Starting to hand strip a puppy

[Oscar 12345]

Your knife looks a lot like the carding knife I mentioned. Looks ok Kat, you can tell if you are cutting in that the hair that comes away is shorter than the longest length on the coat. Yes hold knife with blade as flat to the skin as you can and just comb, whatever comes off is normally fluffy and fine. You will find the most comfortable way of holding it, if you've got it wrong it will start to ache. Yes you will get some hairs when you try to hand strip, like Alison, when Otto was resting on my knee or lying down I used to gently pull the longest hairs and it was great practice.

[Schnauzerluv]

I have this too. Not much to yet to get out, but I thought it might help some day. Is it similar to what you have Julie?

[Schnauzerluv]

Your knife looks a lot like the carding knife I mentioned. Looks ok Kat, you can tell if you are cutting in that the hair that comes away is shorter than the longest length on the coat. Yes hold knife with blade as flat to the skin as you can and just comb, whatever comes off is normally fluffy and fine. You will find the most comfortable way of holding it, if you've got it wrong it will start to ache. Yes you will get some hairs when you try to hand strip, like Alison, when Otto was resting on my knee or lying down I used to gently pull the longest hairs and it was great practice.

Ok tx so much! The problem is the hairs are short and fine. It seems like fuzzy undercoat....
When you say the hairs cannot be shorter than the longest length, do you mean the wiery hairs while stripping? And i'm not doing that yet right, so the finer hairs can be shorter? I think his longer wire hairs are not ready to come out yet?
I don't get any long wirey hairs out when hand stripping (or trying to haha). Only the short little fine fluffy hairs.
Sorry for the stupid questions!

[Dawnspell]

I have one like that Kat unlike a coatking its blades are blunt so no cutting. I cant actually get that through Jaspers coat it just jams. I think its because the actual blades are thicker. I've got one with just 6 blades that I can use on small areas by lifting his coat so I can see skin and gently combing through small bits at a time.

Dont know if these photos will help. Jasper isnt very accommodating when it comes to keeping still for photos

This area in between his ears on top of his head. If you enlarge on the parted hair area you can see the bright white hairs these are the new wire coat coming through and the fuzzy undercoat


His fur is wet on this but you can see the little spiky wire hairs coming in


I find the head the hardest part to strip

[Oscar 12345]

Yes that rake looks similar Kat. What I meant was that if you look at the length of the hairs prior to carding/raking and then rake and the hairs on the rake/knife are shorter (they also have a blunt end) then you have cut the hair. You can't cut the hair when you actually strip/pull the coat (unless you have a very very sharp knife. Sounds like you are doing great. Honestly, I think it took me a year to really get it.

Alison, I just want to sniff Jasper's fluffy head....so cute.

[Dawnspell]

Alison, I just want to sniff Jasper's fluffy head....so cute.

He actually loves you whispering in his ear and gently scratching between his eyes=)) He's an odd dog

[Schnauzerluv]

I have one like that Kat unlike a coatking its blades are blunt so no cutting. I cant actually get that through Jaspers coat it just jams. I think its because the actual blades are thicker. I've got one with just 6 blades that I can use on small areas by lifting his coat so I can see skin and gently combing through small bits at a time.

Dont know if these photos will help. Jasper isnt very accommodating when it comes to keeping still for photos

This area in between his ears on top of his head. If you enlarge on the parted hair area you can see the bright white hairs these are the new wire coat coming through and the fuzzy undercoat


His fur is wet on this but you can see the little spiky wire hairs coming in


I find the head the hardest part to strip

Ahhhhhh I see what you mean! The dull blades. I also have a detangler comb like that but with blades. I used to use it for knots on my other two minis. All it does really is cut through the furnishing hairs. But i'm wondering if I rake/card through his furnishings if they won't tangle as much. Right now he doesn't really tangle, but i'm talking about my other two adults with longer hair.

I'm still pretty confused about stripping the hairs. But of course the pictures help a lot! Thanks! I'm not freaking yet though because i'm hoping it will all make sense once his hair is ready to be stripped out.

Yes that rake looks similar Kat. What I meant was that if you look at the length of the hairs prior to carding/raking and then rake and the hairs on the rake/knife are shorter (they also have a blunt end) then you have cut the hair. You can't cut the hair when you actually strip/pull the coat (unless you have a very very sharp knife. Sounds like you are doing great. Honestly, I think it took me a year to really get it.

Alison, I just want to sniff Jasper's fluffy head....so cute.

It's a Mars stripping knife, the one I ordered. Seems to be working for the undercoat when combing through because his coat looks like it's sitting flatter. His coat is a little curly though, not like Jasper's, so i'm not sure if I'm combing enough or not. So I did a lot of combing yesterday, and I do it every 2 or 3 days? I'll be doing it daily for a while, just asking. So far I can't get much longer wire hairs to come out. I think from what you've said that is still normal and i'll just keep waiting until it's ready.

Thanks both of you so much, your help has been very appreciated!

[Schnauzerluv]

Alison, I just want to sniff Jasper's fluffy head....so cute.

He actually loves you whispering in his ear and gently scratching between his eyes=)) He's an odd dog

I love this! So cute! Ozzy loves it when you talk to him. He looks right into my eyes and listens. He loves to wrestle, he is so gentle with his mouth but he sounds like he's masacuring my arm with his growing lol.

