[Fleecewife]

My 10yo Patterdale x Cairn Lucy has never been trimmed, but she is really suffering from the heat, so I've booked her in.
Which do I go for, clipping or stripping?  I used to have a Schnauzer which became a nervous wreck after he was stripped, but the groomer says it should be ok for Lucy.
She's just a pet and vermin exterminator, so looks don't really matter.

So which do you choose for your dogs and why?

[Greenerlife]

My Parsons Jack Russell  is quite wire haired and I have him stripped twice a year, purely because he will put up with it (except he doesn't like having his legs done!) and it takes ages to grow out.  My dog groomer is exceptionally good with him though - he gets spoilt rotten and when he has had enough he romps about playing with the groomers JRT until its ready for more plucking!  I took him to a 'conveyor belt' groomer once - never again!

[in the hills]

Is stripping when you pull the hair out with your fingers? Seen people do it with Flatties ears when dressing them for showing. They said it produced a smooth, even finish.

I trim my Flattie with thinning scissors (ears and down his front) just to keep him tidy. I don't like thinning with fingers personally.

I think you need Alistair.  Is he still in the naughty corner? 

[Alistair]

No I'm here


Hand stripping is done with fingers and a thing called a stripping knife, it's time consuming, looks a bit tatty when done but as the coat grows gives a georgeous smooth finish, generally on,y done on show dogs

Terriers are generally stripped for showing, it's the 'right thing to do', but it's your choice

Avoid conveyor belt groomers at all costs, I.e. Pets at home, groomers who employ 'trainees' etc, especially if having her stripped

 Clipper ing is fine  for a pet/ working dog, it's cheaper for you and doesn't affect the dog in any way coat wise
( if you decide to have her hand stripped make sure your groomer knows how.... There is like everything an art to it), clipping is also much quicker so less stress in the dog, be very clear with your groomer how short the finish is going to be so you don't get any nasty surprises and also how you want the legs finished

It might be an idea to get her belly shaved very short (10 blade) so she can loose heat more effectively, to be honest I'd do that anyway this time of year, I'd suggest in the first instance you ask for a cut in a 5 blade, that way if it's too short you know next time to have a 3 or a 4 blade, if it's too long next time ask for a 7 blade, anyway talk to your groomer they should know what they're talking about

I let my customers make their own minds up

[Alistair]

Hand stripping basically is Dealing with a hard, wiry coat that has a cycle where it starts growing and then sheds as it reaches maximum length. Hand-stripping coordinates the shedding and makes room for a new coat to grow, done properly it leaves the soft undercoat showing.

Clipper ing just takes the length down to an even layer all over but doesn't reduce density against the skin if that makes sense....

[Bionic]

I've just got back from the groomers. Archie (min poodle) has been clipped and pampered and smells lovely 
He doesn't like having it done though so certainly wouldn't stand for stripping.

[Fleecewife]

Thank you all especially Alistair for that great reply  .  I'm still swithering though.

Normally Lucy is wonderfully scruffy with a hair top coat about 2" long, which shakes off soil when she's been digging and is glossy when she's had a shower. Her coat is wavy, and she has a thin fringe from her ears. I would like that double coat to grow back in for the winter, but I would also like a bit of a break from her shedding. (Our JR is short-haired so not so much hair everywhere.)
So would stripping sort my two preferences, less shedding plus a top coat which grows back nicely?

Great idea about getting her belly close-shaved.  When she's hot she throws herself in the pond to cool that bit.

I don't know how to identify a production line groomer.  This is a local kennel which has a good reputation for boarders but I don't know at all about the grooming side.
The difference in cost between the two methods is not much.

[Bionic]

Fleecewife it might be a good idea to put all of these questions to the groomer (when you have chosen one) that way you will know if they know what they are talking about.

