[HayleyMarie]

Hey guys I need some advice on Stripping. We have had Westies before, but have never stripped their coat always gotten it clipped by the groomers, now do you guys think I should strip Teagans coat. I have been doing research and It says I should be doing it around 4 months old, which wont be hard to do because she is loosing her puppy coat already and if I just pull it comes out really easy.

Now what do you guys think?
Should I strip her coat or just get her clipped by the groomer?

and do any of you guys have some awesome ways of stripping thanks.

[Kina_A]

I don't have an answer, but wanted to tell you taht Teagan is adorable!!!

[Kyllobernese]

It depends on what kind of a coat you would like your dog to have. If it is stripped it stays harsh, if it is clipped it gets soft. When we had Scotties, we stripped the ones we were showing and clipped the ones that weren't. If you start on them young, I did not find it that big a job, and the stripped coats seemed easier to keep looking nice. If you can find someone who shows they can teach you how to do it correctly.

[Graco22]

There is alot to consider when deciding whether to strip or clip. Stripping requires alot of time, and maintence, and if you let it get out of control (like skip a few weeks) you have to sorta start over on the coat. Ideally, you want layers in the coat. That is what makes the dogs look groomed all the time. There is a dead layer ready to be pulled, a nice perfect live layer, and a layer starting to come in. A westie is small, so its not as time consuming as a large terrier..I just spent 4 hours stripping out my Airedale today..who I have let go too long, and his coat is a mess now..lol Stripping will retain the correct texture on your westie, that harsh wiry coat. If you have a groomer do it for you, it will be expensive, and you may have a hard time finding a groomer that is willing to take on the task. If you do it at home, know that its going to require at least bi-weekly sessions if you want your dog to look like a westie.

There are ways to clip and still retain alot of that texture on a pet. Leaving a longer, more natural length on the back and carding the dog out will help. You can also strip some, and clip some..like clip the back, strip the furnishings and head, etc. Regardless of what you decide to do, now is the time to get started in either direction to ensure a happy, calm dog for grooming sessions. If you choose to strip at home, I suggest you find a breeder to help you get started. Stripping is an art, and takes some time to learn and even longer to perfect.

[andreangil]

Haha! I had to point out that the two newest posts at this moment are I like boobies and Stripping!

[bfoster]

I have a rolled coat on 2 of my schnauzers. It takes me about 1-1/2 hours of work (for each dog) each week. I do take my time though and that includes any other grooming they need done (toenails-scissoring, etc). We also take breaks to make it a little more fun. Ideally you have to do it on the same day of the week every week and don't skip a week or as Graco22 mentioned- you will have a messy dog. I love the hard coat and they don't seem to mind since you are pretty much just pulling out the dead hair every week.
I had a very good teacher( a show breeder) who encouraged me and let me know how to improve my technique. I don't know that I would have attempted it without her.
I have two other schnauzers that are clipped and the difference in their coat is like night and day.
So--my advise (and I am no expert) would be to decide how important it is to you to have that nice coat--Try and find someone (groomer or show breeder) that can coach you and I guess most importantly see how your puppy reacts to it. If my dogs hated it I wouldn't do it.

ps I forgot to mention--you puppy is adorable

[eastcoastwesty]

I would definetly say strip. Westies are prone to skin problems, and stripping reduces skin problems, as well as making them virually shed-free. (I breed show Westies and I strip their coat.) It takes about one hour a week, and it is not all that hard to do. You just go along the fur head to tail and pull out what comes out easily, including legs and tail. If you hold the hair up between your fingers, you should see two "layers". The one on the top will be dead and should come out easily, the rest is live, healthy fur. When you can hold up a few inches of their fur all over and it is even, you are done. It is a lot more complicated if you are going to show them and need the 100% absolutely perfect coat, but if you are not showing them, this much will at least keep them looking like a Westie. However, do clip their backsides, as this area is very tender. On the rest of the body they don't feel a thing, because you are just pulling out the dead hair.