Easy English Setter Coat Clip

Elevate Your Grooming

Coat Clip

by Blake Hernandez | Groomed by Sydney Porras

English Setter standing on a grooming table after grooming session

English Setter standing on grooming table before grooming session

he English Setter is just as much a super model as the other setters in the Sporting Dog group. Sometimes they have less furnishings, but all of them traditionally have a carded back. For some clients, this type of hand stripping and carding technique tend to be too high maintenance. Here we will go over the clipped variation.

Fig. 1) Often referred to as “Grinch feet,” the setter foot should be trimmed down to resemble a cat-like foot; small, compact and round.

Fig. 2) This is most easily accomplished when done with a curved thinner because the shape keeps you from making the feet flat while also providing a softer finish.

closeup of scissors trimming fur on English Setter's paw

Fig. 3) The tail furnishings are to be trimmed up to just below the point of hock.

Fig. 4) The same applies with the rear pants.

Scissors trimming fur on English Setter's tail

Fig. 5) Trimming behind the dog’s front foot at an angle helps illustrate the dog moving up and forward.

Fig. 6) The back pattern can be clipped however long you want, but here a #7F was used. Begin blending off at the base of the tail and just around the fullest part of the thigh muscle.

scissors trimming fur on the back of a English Setter's paw

groomer blending fur around tail and thigh muscle

Fig. 7) Follow the pattern around to the front to showcase the shoulder muscle and the front of the leg.

Fig. 8) Use thinners to blend your transition. The one shown here is difficult to see, but everything above the cowlick is clipped into pattern and everything below the change in hair direction is left to give the dog pants.

groomer using clippers to trim fur on the front leg and should of English Setter

groomer using thinners to blend fur transition

clippers trimming fur on English Setter's ear

clippers trimming fur on English Setter's neck

Fig. 9) Clip the top of the ear on the inside and outside using the flat of your hand as a base for a smooth clipping surface.

Fig. 10) Pull the ear tight to create a smooth clipping surface under the ear and transition the face into the throat and shoulder area.

groomer using thinners to clean up edge of English Setter's ear

Fig. 11) Now is when thinners become your best friend as you soften the ear leather.

Fig. 12) From the front, pull the ear tight to make sure they are just as tidy underneath.

groomer trimming fur on top of English Setter's head

groomer using thinning shears to clean up fur around English Setter's face

Fig. 13) Define the back of the skull so the neck muscles look more arched.

Fig. 14) To finish, thinning shears were used to get the face as tight as possible since this dog’s owner doesn’t allow any clipping on the face.

Setter clients can be hit or miss. However, the order of operations and even some key points noted here can be used on many sporting dogs.

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