Grooming
Hair Growth and Maintaining a Good Coat in a (Jack) Russell Terrier
Scott Wasserman, USA
Before you can begin to learn to hand strip or trim a terrier, it is best to get an understanding of how hair grows and understand its life cycle.
The canine hair follicle is complex, meaning that it supports more than a single hair. The canine hair follicle can contain one to two primary hairs and from 7 to 22 secondary hairs also known as undercoat. (Fig 1)
Canine hair grows in different cycles, Anagen, Catagen and Telogen. Anagen is the active growth stage. A hair in this stage can be growing from a couple of days to more than 25 years. In the Catagen stage, the bulb starts to constrict, and the hair becomes thicker and starts being pushed out of the follicle. This then leads to the Telogen stage where the bulb separates from the follicle and a new hair begins to push up next to the old hair. The old hair is eventually shed or in some instances, must be stripped out. (Fig 2)
To maintain a healthy coat, the older hair must be removed to allow for the production of new, healthy hair. Terriers, specifically wire-coated ones, have thick and coarse primary hairs and softer secondary hairs. Due to the thickness of the hair shaft in terriers, the primary hairs sometimes get stuck because the follicle itself is narrow. When the older hair remains in the follicle while new hair is attempting to grow, the follicle can become irritated and swollen. Often when terriers are clipped and not at least carded, the old hair along with oils and cellular debris can clog the follicle and cause sores and pustules. Only a minimal amount of carding on a clipped terrier, followed by a follicular flushing bath, can help prevent follicular clogging and sores. (Fig 3a-c)
The technique of hand stripping is simply physically removing the hair by pulling it out of the follicle. Pulling the hair triggers a rapid cellular response and a new hair is stimulated to grow, and a coarser and brighter hair is produced. In this process, the new colored hair becomes darker, and the white hair is brighter. The color in the hair shaft is produced as the new hair grows and the pigments are deposited toward the tip of the hair shaft. As it continues to grow, less pigment is deposited along the shaft. (Fig 4a-c) So, when harsh-coated terriers are clipped, the tips of the hair are cut off, removing the pigment, and leaving the base end of the hair shaft with little to no pigment in the follicle, giving the dog’s coat a “faded” appearance.
The term “hand stripping” refers to removing the hair without cutting or breaking by using your fingers (plucking) or replacing your index finger with a stripping knife or a stripping stone.
Technique:
Every dog’s coat is different in texture and growth rate. Getting a feel for each dog’s coat can take time to learn.
To prepare the coat for stripping, brush the dog’s coat in the direction you wish the coat to lie. By brushing the dog’s coat through, you will avoid pulling clumps of hair. Hair that is pulled in clumps will grow back in clumps giving the coat a “patchy” appearance.
Always remember to support the skin by stretching the skin in the opposite direction from the way you are pulling.
Then, pulling toward your body, grasp the chosen hair(s) at the tip end of the hair shaft and pull in the direction that you wish for the new hair to grow. (Fig 5a-f) Make sure that you are not bending or snapping your wrist as this may cause breaking or cutting of the hair.
You may use chalk or ear powder on your fingers or on the coat to help absorb excess oil on the coat and help give a better grip on the hair shaft.
So why should you hand strip? To maintain a harsh coat, along with healthy skin, dark rich color and proper texture, the coat must be worked constantly by rolling the coat. When rolling a coat, you are only pulling the dead hair of the outer layer to reveal the idle layer of coat that is at its prime length. (Fig 6)
Staging a terrier coat
Staging a coat is necessary to prepare for rolling a coat. Staging is begun when you are starting from a fully long or old or blown coat. (Fig 7a)
Since hair grows in cycles and because different hairs in an area may be on different cycles and have different growth rates, the hair on different parts of the body will grow faster and have a shorter “life span” than hair on other parts of the body.
Staging a coat is a process in which you first remove the hairs in the areas that you want to be the longest in a finished coat. (Fig 7b)
Stage 1: Strip the areas that you wish to be the longest. This area consists of the back of the neck, down past the withers and into the topline. If your dog has a low tail set, you will want to strip out this area also. (Fig 8).
One to three weeks later…
Stage 2: Because secondary hairs grow faster than the primary hairs so you will need to “de-fuzz” the area from Stage 1. Then, stage 2 involves stripping out the coat that you eventually want to be of medium length in the finished dog. So, you will strip out the sides of the neck, the rest of the body, and the hips. Again, remember to work the furnishings on the legs, face, and underline. (Fig 9)
During all stages, you will want to work the furnishings on the legs, underline, and face, including eyebrows, to always keep several layers going.
One to three weeks later…
Stage 3: De-fuzz the areas from Stages 1 and 2. At this point you will strip out the areas that you want to be the shortest in the finished dog. These areas include the ears, head, throat, and the area around the anus and genital area and inside the cowlicks on the rear end. Again, remember to work the furnishings on the legs, face, and underline. (Fig 10)
Once you have the dog’s coat grown to the ideal length for all the areas to achieve proper breed profile, you will now begin to roll the coat. Rolling the coat is used to maintain the coat in different lengths. First, card the coat to remove excess undercoat and allow the primary hairs to lay flat. Next you will want to remove about one third of the coat remembering to work in an even pattern all over. If you hop around, your new coat will grow in “patchy.”
