Hand Stripping

Hand stripping involves pulling dead hairs from the outer coat by hand or with a stripping knife, allowing new wire-textured hairs to grow in. Unlike clipping, which cuts the hair and leaves soft regrowth, hand stripping preserves the coarse, weather-resistant texture that defines wire-coated breeds. The process requires skill and patience, taking 2 to 4 hours depending on the breed and coat condition.

Breeds that benefit from hand stripping include Wire Fox Terriers, Schnauzers, Airedale Terriers, Border Terriers, Irish Wolfhounds, and other wire or broken-coated breeds. Show dogs almost always require hand stripping to meet breed standard, but pet owners who want their wire-coated dog to look and feel their best also choose this method. Once a wire coat has been clipped repeatedly, it becomes soft and loses its characteristic texture, and returning to hand stripping gets more difficult.

Hand stripping is one of the more expensive grooming services because of the time and expertise involved. In Washington and Oregon, expect to pay $100 to $200 or more per session. Not all groomers offer this service, so you may need to search specifically for a groomer experienced in hand stripping for your breed. Sessions are typically needed every 6 to 10 weeks to keep the coat in rotation.