Stripping and skin issues

[Oliver's Mom]

I just got back from the groomer today who has hand stripped Oliver twice and seems to think that he may not ever develop a true Cairn hard coat. I told her if he doesn't get a hard coat it's not a big deal but I thought it was healthier for their skin to be properly stripped but she disagree's. She stated that whether or not they are stripped or clipped doesn't affect their skin?? I am confused because I would think that it would have everything to do with how healthy their skin is. Oliver has terribly dry skin and the main reason for the hand stripping is to help with this issue but if it's not going to change or help it then I will not put him through the process. If anyone could let me know their thoughts/opinions I would appreciate it!!

Thanks!

[bradl]

Some Cairns (my own Stella would be one) have a soft coat and it will never be a harsh coat, even though it is stripped. Her grandmother had a soft coat that responded well to stripping (and maturity) and it gradually became better as the years went by. Stella is six and her coat is stil soft, so I don't expect it to improve. I still love her to pieces. She's just not a show gal (and should not be bred). I will probably start clipping Stella as she gets older just out of laziness, so long as she experiences no skin issues. I already mostly clip and only pull a tiny bit on Haggis, who will be fifteen in a month or so. His coat is naturally harsh and he's never been an itchy dog in his entire life.

That said, harsh coats turn soft when clipped because the hair dies at the skin/follicle end and clipping it leaves the dead coat in the skin. Plucking a newly dead hair and examining it shows this as plain as day. Eventually some dead coat will fall out on its own through normal shedding (in the Cairn way of shedding which is nothing much compared to some breeds) or through vigorous brushing and a new hair will replace the one that falls out. This low rate of renewal may be enough to let some dogs go through their lives without skin issues.

I tend to think of an analogy to the immune system. Someone at the peak of health with a highly functioning immune system can withstand a challenging environment that would kill someone with a compromised immune system. Clipping is compromising the "skin system" to some degree and whether it causes an issue is down to the individual and the circumstances. Some never have a problem; others who have problems resolve beautifully once they start being stripped. I believe it's just one of those areas where there are "best practices" but no immutable laws.

Leaving aside a desire for a proper, harsh coat, I think one way to look at it for those who don't want to strip might be "It's not a problem, unless it's a problem."

[sheila and Misty]

I agree with the groomer, but if they have a thick undercoat the dead hair should be brushed out often-thats the thing that is not good for the skin and that produces odor. On the other hand I have one cairn with a hard coat that could be easily stripped where silky coat misty is bette and easier to trim

[Nikki]

Scotty has a VERY soft coat. It's like two undercoats, But I strip him anyways. He had lots of skin issues & ear issues before I started stripping his coat now he doesn't hardly have any at all. So even though he won't ever have a harsh coat I probably still will strip him. But he likes getting stripped ...and he isn't fond of scissors so I don't think I will be clipping him anytime soon.

[janis]

Hello: Kirby is my first Cairn. He is now 6 months old. Last month I took him to a groomer who really seemed to give me good information about why/how the hair is stripped. Well, he went in a brindle - sort of dark red and came out a light wheaton? His coat was very thick, coarse outer with a soft under coat - now it's kind of thinn and soft. The groomer said he is probably a wheaton with dark tips and to bring him back in about 5 -6 weeks to be trimmedup. So, I guess my question: is this how he will look now - or does the coarse hair come back? He really hates to be brushed but I try to brush him once a week. He gets more baths than he should because he is all about mud mulch or dirt of any kind, and recently discovered the neighbors pond.

[bradl]

If Kirby had coarse hair before, he will again.

Cairns are a double coated breed. They have a soft, close, undercoat and a harsh outer coat. If a coat is mostly stripped away, you will see (and feel) the undercoat - the dog's underwear if you will . The color of the undercoat does not appear to be directly related to the color of the outer coat. My essentially black 14 year old has a red undercoat. You do not see the red at all if he is in good coat. Generally when I think about what color a Cairn is I'm thinking about the dog in its full double coat. Our 16 week old pup has just been stripped by his breeder and he's a beautiful coppery red and black brindle color at the moment. I have no clue what he'll look like when the jacket grows out. I imagine red brindle for a while, then black later in life. For brindles especially, the outer coat may go through several changes over the years. The same black male I just mentioned was a red brindle (outer coat) as a young dog. I suspect Dundee will have a very similar arc. Our cream brindle Stella is going black in the face and socks. At six, I'm doubting she'll go completely black, but it's not out of the realm of possibility!

[jimnconnie]

Well, he went in a brindle - sort of dark red and came out a light wheaton? His coat was very thick, coarse outer with a soft under coat - now it's kind of thinn and soft. The groomer said he is probably a wheaton with dark tips and to bring him back in about 5 -6 weeks to be trimmedup. So, I guess my question: is this how he will look now - or does the coarse hair come back?

Brad's remark: "If Kirby had coarse hair before, he will again." summed it all up. Here are before & after pictures from when I stripped Sophie the last time, a little over a month ago. Her coarse black/silver coat will return in a few months, but right now she is still in her soft, brindle pajamas.

Before: (You can see how coarse her outer coat is!)

After: