That'l be exciting! I bet you cant wait. How many do they average in a litter?

usually around four, but there can be litters of just 1 or 2 and there have been litters born with 11

Well now I have heard it all - pointless and barbaric to me - what is wrong with leaving a dog as nature intended? It isn't for health reasons or medical grounds and is just sad imo that people are that obsessed about showing their dogs that they shave their whiskers/stubble basically for no other reason than aesthetics

Can I ask why? Do your Doodles need trimming in anyway to keep them comfortable/looking nice?

You see the thing is, my dogs enjoy being groomed. Yes they've been used to it from being very young, but I they could still object to it if they wanted. I shave the whiskers off the Spaniels that are still shown and they show no discomfort/ill effects from this. Why do I do it? I honestly don't know, it's just the way I was taught and as the dogs don't mind I keep doing it.

My dogs have a fantastic life and I'll politely ask you to walk a mile in my shoes before you choose to judge me. Thanks.

It is one thing grooming them but dogs have whiskers for a purpose and tbh the fact that you shave them off and admit you don't know why you do it is imo sad...the dog doesn't benefit from it and as i said before, it is done for showing which I personally think is unnatural for dogs and is done for the owners fun not the dogs. I will change my opinion of you and anyone else who practices this shaving if you can prove it is justifiable, but I won't hold my breath. As for walking a mile in your shoes that would be impossible as I am disabled LOL but I haven't said your dogs don't have a fantastic life - I just gave my opinion as forums are for and it isn't a personal slur on you alone.

But why is it sad? Because you don't agree with it, is that all?

Showing is unatural for dogs? Hmmmm I think it's show people you have a problem in reality, would I be right?

Let me give you an insight. My dogs go to shows 2-3 times a month, the rest of the time they're much loved pets or working dogs. At shows they spend all day with me, aside from short times spent in their soft crate to have a rest. They meet new people and old/new doggie friends. It's a great time for them to socialise and use their social skills, especially as pups. In the Summer it's all outdoors and the dogs spend most of the day having a glorified picnic! The Agricultural Shows are the best as it's a full day out for them and they can practice their gundog work too. So I show as its my hobby, but it's a hobby I chose so I can spend a lot of time with my dogs whilst having a hobby too.

As for shaving off whiskers - there's no benefit to it, but it's also not detrimental to them so I will continue to do it.

You can still walk a mile in someones shoes even though your disabled as it's a metaphorical term, but I think you know that.

Also can I ask again - do your Doodles get trimmed/clipped to keep them comfortable/looking nice at all?

And now I'm off to the Beach to give my cruelly groomed/trimmed show dogs a good run and a nice swim in the sea!

My doodles are not clipped actually because they don't need it in their case. They get groomed everyday and their coats are gleaming and healthy so they look nicce and as nature intended. No I don't have a personal gripe with any show people actually - I just believe that dogs should be allowed to have the life they were intended to have; running, swimming etc, not cooped up in large arena for hours on end, often cooped up in cages and preemed and ponced to an inch of their lives. The environment like that is unhealthy and I don't personally want to watch people doing that to living creatures who deserve better. So you don't have a justifiable reason then?

Oh well have to stick to my opinion then as you do..enjoy your walk on the beach. We will be taking ours to the beach in an hour or so for their regular afternoon swim/run too.

I never shaved my dogs whiskers when showng! Cant see necessity & not everyone does it. Regards showing, unless your dog enjoys it, its a no goer. Any serious show person will admit theyve retired dogs that didnt like it - if they had any. I did, lovely dog but had to retire him. He was light of my life for nearly 13 yrs!

On a lighter note, just called my youngest Harvey over
to examine his "whiskers" & fell about laughing, they jut out in all directions! He even has some on his chin going every which way! I now find it odd i never noticed them before!! Little Katies are the same, but less of them & shorter. I'll not annoy Rosie, shes snoring up the hall!

Either you've only met a minority of show dogs with bad owners, or you're making a huge assumption here. I show my dogs on a regular basis and they do run and swim etc. It has been commented that my dogs have excellent muscle tone, they don't get that from being cooped up in cages. My dogs are exercised twice a day, and on show days they love all the attention, meeting their doggy friends and snoozing on benches. They are very well travelled and Rio is like a catwalk queen in the ring - she loves it.

I don't remove my dog's whiskers as it isn't called for in my breed, but I would if it were. Dogs do not use their whiskers as cats do. They serve no real purpose and it don't harm them to have them trimmed so I don't see an issue with it. I trim the whiskers on some of my client's dogs and they don't walk into walls!

I think some people assume that show dogs do nothing but go to shows, then they are put back in a kennel until next time. All the show dogs I know have a better social life than most people. My dogs were out for an hour and a half this morning before I brought them to work. I will take them swimming after work, and tomorrow I am showing them. After the show there is a nice country park near the venue so we will go there. A bad life? I think not!

I think its funny that people justify all the grooming but then go mental when they see images of people who have dyed their dogs or done daft cuts
If clipping to a lion cut is OK then if the dog is happy with being shaved do you think it makes a difference if it is a show recognised cut or daft swirls?? Both I think as good or bad as the other

I have always wondered about how cutting ruins some coats?? I have hear that about several breeds but I always wonder why
Cutting isnt going to change the root of the hair, how it grows so wouldnt it just grow back over time - sure the topcoat and undercoat would be the same length for a wee while but wouldnt that correct with time??