Hi can some please give me advise regarding hand stripping a westie?
I have a four and a half month old westie (my first) I am learning to hand strip at the moment I have purchased a book and a video to teach me ,I have hand strip my westie for the first time several weeks ago as his soft coat was ready and now his new coat is coming through but I am slighty worried as his second coat is not as white as his first (a slight cream look to it) and has come through much thicker will this disappear when I hand strip him again and thin out the thickness?any help would be appreciated.

HI i wouldnt worry about the cream strip i have always been told a true westie should have a cream strip down there backs, have you watched the vidio it will give you the correct tecnique, im not good at explaining how to handstrip the way i have been tough, i dont normally strip an american cocker until it is a week before 6 months as the coat wont lay flat but that may be diffrent with a westie. Best thing to do is ask the breeder as she nos the line the best.
Hope all goes well,
Fiona

Thanks for that
The slight cream strip is down his back where you said,I am not going to strip him now untill about another 6 weeks when he will be 6 months when we have our first open show.thanks for your help.yer I have watched the video several times and I am trying to do it like shown in the video the video I got was by Sue Thompson who I believe is much respected in the Westie world.

I don't think a lot of people no about this cream strip, especially the newcomers to the breed as just like in poodles and yankies all the people that had the bog successful kennels have retired or died, and a lot of young people think they no best and don't listen, where abouts down his back is it like a line in the middle of his back going towards his tail?? I have heard of Sue Thompson where did you get the video?

Fiona

Yes spot on, it runs down his back towards his tail when I am brushing him and move the coat with my fingers it doesn't look so promanent
I got the video from "our dogs" website .just reading through other posts did you say you got a second today in junior handling if so well done.

I am interested to learn about the cream strip on the back of some Westie's backs as my westie has this.

How old is your westie have you shown him/her yet? if so has any one in the ring ever commented on this?

Hi there, :-)

Firstly the line is called a dorsal stripe it is very common in young westies when the coat is coming in. I am sorry to disagree with F.A Brooks as it is a 100% total myth that a true westie always has it.. :-) sorry Fiona ;-)

This line down the coat is where the hair tends to be at it's harshest and where the coats changes first. You have to think about the origin of the westie how the breeds were mixed to get the white colours so it is natural to get some colour throw backs.  Generally speak some of the harshest coats tend to be slightly off white.  When you read some of the variations of the the breed standard over the years it says a coat with a slight colour but harsh is much preferable to a white coat is it is soft.

Some westies can still have it as an adult but a lot of youngsters grow out if it.  It is believed that evening primrose can help. Once all the hard coat comes it it is less noticible even if it remains.

Generally when you strip them regularly it can appear.

Lucky for us :-) Fiona is a little off again ( sorry fiona ;-)   in her guess about the good breeders all gone...  westies NOW and Still do have some very very good breeders  mixes of old and young.  The top breeder in the UK and has been for the last 3 consecutive years is actually only 34 years and has had westies for 15 years.   2 or 3 of the top westie breeders in the UK are actually under 40.    BOB at Crufts the last 2 years is a very good breeder in here early 40s

The learning of hand stripping is something that takes a bit of time. Chip away at it bit by bit and you will slowly get the hang of it.   I generally advice if you can ask an exhibitor who is close to you to give you a hour lesson , perhaps it would cost you the price of a trim but a hour worth while.

Once you master the technique , I woudl suggest photocopy some of the pictures from books and pinning them up whist you are trimming.  In valuable when you are not sure at a particular moment what to take off from where :-D

hi Blue

Thankyou so much for your advice (makes me feel a lot better) I certanley understand what you said about handstripping taking time I think its going to take lots of hard work and lots of practice.I am going to do what you suggest and take my dog to a groomer so I can listen ,watch and learn as you say the price of a session will pay in the future.Thanks for your advice and I will try the evening primrose you suggest.

Thanks all
John.

Ok blue i was wrong its just what a westie person told me and i said wnat they told me! so as me not being in them i belived the person. im very sorry now i feel stupid :o, at least i will no for next time, i didnt say or mean to say all good breeders have gone as mike is in yanks and other breeds philip and rdger in poodles melinie and others i said that most have yes good breeders are still around im sorry i wrote it wrong and you can see that in groups at champ shows

Yes i did get 2nd in jh thanks!

Fiona

Don't feel daft Fiona,:-) you know I wasn't being personal :-))  We all are told things and then believe them. Some of my opinions have changed dramatically over the last few years , generally from what I have heard to what I have experienced.

BTW I think the strip down the back is often more visible of pet westies for one reason.. they are mostly clipped.  Even a westie that is clipped can and generally still has harshness down the back but the furnishings if never stripped stay soft, because of this the harsher possible slightly off white coat compared to the softer whiter furnishings stands out more. Hope I explained that OK..

My Mum has a Cairn do you strip this breed?

Yes Cairn are hand stripped also.