Tips on Grooming your Terrier and Terrier related subjects.
How to Card a Terrier
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Sorry.. this sounds really dumb, but I have no idea how to card or "roll" a terriers coat. I have been hand stripping my terrier... and this last show the judge made a comment about my puppy being in her "underwear" He mentioned that I should only be carding or rolling her, and only strip her tight 2 times a year and not near a show.
I didn't know I had done anything wrong, I think she looks good, but she is a show dog, and if the judge doesn't like her that tight, I need to learn what is correct.
Also, are there special tools to do this? If so, can you let me know about those as well?
Thanks TONS!!!!!!!! for any and all help!
Wendy and Zoe
Posted on May 27, 2008, 9:23 AM from IP address 207.138.31.24
Ive come to realise that much of the reasoning of stripping your wire is not based on fact - but on hearsay. (someone read it in a book somewhere, and then on the internet somewhere, and then heard it from a breeder, and, and, and...)
Please bear with me before you attack me if you might disagree.
Ive written some nasty accusations about this subject on my dogs' blog, but it has honestly not been my intention.
The message I want to get across to everyone is the following:
1. all the REASONS WHY you have to strip a wire comes from logic explained to everyone over time.
2. The origination of the wire breeds of today only goes back a mere 100 years. Before this, these dogs were never exposed to stripping. Competing with dogs and breeds has only really become an issue since about 100 years.
3. I believe this practice is cruel. I also know that very few people know how to do the stripping method to wires where they do not experience pain. But most of you know how your wire absolutely hates being groomed. There is a reason for it - the dog is suffering.
I want all to just please consider that if your animal is fighting such a grooming process, to maybe not do it.
Also, I think the grooming looks of the wires have become almost ugly.
I have only clipped my wire, and I get more compliments from the public than I have ever received from any animal I have ever owned. I prefer the scruffy teddy bear look. His hair is still hard and wirey.
His skin is healthy and most important part about it is that he is happy.
Please do not fight with me if you disagree (like I have fought with some anon writers on my blog).
Im hoping that my post will help 1 dog from suffering, because it is not a must to strip the wire. It is an option, and comes from guidance from groomers / breeders of the past. Remember, there are MANY groomers, vets and breeders that oppose this grooming method. The only difference is that none have ever made an issue about it, like I am hoping to do. If at least a topic for discussion and healthy debate.
The breeding methods of many dogs have been cruel (like the German shepherds get very weak back legs because breeders want them to look like wolves). Breeders of the past never cared about the consequences.
Please consider that this grooming method is not a MUST, but a way some people prefer to groom their dogs.
You can read about my article here : http://norman-doggie.blogspot.com/2007/06/stripping-wft-is-cruel.html
Thank you.
Posted on Oct 1, 2007, 6:54 AM from IP address 198.54.202.246
I hand strip many pet wire fox terriers because their allergys cease to exist by stripping. One of my clients no longer spends over a hundred dollars a month for medication. The dogs no longer smell, therefore a lot less bathing, therefore less chemicals and soap to irritate skin. Hand stripped dogs don't shed like the clippered dogs do. All the dogs i groom fall asleep on the table while being groomed.....how painful is that.....if you groom a dog and they are uncomfortable...you must be doing it wrong! Get some lessons! or quit grooming...your in the wrong business!
Posted on Jan 30, 2008, 7:09 PM from IP address 24.57.164.150
I believe that there are some owners and dogs who are convinced that this method of grooming is not cruel, and they are also correct.
What I can not accept is that people who strip their dogs incorrectly and cause them severe pain, continue to do so and think its funny. Personally I would like to get hold of those people and strip them. Have a look at the reference on my blog to how the owners of Little Fee (a WFT with a blog) have to hold her down for hours by 3 family members to get the job done. How many other dogs are there in this world that are enduring this insane form of torture?
Stripping a dog right is fine, but if the dog is uncomfortable why force them to be groomed that way? Plus, there is nothing wrong with the second option of cutting the hair short and keeping them clean either.
I own a WFT and to this day I see no need for this doggie to be tripped. From the looks of things, it looks like he might even enjoy being stripped (CORRECTLY!), but I like his current look and he gets way more attention this way from strangers than the other ugly stipping look that are forced onto the Wires.
in conclusion:
I wish SOMEONE will take note of Little Fee and the torgure she has to endure and then respond to my plea. Thanks for taking the time to read my article and also to respond.
