Lex Ang Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Hi Friends, I would like to ask if anyone could provide me with some knowledge or webpages on how to do handstripping for a westie? Is it true that westie coat have to be stripped in order to give them a healthier skin and coat? I have never done handstripping for my 4 yrs old westie, do you recommend me to have his coat stripped? if yes how should I start for an adult dog? I apologise for asking so many questions and do appreciate all assistance given Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 The coat is traditionally stripped but there is nothing wrong with clipping the coat for convience,it makes the coat texture softer but not any less healthier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 there is nothing wrong with clipping the coat for convience,it makes the coat texture softer but not any less healthier I disagree. Double coat for temp control as well as water proofing. Clipping invalidates the coat cooling mechanism. I have a non Show terrier with a double coat and there is no way in the world I'll have him clipped for my convenience. The summer heat would just about kill him. I would be finding a Westie Exhibitor in your area to show you how to strip the traditional Westie coat Failing that, any terrier exhibitor/breeder in your area should be able to show you how to strip just to get started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raddy Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 hi there i have done some research into this for when I get my mini schnauzer and have found these sites to have some good information , of course this in relation to schnauzers, but it may help. Pet Grooming Tips Handstripping A Schnauzer Handstripping FAQ Grooming Your Schnauzer HTH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 Raz i disagree with you ,we have had stripped breed for over 25 yrs & yes we clip our pets with no issues at all it doesnt make them any hotter or colder ,very few people will hand strip pets & if done incorrectly will only create a painful experience for the dog. Not every stripped breed also has true coat texture & as such isnt strippable. Clipping is veru acceptable & done regular is better than a coat that isnt worked on correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westielover Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 (edited) Hi Lex Ang, I have 2 westies and I don't have them stripped. I tried to hand strip them when I first got them but they didn't really like it - one of them would even yelp when a breeder stripped him. So I switched to clipping. There is nothing wrong with have a westie clipped instead of stripped. Hand stripping means that your westie will have a harsh exterior coat which basically keeps rain / water from getting to the skin and is meant to keep the dogs coat cleaner for longer. In fact some westie breeders will tell you that a westie with a hand stripped coat will NEVER require a bath!! I personally believe that clipping your westie in the hot weather months definately keeps them cooler. I have a friend who has a westie bitch and he used to get her stripped for the first 4 years of her life - but she always seemed much hotter in summer than my westies who were clipped. My friend has now switched to clipping also - her coat is softer - but she's definately cooler in summer now. These days it's mostly westie breeders who hand strip their show dogs. If you were interested in 'stripping' your westies coat it may be worthwhile investing in a 'coat king' - it doesn't do the same job as hand stripping - but using this tool will leave a little bit of 'harshness' in the exterior coat. Here are some weblinks which may be of interest: http://www.canadawestieclub.ca/maint/intro.html http://www.sfbaywestieclub.com/tips_5.htm http://www.downsouthwesties.com/grooming.htm If you have never hand stripped your westie before - then I wouldn't recommend switching to hand stripping. Just keep having him clipped - but be careful which groomer you choose - my westies used to looke like white schnauzers after a visit to the grooming salon!!! :rolleyes: Luckily the breeder who I obtained my second westie from, grooms my boys - so they always look pretty good. Stripping is very time consuming and it may be difficult to find a groomer who will hand strip your westie. Doing it yourself requires a bit of skill - so it might be best to find a breeder who would be willing to teach you how to hand strip if your were keen to try this method. One more link for you to check out: http://westiewisdom.westieworld.com/ You can write to Jane Fink who runs the westiewisdom website and she will probably be able to give you the best advice. She is extremely knowledgeable in all things Westie. She is a member of the Ozwestie forum and is always providing great information about westies. Good luck with your decision. Edited November 4, 2005 by westielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolibah Coolies Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 :rolleyes: Westie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Ang Posted November 5, 2005 Author Share Posted November 5, 2005 The coat is traditionally stripped but there is nothing wrong with clipping the coat for convience,it makes the coat texture softer but not any less healthier Hi Showdog, Thank you very much for your opinions. I will take note of that, but with your experience, will Westie without the stripped coat shed more fur? