Hi, as some of you might know I brought home my new puppy Archie last week.  He will be 9 weeks this coming Thursday and is a total cutie! :D

I have spoken to some people about stripping vs. clipping (he will not be shown)  and I've had some feedback saying that broken coated terriers can develop skin problems if clipped, as the dead hair never comes out.

So, I have decided to learn how to handstrip, and if any of you have experience in this I would be very grateful for any advice. I've already started pulling out the hair inside the ears as the breeder told me to do, and he doesn't mind at all, falls asleep, but I just don't really feel confident enough yet. Where (and when) do I start?!?! help please!!

Hi Tuti (again), I'm not sure if the WFT is the same as the Irish, but Olive's dead hair does come out.....eventually, just through general handling, but by this stage the coat is very blown and maybe a good few inches long.  As I have allergies, I don't let the coat get to this stage - my itchy nose tells me when she needs stripped :) .

Not sure if you read my other post, but I definately recommend Thornit powder for inside the ears, it helps you get a grip of the hair and generally the hair can them be removed easily.

Are you going to buy a grooming table.  Alot of people swear by them, even for pets.  I don't have one, but would imagine it could make the job alot easier, as the dog is at eye level and it is easier to see the bits you have stripped and the bits you have not.

I'm not sure if this is the case with all dogs, but I find it easier to strip Olive when her coat hasn't been washed for awhile, the coat seems harder and less likely to snap.

Joanne

hi olive :)

yes, I did read your post (thanks again :-) )

not sure about the grooming table...they're expensive!! maybe I can find one secondhand... but there is a work surface in the utility room I could stand him on... I'll see how it goes with that

I'm going to order some thornit powder for the ears, but at the moment the hairs are quite easy to grip, and come out very easily, Archie isn't bothered by this at all, he falls asleep!!

Joanne, how often do you bathe Olive?  My breeder told me her dogs never get bathed as it softens the coat, but TBH I can't stand a smelly dog!! lol

Anyway, thanks for the advice.  Could you please PM me the address of where you get your Pearsons from?  thanks:)

Ice queen, thanks for the advice, the problem is my breeder is quite far from where I am.  I do know of someone nearby who may be prepared to help me learn, she shows wire fox terriers so I should be ok with that.

Do either of you know what age grooming should begin?  I am taking your advice olive, and have plucked a few hairs from his back an he doesn't mind at all... I really don't know what to do with this puppy, his behaviour seems too good to be true! lol...

anyway, any advice is much appreciated :-)

tuti

Tuti, it's kind of hard to explain when he would be ready for a full strip, I generally go with when the coat starts to lift away from its normal pattern.  It's probably easier to tell with an Irish because the colour is only in the tip of the hair, so it stands out. You probably need a wire fox person to answer this.

As for the grooming table, I know of people who just buy a grooming arm and then attach it to a normal table, putting a couple of rubber mats down for the dog to stand on.

I bathe Olive only when she needs it, maximum once or twice a year.  In my opinion stripping the coat helps to keep them fresh and clean.  I occasionally rub bicardonate of soda into her coat if it is getting a bit yucky, particularly around the mouth area.  This freshens the coat and dries up moisture in the coat that could lead to smells.  I've also heard of poeple using a solution of water and listerene on wire coats to keep them smelling fresh - not sure if this works or not.

Will pm you.

Joanne

You are quite right any steady surface will do, its a good idea to find one that is just the right height, though, otherwise your back will not last the course :)  The rubber mats are essential to make the dog feel secure and relaxed I have never needed to use an arm having started my pups as early as possible, long before they actually need any grooming, I have always found them obliging with whatever position I ask of them :)  Never, never walk away from the table, though, and leave them there attached to grooming arm or not as they may attempt to jump down and could end up hurting themselves or worse.

I'm not sure hwen grooming should begin on a hand stripping dog, but I ALWAYS start putting brush and comb to a pups coat from the day they come home and will also get them used to scissors round their feet, even if i only "snip" thin air!!!!!  This just makes it easier in future, it's all part of "training" like you start training a pup ASAP but won't show them untill their 6 mths.

I also ment to put in my other post "or anyone else" about learning to groom! :)  I tend to forget breeders are always 100's of miles away!!! :D 

Good luck, grooming, I find very theraputic (sp?), and nothing beats grooming a dog and I especially like hand stripping our dogs ears when they are on my lap in an evening (this also stops mum cutting the ear fur!!! Never cheat when grooming! :D ;)

You should start by just very gently removing the puppy coat, with your fingers, whilst they're sleeping on your lap in the evening.  It comes away very easily and get the pup used to the experience.  Be gentle.  Put some rubber matting down on a table and introduce your pup to standing on it for gentle brushing. 

Stripping with pups is best done little and often, just take the top hairs and don't worry too much how pup looks, you're both learning!

Good luck

I would go to your breeder, ask mer for maybe afew hours of her time to teach you how to do it so you get the idea by watching (you never know by reading, I had great difficulty trying to hold scissors correctly by read but as soon as I was shown and told off afew times I was fine! I'ts something you have to see to know how to do it.

I have just got my grroming table for my setters, picked it up yesterday and HAD to play with it and I found it sooooo easy and because I got the arm the dogs stood still, my only problem is lifting a 35k dog!!!

Tuti, Have pm'ed you.