Border Line By Sophie Thornburn
Hand Stripped Boarder Terriers By Sophie Thornburn
Me and my experience with hand stripping:
Hi my names Sophie Thornburn, I live just outside Beverly on a quiet farm with my family. We first got our boarder terrier in 2003 my mother and I showed him for 3 years at a high level, he qualified for Crufts but then gained an injury which caused us to stop. As he was a show dog we had to keep him well groomed and tidy for that is what the judges expect.
To do so we hand-stripped him to keep him looking smart, healthy and well looked after, also we brushed him every day for a few minutes to keep the dead loose hair off his coat and only gave him a wash only when he absolutely needed it as their top coat is water proof and washing them takes that away. I gained the experience of my mother and soon enough I started to hand-strip him myself and I have been doing so for 5 years. As we don’t show him now there is no need to strip a boarder until needed unless there is a necessary reason for example they are a show dog and need to be kept tidy.
Is your boarder terrier ready to be stripped?
When you think your boarder terrier is ready to be stripped take a look at its coats and you will be able to pull a few strands out very easily as the top coat dies and starts to fall out. Also they will start to gain a parting down the centre of their back which means it’s at its longest and needs to come off.
Looking after your boarder terriers coat is very important as they have two coats, a top coat which is tough, wiry and waterproof and an under layer with is soft and keeps them warm. So brushing them regularly will prevent discomfort for your boarder as loose hairs in their coat can be itchy.
I do not clip boarder terriers as this can destroy their coats, and prevent growth of the under layer of hairs growing through. It will end up a tangle soft mess and after you have clipped a boarder you will not be able to strip it as the hairs are frail and tangled, I also do not use stripping knifes as these can do the same as clippers so I use my finger and thumb, this gives the best outcome and doesn’t affect any of the under coat.
The technique of stripping your boarder terrier:
First I will ask you if your dog is wary around other people and if so you will need a muzzle just for my safety to handle your dog. I will then have a collar and leash to hold up its head just so it stands while I strip it, this will not be uncomfortable for your dog at all. I start with a good brush over the whole of the body to insure the hairs on the body are laid the correct way to be ready for me to start and also check with you and its coat over for any possible sore areas for me to be extra careful with. I start at the top of the neck and make my way down the body ending up at the top of the tail, I then go down all four legs and will use blunt thinning scissors for the feet as the hairs on their feet are usually short and hard to strip. I also use scissors around there belly, bottom, and if it’s a male I’m stripping around their private areas as these particular areas are very sensitive and can be painful if stripped. I then move onto underneath there neck and up to its head, I take my time around the head as again it’s very sensitive. I gently remove the hairs from the ears and top of head then use the scissors around their thin area.
When I am finished your boarder will have a much softer coat and also a change in colour, this is how it should look. Their under coat will have already been growing for warmth. Always make sure you brush your boarder at least every day for a healthy looking coat.
If your showing your boarder you will need to keep it trimmed up weekly but if not they will just need to be stripped about twice a year usually stripped around the hotter months as a long heavy coat can get warm and uncomfortable for them.
I hope I have given you enough information and will hopefully be hearing from you and your boarder terrier soon. Thank you.
Contacts: Mobile: 07522250198
Email address: sophierthornburn@hotmail.com
Address: Poplar lodge, park lane, Cottingham HU16 5SA
