hand stripping

Question
QUESTION: I have what I've been told is a Chihuahua/Shih Tzu mix.  A trainer told me
that she is sure the dog is at least half Brussels Griffon, but I think it's
unlikely.  Anyway, she has a wiry top coat and I've been told she needs to be
hand-stripped.  The trainer did some stripping, and her coat is much
smoother.  This dog is a beloved pet, but I hate to spend tons of money on
grooming.  I did some research online, and learned that if I EVER clip her,
she'll never have a wiry coat again, that she'll be softer and may even get
"cottony" or change color (she's ginger and white now).  I don't even know if I
care about that, but the trainer said that dogs like this need to be stripped
either way (even if clipped) or it could impact her skin's health.  What do you
think?  Thanks for being out there!
ANSWER: HI
I understand that you have been advised to have your mixed dog hand stripped.
I have been grooming for 18 years, and I feel like this advise is preposterous for a pet dog.
Hand stripping is PAINFUL to the dog, at the very least it is painful until the dog becomes used to the sensation of having the hair pulled out by stripping.  I refuse to put any dog through this treatment as you can achieve the same result with educated styling, and NOT ruin the wire texture.
The dog must be bathed and dried so the wire part of the coat sticks up. If a groomer is not sure the wiry part will stand out, then the dog should be clipped BEFORE the bath.  It is best to just try clipping before the bath anyway, just in case.
The coat should be clipped using a slip tooth blade, that is a 4 or a 5 (not an F blade) will generally give the same appearance as hand stripping, as it only removes part of the coat. I have even seen Schnauzer's done with a 7 skip and the wire coat will still be there, the same length of the softer undercoat, and will grow back out.  It will not ruin the coat.  As for show dogs, it will feel different, but it grows back wiry after a time, so the roots will be wiry and all you have to do to let the texture come back is quit clipping it. Clipping just takes the sharp points off the end and matches the wiry coat with the softer hair. It does not CHANGE the texture of the hair.  
If your dog gets skin bumps like pimples on its back as it ages, that would be because it does need more than just the clipping. Stripping does prevent this skin condition, but all dogs do NOT have it, and mostly it is prevalent in schnauzers, not brussels griffon's and certainly not Chihuahuas or Shih Tzus!  The condition can be remedied by srubbing the area and bathing with special skin products, but I doubt very much that your dog will ever have this problem.

I think it is well worth clipping this doggie, rather than stripping the poor thing.

You will not need to spend a lot of money getting this dog clipped at the groomers, most groomers do charge a BUNCH for hand stripping, it is hard on the wrist and dogs are yelping and biting and disrupting the shop.  

Your beloved pet will be happy and cute clipped with a skip tooth blade.  It may even look cuter clipped with an F blade. Find a pet STYLIST and get referrals from vets and other dog owners whose pets you think are cute before choosing a groomer.

Good luck. I would never EVER let anyone, even myself, strip a dog even if I didn't' like the dog.

Lori

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you, Lori!  You certainly have the experience on this topic!  Just wanted
to tell you that yesterday, this girl did some stripping on Bodhi, and she really
didn't mind at all.  She's seemed pretty comfortable since, and certainly is
smoother feeling.  The other thing is she (Bodhi) was getting hairballs fairly
often, and I think getting out that undercoat would probably be good in that
way.  So, will clipping accomplish the same thing as stripping in terms of
getting out that dead undercoat?  (Sorry if my question seems stupid, but I
just don't know anything about this subject!)  Thanks again, Lori!!
Best,
Judith

Answer
HI
I am thinking that the "stripping" that was done, wasn't really "stripping" but undercoat removal.  Stripping actually removes the longer hair that is still attached to the dog!  If the undercoat was being removed, that is great, you can do that with a stripping knife, and it pulls the undercoat out of the longer stuff, and it is really a good thing to do on a double coated dog.

You can do the same thing with a fine comb or a good slicker brush.  

Clipping will not get the undercoat out, you don't want to clip to get out the undercoat, as the only way to do that is go BELOW the undercoat, and that is WAY too short.  

Clipping will remove the longer wiry looking stuff and leave a shorter, more plush coat.  The undercoat does need to be combed out.

It is very hard to determine your dogs coat type over the Internet!  Also, remember that according to your dogs age, that different ideas might work for your dog.  
A puppy changes its coat to adult hair at 8 months to 18 months of age.  That is changing the texture.  Puppy hair will actually be a different texture than adult hair and the puppy hair will shed and shed and stay caught in the new adult hair.
Once that change over is complete, then the adult hair may take an entirely different type of care.  

Keep the undercoat combed out at any rate.   From there you can clip to any length that you think is cute.

Lori