Stripping - How long should I plan?

[Buddy's Dad]

I have never done it before and now that I am armed with the book from CTCA, I am ready to give it a go.

So how long should I plan to take?

Buddy has 3-4" top coat hair that parts down the middle of his back! It needs to be plucked! He is just over a year old and has never been stripped (we have only had him 3 months).

Thanks, John

[bradl]

It depends. For a patient dog it can take 3 hours or so (plus or minus an hour, maybe) to completely strip a dog. But I would not suggest doing that to a dog who isn't used to it. I would plan to work on it over the course of a week or two, with short sessions of 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Doing it this way gives the dog a break, prevents you both from getting tired and cranky about it, and allows you many opportunities to stop, have a look at what you've done so far, and plan the next phase.

It's true that Buddy may go through some unusual hair styles along the way (like the reverse mohawk and hula skirt as you take down the topline, which is usually the easiest section) but honestly, it bothers us more than them.

Be patient, do a little at a time, take many breaks, be liberal with the treats, don't wear the dog out, be forgiving of yourself - it's just hair; it grows back. That would be my simplistic advice!

Added: You're in Ft Collins? There are many Cairnites in the area. Get hooked up with the regional Cairn club or even the local earthdog club (which includes several if not many Cairn folks) and you can get some 1-1 coaching for sure.

[Buddy's Dad]

Thanks for the quick reply and the advice! First I need to read the book cover to cover!

The only "regional" club I can find is the Denver club. Any suggestions on how to find Fort Collins Cairn people?

[bradl]

Uh, taking the US as a whole, Denver is your local club :-)

If you head over to Rist Canyon this weekend, they are putting on a bunch of Earthdog tests (premium list (PDF)) - a "premium list" is the publication that describes all the particulars of a dog show or test. It will give test times, contact information, directions to the site, etc.

Their specialty is coming up August 20th, so that's also great place to meet Cairns and their people.

The Rocky Mountain Earthdog Club will be having more tests July 23-25 (premium list).

You can also locate some Cairn folks by perusing the CTCA's breeder referral listing for CO addresses.

Finally, any all-breed dog show in your area (or surrounding state) is likely to have Cairn exhibitors. It's a small world and Cairn folks are usually happy to make the acquaintance of other Cairn folks.

Some ideas to get you started.

[Dempsy's Mom]

I know just how you feel!. Dempsy is a year old and I read about stripping. I thought, "Are you kidding me?" Ok - I bought the book and I also asked this Cairn group about it and they were all matter of factly. So OK.

I used some surgical gloves and just started pulling in small plucks - I soon felt the dead hair and I could see the hair that needs stripping. Dempsy has thin hair and soon I made a bald spot. I panicked and asked my fellow Cairn lovers if that was ok - and I was reassured that that can happen - it's ok. Dempsy seemed to enjoy it. I gave him a bone to entertain him, we sat in the grass. We did it over a couple of days. I did not do alot around the face. He was happy after the stripping. He looked a little ugly. The under coat was darker. That was last month and now his hair is really getting cute. Good luck.

[Idaho Cairns]

John, may I ask an obvious question--why are you putting yourself and your dog through this process?

[Tracy A.]

Hi John

I like to use a surgical glove pumice stone combo when I strip my dogs.

I posted some pics a while back of grooming, they might be of help to you.

home handstripping

[hallswel]

I just hand stripped three different puppies....With Gator it took about an hour only because we had to come to an Understanding that it was going to happen even if he didn't like it.

Stella got stripped and it took three 30 minutes sessions because she is has so much hair and a double undercoat. She was very good until we got to the lefs.

Chami was simple and the coat came out so easy. She only took about 45 minutes and was good as gold.

In the picture is Chami, Gator and Stella, they are 12 weeks old

Gator is my new boy

Chami is visiting from FL

and Stella is going to be owned by the Hannah who lives two doors down and is a Junior Handler.

Cute babies...

[sanford]

Great photo! How in the world did you get those three to hold the pose long enough to snap it?

[Buddy's Dad]

John, may I ask an obvious question--why are you putting yourself and your dog through this process?

Are you asking why I would strip a Cairn at all or why I would try to do it myself?

I am looking to do it because I have read that it is better for his skin and coat to be strpped. I am planning on doing it myself because I cannot find a groomer who will do it.

Thanks, John

[Dirtdogs]

Thanks for the quick reply and the advice! First I need to read the book cover to cover!

The only "regional" club I can find is the Denver club. Any suggestions on how to find Fort Collins Cairn people?

I don't have any "carin people" near me, or in my training club. I did ask my breeder about it, she showed me when I first got my dog, then after trying it my self, I met her at a local show (she isn't from anywhere near me either:)) ans got a refresher course. Although I don't see many other Cairns, I have friends with Border terriers... the finished dog is much different, but the stripping is pretty much the same method.

Hope that helps some. good luck,

Kristi

[hheldorfer]

John, may I ask an obvious question--why are you putting yourself and your dog through this process?

Are you asking why I would strip a Cairn at all or why I would try to do it myself?

I am looking to do it because I have read that it is better for his skin and coat to be strpped. I am planning on doing it myself because I cannot find a groomer who will do it.

