Hand Stripping: A Deeper Look - How to Hand-Strip a Dog by Following 3 Basic Rules - Gina's Grooming

[@dorothybrogden3523]

I enjoyed watching this.....very interesting!

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi Dorothy, welcome back! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! Hand Stripping is a relatively obscure service, but it's so good for the dogs - and Katniss is enjoying herself (which is the best part for me)! Really appreciate your feedback! 😍

[@abracadebra111]

Wonderful videos Gina! I subscribed. I’m about to get a Brussels griffon and after watching this I hope I can do all of this but you made it easy to understand 😊. I live in a rural area so I want to learn to do it myself. And you look like a master at it to me ❤.

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi Debra, thank you so much - I'm so glad the video is helpful! And congratulations in advance on your new baby Brussels Griffon! 💕 You're going to do great hand stripping them yourself (and save a ton of money) - good luck and keep me posted! 🐾

[@MikiDoodleMom]

I groomed this breed yesterday. 13yr old Sammy doesn't have much for coat. I was going to strip but owner wanted him smooth, so I ended up using clippers. He looks like a puppy again and the owner was quite thrilled.

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi Terri, I totally get it, a lot of dogs who "should" be stripped get clippered, and that's just reality. Glad to hear the owner and pup were happy!

[@jamiiiepilton1530]

Soooo helpful thank you ❤

[@GinasGrooming]

Yay, thanks so much for your feedback! 😍

[@llim6450]

This is very helpful! I recently started hand stripping my 8mo Westie and got myself some Artero knives. I find it hard to handstrip the face/ears area, not sure where to pull or doesn’t seem easy! Appreciate any tips!! Thanks so much! Love your videos btw!! ❤

[@GinasGrooming]

Yay, thank you, and congrats on working with your Westie baby! Last year, I discovered finger cots for working around sensitive areas, and now I'm obsessed! Although I use the Artero brand, I couldn't find them on Amazon, but using basic finger cots while plucking should help u out immensely: amzn.to/4haRfPi. Good luck and feel free to keep me posted on your progress! 🐾😊

[@amieh9697]

Possibly adopting a terrier mix tomorrow, this was super helpful! Thank you❤

[@GinasGrooming]

Aw, good luck! Terrier mixes are usually incredibly special - I hope you find your perfect match! And handstripping is really fun, once u get the hang of it (you'll see!). I would truly love to hear how it goes tomorrow - new love is an amazing thing! Wishing the best for both of u! 🐾💕

[@amieh9697]

@@GinasGrooming Thank you so much! I'll keep you updated haha

[@susannekappes567]

I have a terrier mix I just hand stripped, it was much easier than I thought! Now I wonder if I have to do the tail as well? She has long hair on it but is not amused about being stripped there… (I only tried with a few hairs) Thank you, great video!

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi Susanne, yay, so happy you jumped in and are going for it! The tail is really up to you... if you were stripping certain breeds for show, most Terriers get them stripped to some degree. But it's definitely a sensitive place for most dogs, for sure! I leave Katniss' tail natural for that reason, but she's a mix and a pet, so I have more leeway. If you really want to strip the tail, I would start with little bits and reward - build up the comfort level for work in that area. Hope that helps, and good luck on your handstripping journey! 😍

[@susannekappes567]

@@GinasGrooming Thank you, Gina, for your quick reply! Then I will just leave it as it is. She definitely won’t have to compete at a show, she is just our furry child which was rescued from Romania. I think she looks quite adorable with the bushy tail🥰 I was just worried it might cause problems if I didn’t strip it. Thank you 😊

[@heatherdabney03]

Is there somewhere I can ask lots of questions? What age should you start puppies? this will be for a 4 month old wirehaired daschund. I have been grooming for 17 years and have never done this, but have always wanted to learn.

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi Heather, yay, I'm always glad to meet a seasoned groomer who is ready to add this to their knowledge base! Yes, there is a fantastic FB group called Handstripping Education; the folks are kind, open, and very informative to all sorts of questions, ranging from super-basic to advanced. Usually, people start introducing handstripping early, around the 6 month mark, but that's just an introduction to get them used to it as their adult coat comes in (which will depend on breed and your particular pup.) Good luck, I think you are going to have so much fun learning how to do this, especially on your own Doxie! Thanks so much for watching! 😍

[@dunlk9088]

Watching this is making me seriously question if i want to get a giant schnauzer in the future

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi @DUNLK, hahahaha! Don't despair, it's just the jacket and a few bits here and there! (I'm lying, it's a lot of work, lol!) But you can do it, I believe in you! 😍

[@al-rm1nv]

Can you make an english cocker spaniel grooming video some day?