[Alistair]

Short answer - yes stripping done properly does exactly that. Means all the guard hair grows at the sane time so you have co ordinated shedding as opposed to continuous shedding which clipper ing doesn't do

The stripping process basically removes all the wiry hair so it all grows back at once, and sheds at once, clipper ing just cuts it short so it still falls out continuously

I must be doing something wrong? I charge £25 for a clipper cut bath etc, and £45 for stripping?

If it's a kennel with a good rep it's probably not production line, that refers to someone who has a salon, employs a couple of 18 yr olds, one washes and drys, one shaves then someone who knows what they're doing does the face if your lucky

Always go on reputation

Bionic - you don't hand strip poodles

[Alistair]

Anyway I'm shut on Mondays and Tuesdays, talk about a bus mans holiday, oh swore blind she saw a flea on big George last night so today I have washed and pampered 2 border collies, a German shepherd cross and a lurcher - all mine, with vetzyme (which kills all fleas eggs and ticks and everything except dogs and people) and have been to the shops and spent £60 on spot on stuff for the dogs and cats and washed their collars

I'm fed up with it, can't exactly charge myself £100 can I?, mind George belongs to the oh, I'll knock an invoice up for when she gets home :-)

[Bionic]

Bionic - you don't hand strip poodles

Thankyou Alistair, thats probably why I have never had it done 

[Fleecewife]

I will ask a load of questions Bionic, but I think OH and I have jointly plumped for clipping as being quicker and easier on Lucy.  We'll see how it goes and see what we decide for next year.

Alistair, it's £28 to clip and £34 to strip, no mention of a bath, but she will be happier getting that done at home.  She loves a shower but hates a hair dryer 

The great day is Tuesday July 1st    I'll let you know how she turns out.   

 Wot - no hugging the dog icon? 

[shygirl]

we have a wire-haired parson russell terrier too, and were told by his breeder (who also shows to national level) to never ever let him be clipped as then his coat will permanently change and grow back fluffy and not the hard, dirt-releasing coat it is supposed to be.
i dont totally understand the logic behind this but didnt want to risk it.

we handstrip him gradually all year round but do find it holds tight around his legs. we usually do a bit during a long walk when we have found a quiet place to sit, and he is warm. so if you see a little spot of white hairs, we have been there...lol
after using fingers we are considering getting a shedding knife.

our lhaso was clipped one time and ended up at the vets after the groomer mangled his knackers a wee bit, ouch.
we changed groomers and she was very good but he hated going there and would sulk for ages afterwards.
 now we just do him at home with scissors....complete basin style haircut ...ha ha

[Alistair]

Clip will include a bath, clip first as a rough cut, bath, dry, then clip again to a finish, otherwise it'll be a choppy mess, it's matter of course you can't do it properly without a bath, should also get nails done, ears cleaned and plucked if needed, pads trimmed

She'll love being bathed at the groomers, it also helps the bond between the dog and the groomer, they're basically getting fussed, dogs are completely different away from their owners, and they're with people who understand dogs and most importantly are comfortable around dogs, don't be worried if the groomer basically ignores the dog when you drop it off, it's a way of getting respect from the dog from the off, they find you, you let them get comfortable with you before you do anything, groomers hair driers are a bit quieter and Usually they have Blaster which is remote from the nozzle, it just pushes high pressure air at the dog through a hose which blows all the water and dead hair out of the coat leaving the dog touch dry in a matter of a couple of minutes which minimises the hot air drying time

[Alistair]

we have a wire-haired parson russell terrier too, and were told by his breeder (who also shows to national level) to never ever let him be clipped as then his coat will permanently change and grow back fluffy and not the hard, dirt-releasing coat it is supposed to be.
i dont totally understand the logic behind this but didnt want to risk

How can it completely change? All your doing is shortening the hair, which is dead from the roots up anyway, stripping just makes it very even all over, when it grows back.... I had a fair cut the other day, does that mean I'm going to end up with an Afro when it grows back?

If you get a stripping knife just remember to take it easy and gently at first, there's a technique to it