I rub between his eyes too! He goes sleepies.

[Schnauzerluv]

Ok his hair is finally ready to come out! And I think I get how to pull the longest hairs finally! Is that what I want to do? Remove the longest hairs? I kind of pinch right at the end to grip the longest hairs. And keep combing with the stripping knife? I use my fingers to pull hair, not the knife. I hope I'm not pulling too much bc he's not a fan of being touched/mushed for very long and he went into his pen (his safe place) when I was trying to hand strip just now. But I guess that's ok because I want him to spend time and feel safe in there. I don't think it hurt at all, I think it was just too much while he was trying to nap. He'd rather nap on his bed outside the pen during the day, so maybe if I strip him when he's on his bed, he will love his pen and spend more time there while I'm trying to prevent seperation anxiety and training him to spend more time alone for when we are out.

[Dawnspell]

You can just use fingers but its quicker once full grown to use knife and grip longest hairs against it with your thumb.

They're sensitive little furballs. I'd be careful about stripping when he's dosing of he's moving away and not comfortable with it. He may get suspicious about sleeping near humans and not come cuddling up for a snooze, or be suspicious of anyone coming near him when asleep, instead choosing his crate. I only used to strip bits as puppies if they were zonked out on my knee. I didn't go to them once they were asleep on a bed.

They soon pick up on what you are going to do even before you know you're going to do it too

Lovely photos. He doesn't like that bone costume

[Schnauzerluv]

Thank you that is a great point! Ok I will stop pulling at hairs when he's sleepy, pay attention not to bother him and also i'll be more gentle. I'll pet him as I do it and casually pull little hairs at a time.

So do you only strip the coat when he's right out sleeping? Or only when he won't mind? Or did you set aside a time to groom? Did you use a grooming table or counter?

A few quick questions
So would I pull all the longest hairs (eventually) in his jacket? Like following the pattern? That I am somewhat familiar with and how to trim the face. But what about those scraggly hairs near his ears? It's so cute, but normally on my last mini I would have snipped it shorter and more neat. Am I supposed to pull those long hairs little by little?


And what about his ears? The inside flap I have already trimmed, also his white bum area and armpit area. That's ok right? That is normally scissored anyway? I was planning to try to strip his back thighs and down the back knee a bit, is that normal for a black dog if I'd like to keep a uniform coat color?

[Dawnspell]

I only stripped when they were asleep as puppies as you only plucked a few hairs. Once older you need to spend a bit more time.

Start off with short sessions of 5 mins (in Jaspers wriggle bums case about 2 mins ) giving lots of praise and reward for keeping still. I used to put Jasper on a lead so he couldn't wonder off and scatter treats either in a snuffle mat or the grass outside to keep him occupied to start with. You could also use a kong or long lasting chew. I also got a lick mat for when I started shaving Jaspers cheeks as he kept wanting to chew the clippers. This would also work for stripping. Sometimes you have to be creative.


I have a grooming table but I dont think I've ever stripped Jasper on it. I tend to sit out on the garden seat. He sees me getting equipment together, knows it means some yummy treats, once I sit down he comes and jumps on my knee No mess to clear up and the birds love the hair in spring for nesting

I've always shaved ears but I know some people strip ears too, and the bit where the ears join the head I use thinning shears to blend. Yes youre right with the bits youve trimmed. Yes you need to go down the back leg, they can be quite sensitive around that area. Barney was sensitive so rather than stripping I used a coatking It pulled out undercoat and kept it short with some wire so it was a bit of a blended area rather than fully stripped.

[Schnauzerluv]

Thanks Allison you are great helping me So as a pup you only pulled a few hairs at a time per session, then as he matured, you set aside a time to coax him to your lap where you feed treats and praise? I saw you post about the lick mat haha. I think i'll get one. But for now, i'll try having him on my lap more often and i'll just pet him and play with hair without actually pulling......much. I admit it looked really overwhelming as I worked and felt a bit of urgency in how much I should be pulling. But I had a look today and it seems he has way less bulk at his neck and head where I started. So reassuring what one session can do.

I'm pretty happy with the outcome so far. Thanks for all your help and encouragement!

[Schnauzerluv]

I think I found my niche with hand stripping! I can most easily do it while he is sleeping on the floor. Not so comfy for me, but if it works for my baby i'll do it haha! It's because he's rarely on my knee or for very long. He fell asleep in my arms while holding him standing and c rocking him, but if i'm sitting, he'd rather be beside me or in his bed/on the floor. He didn't mind at all though and even rolled over and stretched for more pets and hair pulling. I like this better than using scissors! Pretty excited

[Dawnspell]

I just found as I kept doing bits you work out between you what works best for you both. Thats whats good about grooming yourself for building a bond. Barney my previous dog wouldn't have stood on my knee like Jasper does. He used to lay across my knee and snooze, or he would lay on the floor. I'd grab hold of his 4 legs and roll him over on my knee to do the other side, sometimes he'd open his eyes I thought the same would work with Jasper but he had other ideas as he quite often does , so for him its standing up. Barney also couldnt have cared less about treats, so that didnt work for training.

Just because all the grooming videos show dogs on grooming tables doesn't mean that's the only thing that works