Dog Grooming Style Guide
Hand stripping is a specialized grooming technique where dead coat is pulled out by hand (or with a stripping knife) rather than being cut with clippers or scissors. This technique is essential for maintaining the proper hard, wiry coat texture of terrier and wire-coated breeds. When wire coats are clipped instead of stripped, the coat gradually loses its texture, becoming softer, duller, and more prone to matting. Clippered wire coats also lose their rich color over time. Hand stripping preserves the natural coat cycle: dead hairs are pulled from the follicle, allowing new, properly textured hairs to grow in. A full hand strip takes significantly longer than clipping — often 2-4 hours for a complete session — which is why it costs considerably more. Many groomers no longer offer hand stripping because it is time-intensive and requires specialized training. To find a groomer who strips, search specifically for "hand stripping" in your area. Rolling the coat (stripping a small section each week in rotation) keeps a show-ready wire coat in perpetual condition. This technique is used on Wire Fox Terriers, Schnauzers, Airedale Terriers, Border Terriers, and other wire-coated breeds.
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