Hand Stripping?

I heard Tassle talk about handstripping Trip.

Who by the looks of it has the same kind of coat Benjie has.
I know it's basically pulling the hair out - but is there any method to it?

I use a finger/thumb with Trip and occasionally a stripping knife.

Usually the former as I do not do it in 'set' grooming sessions, just a bit here and a bit there.

with the f/t method, I get hold of a small amount of hair between my forefinger and thumb and pull in the direction the hair is growing. If the coat is ready to be stripped, the hair comes out with very little pressure.

I try not to focus on one area, I move all over the coat in the session, (I have seen some disastrous bald patches where people have just worked on one bit!)

With the Stripping knife, have the knife in my palm, making a fist around it,with my thumb sticking out and laid against the knife, then start as above, small piece of hair and pull in the direction of the hair. You can get almost a flicking rhythm going as you get into it. (Its all in how you twist your wrist!)

But that's how I do Trip.

Thanks Tassle - I did some bits on his face this morning - that's where most of his wire fur is - wish I'd taken before and after pictures, although you can't see much.

Benjie hates his face been touched but he actually like this.

He has wisps of wire fur sticking out of the softer fur - would that be easier to do with a stripping knife or finger and thumb?

For hand stripping the setters I use rubber thimbles for extra grip - for the setters a stripping knife is a no-no breaks the fur. Got a lot of work to do with Connor tomorrow!

http://www.emblehope.co.uk/border-te...-and-grooming/

That may help.

WOW! Thats bad, not sure how they could get the undercoat like that though. That would mean a lot of pain.

Dunno, using a knife I think, but they would come in and ask us to sort it. Usually Spinone's

I suppose if it had no undercoat to begin with it could be stripped bare, but Id be inclined to clip rather than strip if it were a pet if it had no undercoat. Some people just dont care do they, then pass it onto others to deal with!

Can all breeds be hand striped?

No, just wire haired double coated ones, Terriers mainly, but some other like Wire Haired Dachs, Viszlas, Spinone's etc.. Dogs like Cockers and Setter have their "fluff" stripped too.