Care & Everyday Life

Dog Grooming: What Is Stripping, Which Breeds, and Why

Trimming (also known as stripping) in dogs is a specific grooming technique for wire-haired coats (rough coats): Dead guard hairs are pulled from the hair root with the thumb and forefinger or a stripping knife — not cut. This preserves the coat's appearance, texture, and color. Trimming is not a painful technique if applied correctly to dead, loose hair.

Dog Grooming: What Is Stripping, Which Breeds, and Why

What is grooming for dogs?

Trimming (also known as stripping) in dogs is a specific grooming technique for wire-haired coats: Dead guard hairs are pulled out from the root using the thumb and index finger or a stripping knife—not cut. This preserves the coat’s appearance, texture, and color. Trimming is not a painful procedure when performed correctly on dead, loose hair.

Trimming is suitable and necessary only for wire-haired breeds. Clipping a rough-coated coat permanently alters its structure—the coat becomes soft, dull, and loses its characteristic texture.

Background + Scientific Context

Cadieu et al. (2009, Science, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19713490/) identified the RSPO2 gene as the primary factor responsible for wirehair (rough coat) in dogs: RSPO2 variants cause the outer coat to grow hard, textured, and with a characteristic roughness. This genetic coat structure is linked to a natural hair cycle—wire-haired coats grow in distinct phases (anagen = growth, telogen = resting phase), during which the dead hair remains in the follicle until it is removed by trimming. If this hair cycle is interrupted by clipping, no new wire-haired coat grows back—instead, a soft, unstructured undercoat develops. The result is the typical “soft coat” seen in clipped terriers or schnauzers—visually and functionally altered.

Scott, Miller, and Griffin (2001, *Muller and Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology*) describe the physiology of the hair cycle in dogs: Hair follicles cyclically go through the anagen (active growth), catagen (transitional), and telogen (resting) phases. During the telogen phase, the hair sits loosely in the follicle—it is physiologically ready for removal. Trimming mimics the natural shedding of telogen hair: the hair is grasped at the root and pulled out without damaging the follicle. New anagen hair can then grow back unimpeded—with the correct wire-like hair structure.

Evans and de Lahunta (2013, *Miller's Anatomy of the Dog*) describe the anatomy of hair follicles and the skin: Dog follicles are compound follicles—a primary follicle produces the outer coat, while secondary follicles produce the undercoat. In wire-haired coats, the guard hair is the relevant hair—it grows from primary follicles, which remain intact and functional when properly trimmed.

Vitomalia-Position

Owners of wire-haired terriers or schnauzers who have their dogs clipped are taking the easy way out, but they’re not doing the right thing. Clipping isn’t painful, but it permanently alters the coat. If you want to preserve the coat, you need to trim it—or hire a qualified groomer.

When does trimming become important?

  • Wire-haired breeds: Full stripping 1–2 times a year; pinning (partial stripping of individual areas) between stripping sessions
  • Before shows: Show stripping according to breed standard timing
  • Visible shedding of the coat: The coat is in the telogen phase and ready for stripping
  • When buying a wire-haired puppy: Plan for grooming from the very beginning
  • After an accidental haircut: Fur regrowth takes several cycles

Practical application

Breeds that require grooming (selection):

Breed group Examples Workout intervals
Terrier Fox Terrier, Welsh Terrier, Jack Russell (wire-haired) twice a year
mustache Giant Schnauzer, Standard Schnauzer twice a year
Dachshund Peace Dachshund 1–2 times a year
Spaniel Cocker Spaniel (partially) depending on the line
Retriever Irish Terrier, Irish Water Spaniel twice a year

Exercise methods: - Hand stripping: using the thumb and index finger, working on small sections at a time — time-consuming, gentle, and produces the best results - Stripping knife (trimming stone): A knife with a blunt blade—hair is held between the blade and the thumb and pulled, not cut - Needling/spot removal: Removal of individual stray hairs between full strip treatments - Scissors: acceptable for trim dogs (dogs not intended for shows, older dogs with more sensitive skin) — but the change in coat is permanent