Posted on Jan 30, 2008, 8:42 PM from IP address 196.207.40.213
We just aquired a 6 month old airedale thru rescue that has a very course wirey coat. My wife is finding alot of black hair around the house that we did not find with our adult airedale (that had a soft curley coat)that passed away in July. We have never had a young airedale before is this shedding normal, is it due to the season changing, will it stop or what can we do to stop it. We thank anyone for their input, the hair drives my wife nuts!!!
Posted on Oct 12, 2005, 4:56 PM from IP address 4.229.33.25
I am a first time airedale owner. I have a 4 month old puppy and I have been finding the black hairs all over the house too. I have been wondering if this is normal in a puppy since Airedale's aren't suppose to shed that much. Thats about all I can tell you. Hope this helps.
Posted on Jan 26, 2006, 2:09 PM from IP address 71.32.192.211
if your baby is only 6 months old, this is probably the shedding of the puppy coat. once the second coat comes in, the "shedding" should all but stop.
the hard coat is fantastic! i have a soft coated female puppy (4months) and a hard coated male puppy 11 months. am i nuts - yes! anyway, if both are out in the rain, my boy shakes off and all that is wet are the soles of his feet. the girl on the other hand, needs 2 towels to get her dry.
Posted on Apr 17, 2006, 6:01 AM from IP address 141.150.35.29
My 2 1/2 year old Wire Fox was clipped to make a good presentation when I rescued him at 6 months old. Since then, he is professionlly hand stripped every few months. I would like him to have that nice, colorful wirey coat I see on the show dogs. I need to learn to get rid of the fine undercoat and leave the black & *orange* wirey coat. Can this be accomplished with a Mars Coat King? Would I use this tool on his ears and head? What type and blade number Mars Coat King is recommended for each area? Please, any tips or instructions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Posted on Aug 8, 2005, 12:03 PM from IP address 68.250.73.42
I have a puppy with a very soft, thin, long coat. She has no undercoat this summer. I have been hand stripping her as best as I can without leaving too many bald spots but we need to show soon. Both her parents have very harsh coats which are so nice when I keep them rolled. All we have ever used in the past is a little chalk if they needed a bath right before the show. I am looking for suggestions on products that might help give her coat some texture and depth until her winter hair starts coming in. Montgomery is coming fast and she is entered in the sweeps!
Please Help. Thanks.
Posted on Sep 8, 2004, 3:53 PM from IP address 207.193.34.104
Did you get an answer to your question? I have a 12 week old Airedale puppy. Should I pull out all of his puppy coat that is sticking up? Should I do this by hand or can I use a stripping blade? Any other tips you can pass on about grooming or handling my puppy? This is my first experience with Airedales.
Thanks.
Posted on Jan 1, 2004, 7:18 AM from IP address 68.70.171.148
Start getting him used to grooming now.... just start plucking all the fluffy loose ends off of him. At his age, you can probably pluck him completely by hand. It doesn't really matter what he looks like by the end....the point is just to get a nice hard coat started. Also, this would be the perfect time to start getting him used to having his feet handled so he won't start freaking out when you start clipping his nails..... with my first airedale, we didn't do that and now she goes ape-crazy when someone touches her feet. But with my second airedale, we started handling him right from the start, so now he just sits there and doesn't care what is being done to him. He just likes the attention
Posted on Apr 24, 2005, 11:51 AM from IP address 67.80.202.98
I breed and show Scotties and also worked for George Ward for 9 years trimming terriers mainly Wires and Airedales. We start stripping all puppies just after 8 weeks of age. The coat goes between 8 to 10 weeks and it is easy to pick off all the fuzz including eyebrows.
Posted on May 1, 2009, 3:19 PM from IP address 67.72.98.45
I own an Airedale Terrier and have stripped him twice a year just using my fingers...no knife. Now I want to start to use a knife but it seems hard to find a knife for a left handed person like me.
Are there any brands or manufacturers that you can recommend?
Thanks in advance.
Ulfar,
Reykjavik, Iceland
Posted on Jul 13, 2003, 8:37 AM from IP address 213.176.138.15
These people are professional and great to work with.
They started with their own airedales...
The products are the best I've ever seen.
I just have a 4month old airedale pup now, but over 20+ yrs
ago I had a giant schnauzer...the quality of the knife
I got from Pearsons is FAR superior !
Posted on Nov 16, 2008, 1:42 PM from IP address 64.241.37.140