[@GinasGrooming]

Absolutely! I used to do a gorgeous English Cocker, but we lost touch when I moved salons. But I will definitely make a video when another one comes through my door! Thanks for watching! 😍

[@al-rm1nv]

@@GinasGrooming Thank you very much!

[@jenniferressmannwriter]

Do we have to do this? Can I just wash him and lightly brush him?

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi Jennifer! The brushing will remove some loose and dead coat, so that will definitely help. But if a dog really needs to be handstripped, new growth won't take place at the follicle unless the dead hair comes out. Back in the day, these types of dogs would do work that pulled the coat off naturally, so handstripping emulates that process since most of our dogs are pets now. Most owners have concerns that the pet will be too hot with full coat, so the big question is, in that case, do we cut or handstrip? If u want that coat taken down, and you are working with a wire coat, the answer is handstrip. Hope that helps, thanks 4 watching!

[@jenniferressmannwriter]

@@GinasGrooming Whew! Ok - thanks! :)

[@honeybadger2115]

It’s hard, there’s so much debate about not washing them afterwards atleast for a few days because pulling on the hair opens up the pores for infection but you can just use antibacterial shampoo?

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi @honeybadger2115, great question! Gosh, I've never heard of or seen any infection after stripping, but I tend to groom on the softer side and only strip what comes put easily (and needs to come out.) Now, if you use chalk to help pull the coat, you must wash out the chalk as soon as possible. But if you are not using chalk or any product that can sit on the skin, you do not need to bathe immediately after. So, to answer your question directly, hand stripping should not cause any distress to the hair follicle if you are pulling at the right time. Anti-bacterial shampoo should not be on your radar at this point. But gentle, hypo-allergenic shampoo is always a good choice. Hope that helps, thanks for your comment! 🐾😊

[@honeybadger2115]

@@GinasGrooming Thank you so much! Theres alot of confusion out there, thank you for your video! If you happen to know were I can get a knife stripping and carding kit I would love to know, I am new at it and not sure of my essential instruments for it. Cant even tell the difference between a carding and hand stripping knife yet haha

[@GinasGrooming]

@@honeybadger2115 You are very welcome, and I have to say I am really impressed with your grasp of the scope of Grooming, especially considering that you are new to the industry! Main difference between stripping and carding is: stripping knives help pull off top-coat, carding knives help pull undercoat. Both of these grooming techniques are going to come into play if you specialize in a particular coat type, meaning if you become a terrier specialist, you are going to invest in all sorts of stripping knives, stones, finger cots, powder, etc., and if you become a sporting specialist, you are going to get into carding knives and banded combs and techniques like wrapping a towel around the jacket so that it dries and lays flatter. But for all-purpose groomers (like me!), you just need to dip a toe into each specialization, depending on what type of breeds seem to come your way. I have more terriers than spaniels in my clientele, so I've invested in stripping gear, but I don't have too many spaniels and do not own a carding knife. I use a Furminator (as all spaniel specialists gasp in horror, lol!) or a banded comb that I made to pull undercoat out of the spaniel jacket. So, to give you some comfort, you don't have to get all the equipment for every service; you just need the basics (like a Mars stripping knife: amzn.to/43eNQs8), and be honest when a client asks about your experience. And if you keep learning and asking the way that you are doing, you are going to do great! 😍 Thanks for recognizing how BIG Grooming really is, and GOOD LUCK! 🐾🐾

[@monicaj2068]

Does hand stripping hurt the dog? I want to try this on my hound but I’m scared it’s not required and it will hurt her :(

[@GinasGrooming]

Hi Monica, great question! Handstripping should not hurt in any way - in fact, for dogs that should be handstripped, it is helping the lifecycle of the coat and providing them with relief. Now, very importantly, the only "hounds" that I know with wire coats are the Irish Wolfhound or the Scottish Deerhound (and their mixes, of course.) If your hound has this type of coat, you should be able to pluck a strand of a longer hair on his back, and if it comes out easily with no pain to the dog, then you may have a candidate for handstripping. Without putting my hands into the coat or confirming the breed, I wouldn't be able to tell you for sure, but rest assured, your dog will tell you! I would check with a local Groomer if you are really unsure. Hope that helps, and if you want to see a quick video of another dog's reaction to handstripping, here's a link. Thanks! kzbin.info4qNS0M3lRhQ?si=Z2gXYz--pJ4WfuUG