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Ang Posted November 5, 2005 Author Share Posted November 5, 2005 there is nothing wrong with clipping the coat for convience,it makes the coat texture softer but not any less healthier I disagree. Double coat for temp control as well as water proofing. Clipping invalidates the coat cooling mechanism. I have a non Show terrier with a double coat and there is no way in the world I'll have him clipped for my convenience. The summer heat would just about kill him. I would be finding a Westie Exhibitor in your area to show you how to strip the traditional Westie coat Failing that, any terrier exhibitor/breeder in your area should be able to show you how to strip just to get started. Raz, I deeply apprecaite your kind assistance. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Ang Posted November 5, 2005 Author Share Posted November 5, 2005 hi there i have done some research into this for when I get my mini schnauzer and have found these sites to have some good information , of course this in relation to schnauzers, but it may help. Pet Grooming Tips Handstripping A Schnauzer Handstripping FAQ Grooming Your Schnauzer HTH! Hi Raddy, I deeply appreciate your great help !!! No worries, those site are very informative. Thank you Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Ang Posted November 5, 2005 Author Share Posted November 5, 2005 Hi Lex Ang,I have 2 westies and I don't have them stripped. I tried to hand strip them when I first got them but they didn't really like it - one of them would even yelp when a breeder stripped him. So I switched to clipping. There is nothing wrong with have a westie clipped instead of stripped. Hand stripping means that your westie will have a harsh exterior coat which basically keeps rain / water from getting to the skin and is meant to keep the dogs coat cleaner for longer. In fact some westie breeders will tell you that a westie with a hand stripped coat will NEVER require a bath!! I personally believe that clipping your westie in the hot weather months definately keeps them cooler. I have a friend who has a westie bitch and he used to get her stripped for the first 4 years of her life - but she always seemed much hotter in summer than my westies who were clipped. My friend has now switched to clipping also - her coat is softer - but she's definately cooler in summer now. These days it's mostly westie breeders who hand strip their show dogs. If you were interested in 'stripping' your westies coat it may be worthwhile investing in a 'coat king' - it doesn't do the same job as hand stripping - but using this tool will leave a little bit of 'harshness' in the exterior coat. Here are some weblinks which may be of interest: http://www.canadawestieclub.ca/maint/intro.html http://www.sfbaywestieclub.com/tips_5.htm http://www.downsouthwesties.com/grooming.htm If you have never hand stripped your westie before - then I wouldn't recommend switching to hand stripping. Just keep having him clipped - but be careful which groomer you choose - my westies used to looke like white schnauzers after a visit to the grooming salon!!! Luckily the breeder who I obtained my second westie from, grooms my boys - so they always look pretty good. Stripping is very time consuming and it may be difficult to find a groomer who will hand strip your westie. Doing it yourself requires a bit of skill - so it might be best to find a breeder who would be willing to teach you how to hand strip if your were keen to try this method. One more link for you to check out: http://westiewisdom.westieworld.com/ You can write to Jane Fink who runs the westiewisdom website and she will probably be able to give you the best advice. She is extremely knowledgeable in all things Westie. She is a member of the Ozwestie forum and is always providing great information about westies. Good luck with your decision. Hi Westielover, I do appreciate your great help. Thank you! I am so glad to meet an expert like you. Hopefully, I can learn more from you. I will definitely read through your recommended site then consider carefully before making an decision. I westie has never been stripped, he's coat is always clipped. But I noticed he shedded quite alot so was thinking if stripping will help to reduce it. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greentea Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 Hello Lex Ang, I have never owned a Westie but I do have a rough coated breed that also requires hand-stripping. I agree with Raz and whoever else said that it is better to handstrip the coat than clip it. The issue for you however, is that your Westie has been clipped for years already and I dare say this is the main point. To get his or her coat back to a reasonable texture and so on, s/he would have to be stripped back many times. One of my dogs has been clipped only once. Before we got her. We are working on seeing if her hair can roughen up a bit, so far no luck. I am a shocking groomer, have received lots of advice about it, so I ca tell you all about the theory of it, but practically I am a shocker. For a dog that have been clipped for so long, stripping him/her now may be more trouble than it is worth. If this was my dog I'd probably continue with clipping because switching now will be a task and a half and may not work in the end. Mr GT's mum has a Westie he is 17years old, a lovely boy. A bit blind and deaf but still a character in his old age. he was stripped for the first few months but has since been clipped. He doesn't shed much and his coat still looks lovely. He is clipped a little shorter than usual during the warmer months. That's probably what you will have to do to ensure your Westie doesn't overheat or anything. Good luck! I for one now exactly what you are going through with this dilemma. In fact we are almost