Why you shouldn't clip a wire haired dog
4 reasons why wiry coated dogs should be hand stripped
Can you shave a wire-haired dog?
Wire-haired dogs have a very unique coat, which is different to that of most other dogs. They have a thick undercoat and wiry, longer hairs which stick out. Although you may feel that shaving these types of coats could help to keep your dog cool or prevent smells, that isn’t necessarily the case. To encourage a fresh and healthy new top coat to grow, hand stripping is recommended as it's the way the hair is designed to come out naturally. Does hand stripping hurt dogs? Although it sounds painful, it shouldn’t hurt your dog. Read our helpful guide below to see why you shouldn't shave your wire-haired dog.
1. Coat Texture
Clipping a wiry-coated dog will mean that the top guard hair isn't removed but rather clipped short along with the undercoat. This method means that the guard hair can no longer grow back in the same way as before, and the undercoat's growth is affected, which will result in the coat changing texture. For most wiry haired dogs their coat will grow back curly and frizzy and will lose the thick wiry texture that the breed is known for!
2. Coat Colour
Like with your hair, the hair shaft dies and thins out in dogs too. It's a natural part of the hair cycle. Although for the wiry breeds, if you don’t pull those hairs out and clip them instead, the guard hair grows back as downy as the undercoat. The undercoat, which is the beginning stage of the hair cycle, is fluffy and pale in colour (the colour develops later on in the cycle) so removing the guard hair means the dog's coat will look faded.
3. Temperature Control
Dogs have naturally weatherproof coats. This coat is an insulator; it is designed to keep the dog cool in summer and warm in winter. If you shave or clip the coat instead of hand stripping it, the soft undercoat will take over and no longer be able to aerate; it will not be weatherproof anymore which lowers the dog's natural defences against cold and heat!
4. Skin Health
As mentioned in the last point, a wiry dog with a clipped coat loses its ability to defend themselves against weather and appropriately control their temperature and aerate. This means that they can develop skin conditions, especially if any moisture gets trapped in the wooly undercoat. Losing the wiry texture also makes dogs more prone to matting which can also cause sores to form on the skin.
Overall, wiry haired dogs have coats that are designed to protect them naturally from all weather and their everyday activities. Although it takes longer and is slightly more expensive, making sure they are handstripped is the best way to maintain their coats and overall health and wellbeing!
Looking to improve your hand stripping technique? Groomarts offer a dedicated hand stripping course where we show you the best tips, tricks and hand stripping techniques.