Hand-stripping: the what, the why, and the who

Redley, a 6-month-old Cairn Terrier, had his very first hand-stripping session last week! Since it was his first time, we only started setting in the pattern on his coat, and he will be coming in again soon to complete it. Check in next week for an update on his beautiful breed standard groom!

     Different coat types require different grooming techniques to keep them in good condition. For dogs with wire coats, this means hand-stripping.  
     The growth cycle of a dog’s hair consists of four stages: Anagen, during which new hairs are actively growing; Catagen, the point at which the hair has reached its maximum length and stops growing; Telogen, the “resting stage,” during which the follicle detaches from the blood supply and moves toward the skin’s surface; and Exogen, the “shedding phase,” when the hair is shed from the follicle and makes room for new hair to grow. In wire coats, these detached hairs do not typically fall off the dog on their own.  
     Considered by many to be a dying art, hand-stripping involves plucking each hair from the root in the Telogen and Exogen phases using two fingers, a stripping knife, or a pumice stone. The process exfoliates the skin, removing dead cells and build-up of sebum –the natural oils that protect the skin and coat- from the follicle. This promotes healthy circulation to the skin, prevents blackheads, and preserves the correct color and texture of the coat. Stripping does not hurt, but in fact seems to feel quite good; many dogs will thump their leg like they’re getting a good scratching, and some will lie on the table and rest, even fall asleep, during a hand-stripping session.  
     When a wire-coated breed is clipped without being stripped of its dead hair first, only the tips of the hairs are removed. Leaving the dead hair attached at the root results in overcrowding of the follicle, which causes hair to grow in dull, faded, or yellowish, promotes growth of bacteria and fungus on the skin, and clogs pores, leading to blackheads and irritation.   
    However, groomers who know how to hand-strip are few and far between.  Learning to hand-strip frequently involves interstate travel, attendance at seminars and demonstrations, private hands-on classes that often require paying for the travel expenses of a qualified educator, and many hours of practice. This can add up to thousands of dollars, and most groomers will have to take time away from work to take advantage of educational opportunities. On top of the monetary expense, the hand-stripping process consists of long periods of repetitive motion, which can cause stress and damage to a groomer’s joints, tendons, and ligaments over time.   
     For those of us who do hand-strip, offering the service can be costly, which means that it is often significantly more expensive for a client to have their dog stripped. Some coats may require stripping more frequently than others, and some dogs with well-kept stripped coats may need bathing only once in a blue moon rather than with every groom; both factors can affect cost either negatively or positively. Grooming costs should be considered prior to acquiring any pet, but when it isn’t feasible, some of the harmful effects of clipping can be mitigated by pairing the clipping with carding, which removes dead secondary coat (undercoat) without damaging the guard hairs when done properly.  
     Breeds who benefit from hand-stripping include the Airedale Terrier, Australian Terrier, Border Terrier, Brussels Griffon, Cocker Spaniel, Cairn Terrier, English Setter, German Wirehaired Pointer, Irish Setter, Irish Terrier, Irish Wolfhound, Miniature Schnauzer, Norfolk Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Schnauzer, Scottish Terrier, Welsh Terrier, Wire Fox Terrier, and West Highland Terrier, among others.  
     Hand-stripping at The Beauty Pawlor is offered at $60-$65 per hour, plus the cost of a post-stripping full-service bath if necessary. Stripping is performed in 1-3 hour sessions depending on the size and behavior of the dog, and may be broken up into multiple sessions. Most hand-stripped dogs should be maintained on a 4-6 week schedule, but some can go longer in between. Call 603-380-5453 for information and scheduling.  
 
This article will be available in print form in the March 2019 issue of The Beauty Pawlor's quarterly newsletter,The Pawlor Post.