If you own a wiry-coated breed — terriers especially — you've probably heard the term “hand stripping” and wondered whether it's really necessary, or whether a regular clip will do. Here's the honest breakdown.
What's the difference?
Clipping uses electric clippers to trim the coat, similar to how most breeds are groomed. It's quick, affordable, and works well for most coat types.
Hand stripping removes the dead outer coat by hand (or with a stripping tool), pulling loose hairs out at the root rather than cutting them. It sounds more intense than it is — done correctly, it isn't painful for the dog, since the hair being removed is already loose and ready to shed.
Which breeds actually need hand stripping?
Wire-coated breeds like Border Terriers, Airedales, Schnauzers, and West Highland Terriers have a “double coat” — a soft undercoat with a coarser, wiry top coat. These coats are designed to be stripped, not clipped.
Why it matters for these breeds
Coat texture: Repeated clipping softens a wire coat over time, until it eventually loses that harsh, weatherproof texture altogether. Hand stripping preserves it.
Coat colour: Clipping can dull or fade natural coat colouring, since it cuts the hair shaft partway rather than removing it at the root.
Skin health: Because hand stripping removes hair at the follicle rather than cutting it, it can encourage healthier new growth and reduce the buildup of trapped dead hair against the skin.
So which should you choose?
If your dog is a genuinely wire-coated breed and you want to preserve their coat's natural texture and colour long-term, hand stripping is worth it. If low maintenance and cost are the priority, clipping is a perfectly reasonable choice — it just means the coat will soften over time.
House of Fluff offers hand stripping alongside standard clipping, so we can talk through what's right for your dog's specific coat.
