Hand Stripping

Hand stripping is the process of excess dead topcoat, without clipping, leaving room for the new coat to grow and giving a more natural look. It keeps the dog’s coat tidy, strong and healthy.

It is done by plucking/pulling the hairs out in the direction of growth. 

Hand stripping is the correct way to groom a wired coat breed. Hand stripping mimics how a dog’s coat would be maintained in the wild and will keep the proper breed look.

Hand stripping is more about the coat type than the breed. The texture of a dog’s coat can be affected by genetics, whether the dog has been spayed or neutered, the dog’s age, breed, and coat type. For example, neutering can result in the growth of a softer coat and although it may still be possible to hand strip, it might be worth considering moving to clipping. 

Dogs with wiry coats tend to need hand stripping to groom to breed standard. This includes most of the Terrier group.

Hand stripping will:

• Maintain a healthy coat and skin on wired coat breeds by removing dead hair which in turn stops follicles becoming clogged and irritated.
• Maintain the rich colour of the dog’s coat.
• Ensure the dog’s coat still offers protection. The new guard coat will repel dirt and dust and will also have waterproof properties. 

Clipping will:

• Change the coat texture and volume – Clipping will often leave the dog’s coat soft and fluffy. It won’t be waterproof, and it will also need washed more frequently. A straight coat after clipping can also become curly or wavy and may matt more easily. You may notice the coat gets lesser as the skin stops following the cycle to produce and push through new hair follicles.  
• Change the coat colour – colour will be duller and lighter