Hand Stripping in Winter

  This is something I would like to know as well.  I have a 7 month old aussie terrier, who I brush a couple of times weekly with a wire brush, but would like to try my hand at stripping, though I don't want a semi-furless pup in the dead of winter.

It sounds like their coats have "blown", meaning the dead hair has reached the end of its life cycle.  It naturally falls out, sometimes in vast amounts.  Do you know how to hand strip?  I believe that a schnauzer should have roughly 2" of coat when they are in full coat.  It will take about 2-4 months for the new coat to grow in.

 Dogs have many undercoat hairs and only a few guard hairs per follicle.  When you shave a dogs skin, the follicles very often get clogged with the dead hair.  Schnauzers very often develop little bumps on their bodies because of this.  So mucking out undercoat, and stripping these dead hairs is very beneficial to the dog's skin.

Your dog's wooly undercoat serves as insulation, and the guard hairs are waterproof.  They work together to keep your dog warm and dry.  So, I think your dog may need to wear a waterproof coat when weather gets bad, until  the new set of guard hairs come in.  I doubt he will "freeze".

Thank you for the information!  Can you please explain to me what "mucking out the undercoat" means?  I found a very detailed website on how to hand strip, so I think I'll be okay there.

 Thanks again!

Great!  Thanks.  Now, to get him to stand still long enough to do this... 

My PRT loves having her undercoat pulled out. That, alone, has improved the texture of her coat. She's very, very used to being groomed, but this is one thing that she LIKES. 

Hmm, actually Mini Schnauzers are non-shedding animals, I'm very surprised that your dogs coat is falling out at all? Having had dogs that have been clipped from puppyhood, stripped from puppyhood, and dogs that have experienced both, never in 7 years have we ever had a dog whose coat falls out on its own. I have seen Mini Schnauzers with coats that are 3" long or longer, and never falling out. It bothers me a little bit that your dog's hair is falling out so easily.

As for hand-stripping. You can do that, but it's a tedious process and honestly, if you aren't showing the dog I wouldn't personally put a dog through it. It's not painful for all dogs, but it's not fun either, and for some dogs it really does bother them. If you are really inclined too, then you should go ahead and read about how to properly strip a Mini coat. But if it was me I'd just shave it down. It won't reduce allergens any, as they are naturally hypo-allergenic, it has to do with the dander, not how you have groomed the coat.

If you want a stripped look without having to do all the work, you can indeed use tools such as stripping rakes (Mars Coat King works well) and Furminator to get a semi-stripped look, and a shorter coat, but without the tedious process and possible irritation to the dog.

Thanks for all the tips.  They have been very helpful!  We're about halfway through the stripping process, though, like you said, it is slow and tedious, because while he doesn't really mind it, he can only sit still for about 5 minutes before needing a break to run.  I think I'll finish the main part of his body by hand stripping, then use an electric razor for his legs and other areas where I know he wouldn't let me hand strip.  I don't want to get it so short that he freezes.  How long should the razor extendor (I don't know what it's really called) be to leave the length about as long as the undercoat?  I've read that I need to bathe him after stripping -- should I strip, bathe, then shave?  Or strip and shave, then bathe?

 How do I post a picture so I can get advice on where to shave?

For general grooming info, you can check out this page:

http://www.miniatureschnauzer.ca/grooming.htm

Or I could help you with a specific part if you are having trouble.

On our clipper we clip the body at the longest length, no matter the clipper. We have three types of clippers - two 2-lengths, and one 5-length. We use the longest length on all sets of clippers, it's most efficient. The other lengths go too short for my liking.

IMO, it's best to hand-strip first, bathe second, and scissor or clipper last.  You have a much better grip if you strip beforehand, and its much easier on you, and your equipment to cut and style CLEAN hair.  It also yields a much better finish.  I only clipper before a bath if there is severe matting, that would make it very difficult to effectively wash and dry the dog, and it might make the matting worse.

Are you putting your Schnauzer in something like a breed clip, or you doing one length all over (kennel clip), but keeping the Schnauzer head?  I don't use adjustable blade clippers, I have removable/interchangeable clipper blades.  You can switch them out when they get too warm, and send one off at a time to be serviced.  If you are going to clipper your own pet for the rest of its life, I heartily recommend professional clippers and blades.

You should be able to upload a picture with the "insert/edit image" button.  If not, I would upload the photos to a host website (like photobucket.com), and link them back here.

Okay, I don't know what kind of clip I'm doing.  But I'm including a picture of the last shave I did for him, plus a picture of where we are right now.

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=190123797/a=96265209_96265209/t_=96265209

Hopefully they will show up!  I think I want him to look basically like his last groom.  I don't like the typical Schnauzer cut.  What do you think?

I use a stripping tool when it is time to strip my cairn terrier's coat.  (Not a show dog)  When he is blowing his coat, he gets to scratching, and chunks come out when I brush, it is time to do it.  It is a long process but here is what I do to get it done.  First he goes for a long walk so he is tired and relaxed.  Then I give him a bone to chew.  He lies there chewing, barely noticing me.  Even when he is not chewing, if he has had exercise he'll cooperate.  However I do give short play breaks and do the stripping over several days.  I cannot do it all in one day and I would not even try as it is too long for a dog or human. I also will give him a treat when I finish a session.  This is my second cairn.  I have been stripping for the last 23 years.  Ooooh, that sounds bad, doesn't it??!!

 I am a new Cairn Terrier owner.  Molly is a 9-year old Cairn adopted from a Cairn Rescue.  Her fur was long and parted in the middle so I figured she needed to be hand stripped.  My question - do you strip the dog down to their skin?  She's look bald where I've stripped her so far.