Once you have the dog’s coat grown to the ideal length for all the areas to achieve proper breed profile, you will now begin to roll the coat. Rolling the coat is used to maintain the coat in different lengths. First, card the coat to remove excess undercoat and allow the primary hairs to lay flat. Next you will want to remove about one third of the coat remembering to work in an even pattern all over. If you hop around, your new coat will grow in “patchy.”
Thank you to Irina Moskaleva, Cathy Denman, and Candace Lundin for contributing additional photos and illustrations.
Ordering the Grooming Video for download
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Handstripping Groomers Directory
The list below contains names of persons who have indicated that they have experience in hand-stripping a terrier coat. Experience and expertise can vary greatly, however, and so it is important that the reader asks lots of questions and requests references, especially if needing a show quality condition coat.
If there is no contact information listed, search on the person’s name or business on Facebook and Instagram.
Hope this helps…
California
Knightsen, CA
Christina Wagner
Fallbrook, CA
Ellie Wilson
Pet & Show
703-505-9831
Central Valley, CA
Christine Pierson, CG Pet Styles
Pet
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Colorado
Louisville, CO
Emily Brunn, The Little Groomer
Pet & Show
303-666-0545
Florida
Hernando, FL
Angelia Bergener Hall
Pet & Show
707-624-5134
Palm Beach Co., FL
Melanie Charland, Elite Paw Mobile Grooming
Pet
516-668-9132
www.elitepawmobile.com
Kissimmee, FL
Manessa Donovan
Pet & Show
insta: Manessa_Donovan
Crystal River, FL
Roxanne Sutton
Pet & Show
(215) 919-2099
Plantation, FL
Mayra Grajales, Almana Dog Stylz
Pet & Show
https://linktr.ee/almanadogstylz
Idaho
Eagle, ID
Suzanne Pierce, The Dog Lady
Pet & Show
www.facebook.com/idahodoglady
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Illinois
Waukegan, IL
April Conway
224-577-8598
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Wheaton, IL
Nicole Hillison-Hernandez, Dognormous
Pet & Show
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Glencoe, IL
Love Fur Dogs
www.lovefurdogs.com
Waukegan, IL
April Conway
Pet
224-577-8598
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Iowa
Emmetsburg, IA
Sierra Elbert, Glamorous Paws
712-922-9035
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Massachusetts
Whitinsville, MA
Karen Elizabeth Osper, The Perfect Paw
Pet & Show
West Springfield, MA
Roslyn Mintz-Fosco
Pet & Show
Marblehead, MA
Kate Peever, All Paws on Deck
Pet
781-631-2275
www.Allpawsmarblehead.com
Danvers, MA
Katherine Roldan, The Royal Four-Legged Spa
Pet
https://www.theroyalfourleggedspa.com/
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Boston, MA
Kelly Marsh
Michigan
Port Huron, MI
Michelle Dixon, Michelle’s Elite Pet Styling
Pet & Show
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Nevada
Las Vegas, NV
Star Whipkey Ott
Pet & Show
ott_to_be@hotmail.com
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New York
Hicksville, NY
Roslyn Mintz-Fosco
Pet & Show
New Hampshire
Dover, NH
Diana Samaras-Fincher
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Oregon
Portland, OR
Amanda Thomas, East Wind’s Dog Grooming (mobile)
Pet & Show
Pennsylvania
Maple Glen, Montgomery County, PA
Liz Sines
Claridge, PA
Stephanie Stempfer, Pampered Paws-N-Claws
Pet & Show
724-744-0200
www.pamperedpawsnclaws.com
Lancaster, PA
Vesta Rash, Center Stage Grooming
Pet & Show
717-728-8964
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Tennessee
Puryear, TN
Jeanine Rogers, Nean’s Pampered Paws
Pet & Show
Nolensville, TN
Paul Johnson, Haute Dogge
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Franklin, TN
Peggy Browne
770-655-5757
Pet and Show
Texas
Willow Park, TX
Kelsey Jesseph
Pet & Show
817-771-1393
Fort Worth, TX
Jana Blake
Pet & Show
Fort Worth, TX
Wendi Napieraj
Pet & Show
586-344-5214
Austin, TX
Christie Henriksen, As The Fur Flies South
Pet & Show
https://www.asthefurfliesaustin.com/
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Wylie, TX
Ginnie Raye Potts, Jinx Merlot Pet Grooming
Pet only
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Utah
American Fork UT
Jessica Glenn, Furry Tail Transformations
Pet & Show
801-885-1962
Sandy, UT
Kahlia Castle, Doggie Castle
801-674-8486
www.doggiecastle.us
Utah County
Mary Nauta, Salon Woof
801-995-9835
Provo, UT
Kirsten Roberts Real, Kirstylou’s Doggie Doos
801-854-0370
Virginia
Manassas, VA
Guzal Adekoje, VIP Pet Elite
Pet & Show
Amissville, VA
Joe Metheney-Mills
Pet & Show
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Alexandria, VA
Katie Cecilio
Contoured Canine
703-705-2176
Pet and Show
CANADA
Toronto, Canada
Erin Dietrich, The Animal Clinic
Pet
Calgary Alberta, Canada
Katlin Primrose, Primpaws Pet Grooming
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