Over trimming or shaving of the Show Irish Red Setter?

[Carmel Murphy]

I would like to know the opinion of all show people on the over shaving(trimming) of the setter? I was very surprised to see that trimming is actually mentioned in the AKC breed standard (coat section)"Trimming is done to preserve the natural appearance of the dog" How over trimming or shaving can preserve a natural look is quite puzzling to me!!!! I make my dogs as neat as possible for shows with a scissors or hand plucking but never put a blade near them!! I think that over grooming is quite the opposite of the natural appearance!! I believe over trimming/grooming makes setters look a bit like cardboard cut outs,not real dogs!!!!!!!!

[Johanna Blacklake]

Thanks Barb! :-)

I use the 10 blade on neck, upper parts of the ears & paws, but on the neck the result might be just about too short for my taste. On the other hand the nr 7 might be too long. Maybe I should look for an 8 1/2 blade then. Thanks for the tip!!

For which parts or breeds do you use the blade#15? That sounds awfully short to me.

Does anybody know how long the hair is after clipping it with the blade that says it is # 7/8? Have you used that one for the paws? So far I've managed to do the paws with a normal-wide blade, so it might as well be an unnecessary buy for me.

[ursula wilby]

I never even knew that you would use clippers on paws!
All I do is to pull up the feathering between the toes, cut that off and trim round the edges of the paw with scissors.
You dont actually SHAVE paws do you???????

[Johanna Blacklake]

Yep!! And they look great...! ;-)) Even if I say it myself... LOL

Or do you mean by "shave" that they would be totally without hair? Not that way obviously... My limitations with the language again............ :-))

[Barbara Simpson]

I only shave the thick feathering out from between the pads, on the bottom of the feet, not the tops of the feet. Also I use thinning shears to trim excess feathering betwen the toes, not straight scissors. Use straight scissors around the outside edges of the bottoms of the feet to make them look neater.

[Laura Kolbach]

i think you are the first person Johanna, who i hear of using clippers on "euro dogs". :-))) if clippers are the tool that i think of.

[Johanna Blacklake]

I cannot possibly think that I would be the first one!! It such an easy and fast way to make the paws look tidy! I use clipper and a comb in the paws. And a natural bristle brush too.

[Laura Kolbach]

but do you use clipper for the neck as well? i love the natural look of scissors :-) thinning ones. whatever they are called :-)

[Johanna Blacklake]

Yes, I do. But of course I use thinning scissors to blend the sides to look "natural".
Why, oh why, I cannot find the right words!!! I hope you understood what I meant!

[Laura Kolbach]

i understand, don't worry. being a language genius :-)))

[Johanna Blacklake]

:-))))

[ursula wilby]

The only place where I have seen clippers used is in the FRONT of the neck. And (in some cases in the past) ears.

And no I dont mean SHAVED off totally and without hair :-)
To me it sounds weird enough to use clippers on paws and on the BACK of the neck!

No wonder my dogs look the way they do....

[Johanna Blacklake]

Never on the back or any "upperside" (except the part of the earset) of the dog, if you ask from me!!! Only on the throat (??) and under the ears and always blending the edge of the clipped and non-clipped coat with the thinning scissors.