certain we are going to stop stripping our girl who was clipped because it just isn't making a difference for her coat. I know a Griffon exhibitor how has spent the last 18 months stripping her boy back to bald pretty much every 6 weeks. When she got him his coat had been clipped so many times it was almost white (should be red) and she has eventually got his coat to be red and rough. Every 6 weeks for 18 months she did this. A big job lemme tell ya! She is an exhibitor so she has some motivation to do it, I'm not sure you'd want to do it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Ang Posted November 7, 2005 Author Share Posted November 7, 2005 Hello Lex Ang,I have never owned a Westie but I do have a rough coated breed that also requires hand-stripping. I agree with Raz and whoever else said that it is better to handstrip the coat than clip it. The issue for you however, is that your Westie has been clipped for years already and I dare say this is the main point. To get his or her coat back to a reasonable texture and so on, s/he would have to be stripped back many times. One of my dogs has been clipped only once. Before we got her. We are working on seeing if her hair can roughen up a bit, so far no luck. I am a shocking groomer, have received lots of advice about it, so I ca tell you all about the theory of it, but practically I am a shocker. For a dog that have been clipped for so long, stripping him/her now may be more trouble than it is worth. If this was my dog I'd probably continue with clipping because switching now will be a task and a half and may not work in the end. Mr GT's mum has a Westie he is 17years old, a lovely boy. A bit blind and deaf but still a character in his old age. he was stripped for the first few months but has since been clipped. He doesn't shed much and his coat still looks lovely. He is clipped a little shorter than usual during the warmer months. That's probably what you will have to do to ensure your Westie doesn't overheat or anything. Good luck! I for one now exactly what you are going through with this dilemma. In fact we are almost certain we are going to stop stripping our girl who was clipped because it just isn't making a difference for her coat. I know a Griffon exhibitor how has spent the last 18 months stripping her boy back to bald pretty much every 6 weeks. When she got him his coat had been clipped so many times it was almost white (should be red) and she has eventually got his coat to be red and rough. Every 6 weeks for 18 months she did this. A big job lemme tell ya! She is an exhibitor so she has some motivation to do it, I'm not sure you'd want to do it though. Hi Greentea, I really appreciate your advices. I think I will go with keeping my dog in clipped coat. But I would like to learn how to handstripped a westie too. Because my cousin just bought a 2mths old westie, so I am thinking I can learn the stripping and practise on her pup. Thus, we can compare the different in a stripped and clipped coat westie in a long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katetk Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I have a Westie boy - he has always been stripped (and is due for a strip now as he looks more like a small polar bear LOL). I have never mastered the art of it so i found a groomer who could. Where are you Singapore/melbourne? Perhaps the westie club in your area could help? Or even the breeder of you westie? Oh.. and can we please have some pictures of your dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Ang Posted November 7, 2005 Author Share Posted November 7, 2005 Hi Katetk, Thank you.... oh I am in melbourne, but my westie is in Singapore, but will be going back soon after my exam. ooh of course, I was trying to post a picture too, but I failed. Nevermind I will try again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westielover Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 katetk - how did you manage to find someone to handstrip Harvey??? Is it expensive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I work at two places that groom - one does not strip and the other offers stripping. Both groomers own stripped breeds and strip their own dogs (one I know is an exhibitor, not sure about the other). I don't think many pet groomers offer it as it is time consuming and tough on your body. For Dogs Sake! has the groomer that does offer stripping. She did one today - a JRT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katetk Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 (edited) katetk - how did you manage to find someone to handstrip Harvey??? Is it expensive? Is it expensive?.. $60-$80 - depends on how long it has been and obviously how long he takes, but he is such a good boy he gets vouchers for 20% off sometimes (like his birthday and xmas cards from her LOL) Tried one groomer first and she was CRAP cant stand her, luckily i only took him there once when he was a bub, for nails etc. Then i tried another one (next to my hairdresser - very convenient as we can go get out hair done the same day - although he takes longer LOL) The previous owner had airdales and did a lovely westie cut all hand stripped took for ages (and $$) though but he came out beautiful (she was more expensive than the new owner) The new owner, hand strips but i also suspect a bit of Coat King action aswell.. which is fine, he still looks cute she also only uses aloveen products and she comments on how well behaved he is.. not when i bath him... little BRAT! Before After Edited November 8, 2005 by katetk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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