Common Mistakes & Myths

  • “Shearing is the same as trimming.” Shearing cuts the hair—trimming pulls it out. With shearing, the hair root remains in the follicle and continues to produce soft fur; with trimming, the follicle is cleared for new wire hair to grow.
  • “Trimming is painful—it pulls on the hair.” When done correctly on telogen hair, trimming is painless—the hair is ready to shed and sits loosely in the follicle. If you pull on hair that’s still in the anagen phase, it can be uncomfortable—that’s a common mistake.
  • “My terrier gets clipped all the time—that’s enough.” For pets, this is an acceptable choice. However, the coat permanently loses the texture typical of the breed. Working breeds (hunting, sports) benefit from the weather-resistant wire coat.

Current State of Research (2026)

The genetic basis of coat types in dogs (RSPO2, FGF5, KRT71) is well established. Post-clipping changes in wire-haired coats have been documented and can be explained by the interruption of the hair growth cycle. Professional grooming with trimmer training is gaining importance in Germany—dog grooming certifications (including through IHK courses) are establishing standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between trimming and clipping a dog's coat?

Trimming (stripping) removes the dead topcoat from the root—the follicle remains intact and produces new wire-haired coat. Clipping cuts the hair off—the root remains and produces a soft, structureless coat. Trimming preserves the coat’s structure and color; clipping permanently alters both.

Which dog breeds need to be groomed?

All breeds with a wire-haired coat: Fox Terriers, Welsh Terriers, Airedale Terriers, Schnauzers, Wire-haired Dachshunds, Irish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, and other FCI terrier breeds. The coats of these breeds are genetically suited for stripping.

Can I groom my wire-haired terrier myself?

Yes—with practice and the right tools (a stripping knife or hand stripping). For show dogs, we recommend an experienced professional groomer. For family pets, home grooming is possible after receiving instruction from a groomer.

Related terms

Sources & Further Reading

  1. Cadieu, E., Neff, M. W., Quignon, P., Walsh, K., Chase, K., Parker, H. G., et al. (2009). Coat variation in the domestic dog is governed by variants in three genes. Science, 326(5949), 150–153. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19713490/

  2. Scott, D. W., Miller, W. H., & Griffin, C. E. (2001). Muller and Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology (6th ed.). Saunders. ISBN 9780721684857.

  3. Evans, H. E., & de Lahunta, A. (2013). Miller's Anatomy of the Dog (4th ed.). Saunders. ISBN 9781437702576.

Wissenschaftliche Einordnung

Cadieu et al. (2009, Science, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19713490/) identified the RSPO2 gene as primarily responsible for wire hair (rough hair) in dogs: RSPO2 variants cause guard hairs to grow hard, textured, and with characteristic roughness. This genetic coat structure is linked to a natural hair cycle — wire hair grows in distinct phases (anagen = growth, telogen = resting phase), where the dead hair remains in the follicle until it is removed by stripping. If this hair cycle is interrupted by clipping, no new wire hair grows back — instead, soft, unstructured undercoat develops. The result is the typical “soft coat” in clipped terriers or schnauzers — altered both visually and functionally.

Scott, Miller, and Griffin (2001, Muller and Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology) describe the hair cycle physiology in dogs: Hair follicles cyclically go through anagen (active growth), catagen (transitional phase), and telogen (resting phase). In telogen, the hair sits loosely in the follicle — it is physiologically ready for removal. Stripping mimics the natural telogen hair push: The hair is grasped at the root and pulled out, without damaging the follicle. New anagen hair can then grow back unhindered — with the correct wire coat structure.

Evans and de Lahunta (2013, Miller's Anatomy of the Dog) describe the anatomy of hair follicles and skin: Dog follicles are compound follicles — a primary follicle produces the guard hair, secondary follicles produce the undercoat. In wire coats, the guard hair is the relevant hair — it grows from primary follicles that remain intact and functional with proper stripping.