Thanks, John

I certainly don't have the expertise of others on this board but I have found that stripping Buffy seems to make her much more comfortable (no itching) and keeps her coat in good condition. I use a Mars Coat King on most of her body, a stripping knife on her legs and butt and I hand strip with rubber gloves on her head and face. It's not the complete hand-stripping method described in the book (which I have read), but it seems to work just fine.

[sanford]

John, may I ask an obvious question--why are you putting yourself and your dog through this process?

I too am puzzled by Idaho Cairn's statement. What does it mean? Is Idaho Cairns asking why John would strip a Cairn at all or why he would try to do it himself?

As John explains, he's looking to do it because it is better for the dog's skin and coat to be stripped. It's also the proper way for a Cairn to look like a proper example of his breed... and not to look like a Yak.

I thought most folks on this sit advocated stripping. (Maybe not?). Other than the fact that each of us is free to choose how our Cairns should be groomed, maybe I missed something?

[Nena]

Nena is much more comfortable when she is stripped for the hot summer months. I hand strip her a little at a time, she does not like it but we do it anyway. I like the pummice stone helps get more hair out. But I also just started using the mars king coat and that really gets it done fast. I still hand strip but a few time over with the mars really keeps her cleaned up quick.

Keeps her smelling good and no itching.

[hheldorfer]

So . . . NOT looking like a yak, smelling better and being more comfortable. Seems like these are pretty good reasons for stripping!

[Tracy A.]

Right now my double coated dog Mettwurst is very itchy. He camps out on my lap or under my legs when im on the couch to scratch him. It's been non stop the last few days, his insisting that I scratch him.

I need to get him on the grooming table soon. He's funny, if I stop, he grunts and flips to get my attention.

[PeppersMom]

It takes me about an hour to strip and then for about a week I take a little more here and there...I kind of obsess over it! LOL I usually see wispies on walks when he is farther away from me.

[Buddy's Dad]

OK, I chickened out and am taking Buddy to a groomer. She has 3 Cairn's so I expect that he will look good. I told her that the last groomer I took him to made him look like a Yorkie. No Yorkie-Cairns for me!

Oh and I am going to order a Mars Coat King!

[Tracy A.]

OK, I chickened out and am taking Buddy to a groomer. She has 3 Cairn's so I expect that he will look good. I told her that the last groomer I took him to made him look like a Yorkie. No Yorkie-Cairns for me!

Oh and I am going to order a Mars Coat King!

sorry to hear you chickened out, but trust me it isn't that hard..and hair grows back

[dinib]

OK, I chickened out and am taking Buddy to a groomer. She has 3 Cairn's so I expect that he will look good. I told her that the last groomer I took him to made him look like a Yorkie. No Yorkie-Cairns for me!

Oh and I am going to order a Mars Coat King!

When you pick up Buddy from the groomer, ask her what you need to do for maintenance for in between sessions. She will show how to do it. I roll Buckley & Gracie's jacket, but she does all the 'heavy lifting' like the underbelly, legs, bottom, tail and shaping of the head.

Gracie (a puppy mill rescue) had a very thin, whispy, dry coat. After two grooming sessions, her coat is much thicker and shiny. We are slowly getting her to true Cairn princess status. Since we've been properly grooming her, her flakey, itchy skin is much improved.

[bradl]

That's actually a great idea if she's going to strip. If she lets you watch it can be a great experience to get over that initial scary hump. Basic stripping is just one of those things that sounds a hundred times more complicated to describe or discuss than it actually is to do.

[sanford]

...then for about a week I take a little more here and there...I kind of obsess over it! LOL I usually see wispies on walks when he is farther away from me.

This is always the case with me. After I work on my cairn, for the next week I see places I missed, yet when the groomer does the job, he looks perfect! I guess that's only one of the differences between me and a Pro.

Although my groomer maintains that my cairn is a "perfect gentleman", my grooming attempts turn into a battle royal! It's not easy, rasslin' with a Cairn & trying to groom him at the same time.

[Buddy's Dad]

I mainly chickened out because we have house guests for the 4th and I wanted Buddy to look GOOD! No bald spots allowed so I need to pay the big bucks!

So does the Coat King really work for striping?

[sanford]

So does the Coat King really work for stripping?

Some people on this site have reported good results with the Coat King. Others, not as good. It may depend on the type of coat the dog has - how wiry or soft it is. I've found the Coat King to be practical & extremely easy to use for keeping my Cairn looking neat between groomings. (Less frequent groomings = some $$ savings!).

It's important to use the tool in such a way as to strip the hair and not cut it, but this is fairly easy to manage, by following the instructions for proper technique.

Others may or may not agree, but my opinion is to go for it. Why not have a tool that's tailor-made for the breed that you own?

[hheldorfer]

The Mars Coat King was my salvation with Buffy. I tried stripping with just a stripping knife and my fingers but it took too long and she'd get "impatient" (translation: crazy-squirming-fighting). After a while her coat got so thick and Yak-like that I couldn't possibly keep up with it. She has a very coarse coat. I bought a MCK because many folks here recommended it. It's wonderful! I can take off a LOT of hair in very little time and Buffy doesn't seem to mind it at all. I use the MCK on her body and then use the stripping knife and my fingers on her legs and face. I brush her every other day and, each time I brush her, I also do a little stripping; one night I'll work on her body, a few days later I'll do her legs, then her face the next time. Spacing it out reduces the wear and tear on both of us. She'll never be a Cairn beauty like some of the photos you'll see here, but her coat is healthy and she's comfortable.