When I got my 2nd dog -- Anisette, a Brussels Griffon, the breeder suggested I consider hand stripping her to keep the coat the way I wanted it.
At that time I found a groomer that does hand stripping and started taking my older dog, Gigi (she was 4 at the time) and Anisette (when she got old enough to introduce her to it). I noticed right away a remarkable improvement in Gigi's coat. She is an Affenpinscher. And being clipped had made her coat all soft and downy and it was actually changing colors. Her coat looks wonderful now that it is hand stripped.
Well, the groomer I found actually is not close to me at all. So I essentially would have to take a Saturday to take my dogs to her. Now I have my 3rd dog . . . also an Affenpinscher. And even though I love that groomer, I have kept an eye out for somebody closer who can do handstripping.
Now I have a mobile groomer who went and had another groomer (one who had experience hand stripping show dogs) teach her how to do it. Next week the mobile groomer will be hand stripping my dogs for the first time. I am a little nervous since I know she is new to hand stripping. Although she is not new to grooming at all. And she is working on preparing for "competitive grooming" . . . if I got that term right. Which makes me feel comfortable that she really did learn how to hand strip properly.
I wondered if there was anything that I should be sure to tell her about what I want. I know the previous groomer did a "rolling coat" and that we would come back roughly every couple of months. And I know she was keeping the younger dogs with the puppy look still . . . not sure how she did that.
I am more than willing to let her practice on my dogs since the time I save will be monumental. And I am excited about trying this. But I want to give her some of my expectations . . . so that I won't be disappointed. It is just I don't really talk the language of hand stripping.
At that time I found a groomer that does hand stripping and started taking my older dog, Gigi (she was 4 at the time) and Anisette (when she got old enough to introduce her to it). I noticed right away a remarkable improvement in Gigi's coat. She is an Affenpinscher. And being clipped had made her coat all soft and downy and it was actually changing colors. Her coat looks wonderful now that it is hand stripped.
Well, the groomer I found actually is not close to me at all. So I essentially would have to take a Saturday to take my dogs to her. Now I have my 3rd dog . . . also an Affenpinscher. And even though I love that groomer, I have kept an eye out for somebody closer who can do handstripping.
Now I have a mobile groomer who went and had another groomer (one who had experience hand stripping show dogs) teach her how to do it. Next week the mobile groomer will be hand stripping my dogs for the first time. I am a little nervous since I know she is new to hand stripping. Although she is not new to grooming at all. And she is working on preparing for "competitive grooming" . . . if I got that term right. Which makes me feel comfortable that she really did learn how to hand strip properly.
I wondered if there was anything that I should be sure to tell her about what I want. I know the previous groomer did a "rolling coat" and that we would come back roughly every couple of months. And I know she was keeping the younger dogs with the puppy look still . . . not sure how she did that.
I am more than willing to let her practice on my dogs since the time I save will be monumental. And I am excited about trying this. But I want to give her some of my expectations . . . so that I won't be disappointed. It is just I don't really talk the language of hand stripping.
