Dog Stripper: What It Is and How to Use It
To properly groom a wire-haired dog, use a stripper. This tool helps remove dead guard hairs. You can buy one at an affordable price, based on customer reviews. It's easy to use, but it's best to take a grooming course beforehand.
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What is stripping?
Stripping is a grooming procedure for dogs and cats. This type of grooming is necessary for wire-haired animals that do not shed naturally. These are primarily dog breeds bred for hunting, such as terriers, as well as mixed breeds:
- Affenpinschers;
- schnauzers;
- German Pointer;
- Brussels Griffon;
- dachshund;
- deerhound, etc.
When hunting, dogs often have to climb through brush, which pulls out dead hairs and thins the coat. However, most pets kept as pets are deprived of natural grooming. As the hairs die, they become stiff and wire-like, clinging to the follicles and impeding new growth. As a result, the coat loses its shine, looks unkempt, and its color fades. Long-haired breeds can develop dense mats of undercoat that lie close to the skin, as shown in the photo.
Simply trimming won't do the trick; you need to pull the guard hairs out by the roots, not just remove the top portion. Therefore, it's easier to use a special tool that plucks the guard hairs, making room for new hair growth within the hair follicle. This treatment isn't limited to the body coat. It's also recommended to remove guard hairs on the paws between the toes if they grow in long tufts.
How often should you strip?
It's recommended to schedule your grooming appointment around the time of your dog's first shedding. This is usually seasonal, so you can use the timing of their baby teething as a guide:
- for small breed puppies - 4 months;
- for large ones - 6-7 months.
It's generally recommended to perform this procedure every 4-6 weeks. However, for animals with slow-growing hair, the frequency of grooming increases to every 8 weeks—the guard hairs take longer to mature and die.
Determining the maturity of the guard hair is easy: hold a strand of hair under pressure with your thumb and index finger and pull it in the direction of hair growth. If it falls out easily, it's time to strip it.
How uncomfortable is the procedure for dogs?
Owners often ignore stripping, believing the process to be painful. Indeed, the dog may exhibit anxiety. However, this is not due to pain, but rather to a lack of familiarity with professional grooming and the length of the process.
Plucking coarse, fully mature hairs by the root can be compared to a massage. Pets experience greater discomfort when new hair grows in while the guard hairs remain attached, creating a downy blanket-like texture on the body that prevents air circulation and leads to diaper rash and irritation.
How does the procedure work?
If visiting a groomer isn't possible, you can strip your dog yourself. You'll need professional equipment, which can be easily ordered online with delivery or purchased at specialized stores in Moscow and other major cities. The price of the equipment varies, with offers on marketplaces ranging from 400 rubles to 4,000-5,000 rubles.
The stripper is available in several variations, and the optimal type is selected depending on the thickness of the coat:
- For abundant use, a tool with rare teeth is recommended - 6-12 pcs.;
- for the average - 16-20 pieces;
- for rare - 20-26 pcs.
For long-haired pets, you can use a combination of strippers. First, prepare the fur with a wide-tooth tool, then pluck it with a fine-tooth tool. There's no need to wash the animal beforehand, as the fine-toothed tools more easily grab greasy hair. After shampooing, the hairs become soft and slide easily between the teeth.
How to use a stripper correctly:
- you need to cut out the tangles with scissors and comb the fur;
- press the strand against the blade with your thumb;
- move the tool in the direction of hair growth.
If plucking is not effective enough, it is recommended to slightly dull the blade.
Reviews
Evgeny Sentyakov
I have a show dog. When I got the puppy, the breeder warned me right away: either a haircut or stripping. It turns out that alternating treatments or constant haircuts soften the coat, ruining its appearance.
Alexandra Shuvaeva
There's nothing complicated about plucking hair. I've taken my dachshund to the groomer several times. I observed the process and now I do it myself. The main thing is to choose a tool that fits comfortably in your hand.
Stanislav Tuchin
My pet has a very thick coat, so I do the process every three days. First, I groom his head, just below his neck, then his back and sides. Lastly, I tidy up his beard and paws. It's comfortable for me, and he tolerates it well.
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