cocker in 45 to 60 minutes with my Ivac..belly, feet, buttie...muzzle. bath w/hydo surge even and always conditioner, Kool-dry cologne,kiss on head..baclk to house. It is first equipment 2nd experience.7F 10 #40 pads nails ears done too.Takes exp. you will go faster after a few.You have to crawl before you can walk or run.

[pamperedpups]

Edited.

[milhasavilla]

I am not bragging but, I can do that Cocker in 45 to 60 minutes with my Ivac..belly, feet, buttie...muzzle. bath w/hydo surge even and always conditioner, Kool-dry cologne,kiss on head..baclk to house. It is first equipment 2nd experience.7F 10 #40 pads nails ears done too.Takes exp. you will go faster after a few.You have to crawl before you can walk or run.

You're amazing lady! Even my easiest cocker, who is an angel with a great coat, I can't groom in less than an hour (most take 70 -80 min). Does it not take extra long for you to get them dry either?? I must be doing something wrong!! I have to admit though, I allow myself alot of time and don't rush, but still 45 min. You're smoking fast girl!!

[CuttingBetty]

I feel for you...I'm very slow too. I can do the head, back, and blend the line in pretty fast but my legs and feet (where scissoring is involved) takes me forever! I'm in school too but the only cockers we get in there have been shave downs so I am trying to learn at the shop I work at. My boss can do a cocker in about 45 minutes! It amazes me. Good luck!

[mustluvdogs1]

Years w/Cv 1990

If i. t is a 7F against the grain .... as I usually do,the fur is Short, I hate to try to get leg fur dry, but kool dry w/nozzle off close...touching fur dries prett.y fast.I have the advantage of warmer,usually dryer weather. It takes longer in colder dsmp weather. Remember...I have been doing this w/ Cv for, let me see...1990 Cv. I can do em in my sleep...and lately maybe I have.....Lunesta is so relaxing ummmmmmmm.

[Pixie]

Most of the cockers I do are a #5 A/O and they come in about every 8-10 wks. It still takes a long time for those dogs to dry. A cocker's coat just does not dry fast, with or without fur it seems. Usually at least 1 1/2 hrs.

I remember my first cocker, thought it would NEVER get done.

[Bearmtn]

Usually takes me an hour and a half too. I have gotten lucky on some strips with my horse clippers and have done them in less than an hour. I love those horse clippers.

[Reader]

At least your instructor is teaching you to blend instead of doing a hula skirt.