[K9luv]

I've always been a sucker for schnauzers, had them since I was young because of my allergies, and well, I totally fell in love with the breed and have had one or two ever since.

With my 1st two schnauzers as an adult, I brought them to the groomer and they were clippered. We lost our girl in 2020 at almost 15YO, but I was grooming her myself for the last few years. While I was waiting on a list for a schnauzer puppy, I learned or re-learned everything schnauzer. I read about hand stripping, how it's the traditional grooming method for schnauzers, how the coat is healthier with replenished hairs instead of cutting them off leaving the stump in place and how the jacket is weatherproof. Sounds great, what is hand stripping?

It's the removal of hairs via pulling them out instead of clippering. Schnauzer hairs are made to come out easily as they were bred to be farm ratters and running through the thickets or if a prey animal gets ahold. You cannot hand strip an already previously clippered dog as the coat turns soft like the undercoat after so many clipperings. So I decided to try my hand at hand stripping with our new pup since I already knew the pattern and how to trim with scissors. I discovered that hardly any groomer is hand stripping anymore, most likely because it's easier for them just to clipper and the home pet doesn't really need weatherproofing but I really wanted him to have a traditional coat. So I did my best to self learn how to do it.

Anybody out there still hand stripping their pets?

 

[parus]

I know how to hand strip but I'm too lazy.

 

[SpotTheCat]

I hand strip my guinea pigs 😁. My dog does not have the correct coat for it, but I would if she did

 

[K9luv]

I know how to hand strip but I'm too lazy.

Do you have any animals that are traditionally hand stripped? I only do my own dog, I am not professional enough to do other pets, but I gotta say, i'm pretty impressed with myself lol. It's much easier than I was led to believe.

I hand strip my guinea pigs 😁. My dog does not have the correct coat for it, but I would if she did

Wow I didn't know guines pigs were hand stripped! Interesting!

 

[Johndoe8389]

Give me a few months and I’ll get back to you on this. 😂 Have a 16 week old giant schnauzer girl and we are definitely considering hand stripping her. I’ve heard it’s the preferred grooming method. Idk if we’ll do it ourselves we might need a groomer initially just to see how it goes and if we like it.

 

[parus]

Do you have any animals that are traditionally hand stripped?

I had a Giant Schnauzer (he passed away) and I currently have a Giant Schnauzer mix with a wiry coat.

I know stripping is healthier for the skin and coat, but Giants just have too much surface area, lol.

 

[DaySleepers]

My FiL always stripped his wirehaired dachshunds. It's definitely a multi-day project, especially if you've let the coat grow out quite badly. Their last one, Oda, was neither a great show dog nor very good at hunting, despite being from lines that did both, and so he didn't always keep up with her as frequently as he could've, occasionally leading to us coming over to find her head stripped and the rest of her looking like she was wearing a bulky sweater - it was... a look, for sure. Did no harm to her other than looking silly, because no matter how shaggy she got her coat stayed harsh and resistant to matting.

Hand stripping or using stripping knives is much more common in the show/working world, as I understand it, because the former has to show that the dog has a correct coat and the latter needs that correct coat to do certain kinds of work (like being water repellant and tangle resistant if you're hunting with a wirehaired dachs, for example). No experience with any kind of stripping personally, but I'd definitely be interested in learning if we ever wind up with a wirehaired pup.

 

[K9luv]

I had a Giant Schnauzer (he passed away) and I currently have a Giant Schnauzer mix with a wiry coat.

I know stripping is healthier for the skin and coat, but Giants just have too much surface area, lol.

Sorry for your loss, they really are great dogs.
Lol, we are planning to have a second pup girl, I'll be hand stripping her too. How many minis would equal a giant?

 

[K9luv]

My FiL always stripped his wirehaired dachshunds. It's definitely a multi-day project, especially if you've let the coat grow out quite badly. Their last one, Oda, was neither a great show dog nor very good at hunting, despite being from lines that did both, and so he didn't always keep up with her as frequently as he could've, occasionally leading to us coming over to find her head stripped and the rest of her looking like she was wearing a bulky sweater - it was... a look, for sure. Did no harm to her other than looking silly, because no matter how shaggy she got her coat stayed harsh and resistant to matting.

Hand stripping or using stripping knives is much more common in the show/working world, as I understand it, because the former has to show that the dog has a correct coat and the latter needs that correct coat to do certain kinds of work (like being water repellant and tangle resistant if you're hunting with a wirehaired dachs, for example). No experience with any kind of stripping personally, but I'd definitely be interested in learning if we ever wind up with a wirehaired pup.

Lol I went through a few stages too like when my pup had an afro (soft curly hairs on top his head). 😂

I encourage anyone with a wire haired pup to try hand stripping. I love it, my pup and I have a bond like no other and he looks great, his coat is so black shiny and healthy looking. It honestly wasn't as complicated as I was led to believe and the results are worth it!

 

[Johndoe8389]

We’re sticking with the groomer and using clippers on her for now. The groomer had his hands full I can’t even imagine my fiancé and I trying to groom her with clippers let alone hand stripping. Lol