Information on How to Strip a Schnauzer's Coat

Schnauzers have special grooming requirements and you need to strip the coat if you intend to present your pet in dog shows. Stripping your dog's coat encourages the growth of the dog's natural coat color and texture. If you only trim the dog's hair repeatedly, this may soften the hairs and the dog will no longer have a wiry and harsh coat, which is the specific trait for schnauzers. Soft coat in schnauzers is considered a fault by the American Kennel Club.

  1. Prepare for the Grooming

    • Use ear powder, which makes the hair easier to pluck out. You may also use rubber fingers when you handle the dog. Spread the powder over the area where you want to strip and gently massage the dog's skin. Stretch the skin using the fingers of one hand before extracting the hairs. You may also use a stripping knife, but pay attention to not cut the dog's skin.

    Stripping a Schnauzer

    • Stripping the dog involves either plucking out the hair in sections and leaving the dog bald, or removing only the overcoat first and removing the undercoat in sections five to six weeks after the initial stripping. The second option is recommended for pets that have a thick undercoat. Perform the stripping differently according to the color of the pet. Strip black schnauzers completely to reveal the color of the skin. For mixed color dogs you should remove the coat on the darker areas and trim the lighter areas. Pull the hairs using your index finger and thumb, in the direction the hair grows, to avoid hurting your pet.

    Strip the Dog in Sections

    • The coat of a schnauzer grows at different rates on the body. For this reason, you should perform the stripping in sections. Schedule the first grooming session to strip the back of the neck, the shoulder blades and the sides, stopping behind the elbows and creating a diagonal where the loin area meets the rear leg. After a week, strip the sides of the neck and the tail. Groom the head and the chest of the dog during the third stripping session. Never strip the eyebrows, the mustache and the whiskers, which you should carefully trim for show purposes. Leave the hair on the lower part of the legs long for shows to emphasize the body outline.

    Correctional Stripping

    • Perform the first session of stripping 10 weeks prior to the dog show, leaving a few weeks for the hair to grow to up to 2 inches in length as required by the AKC. Certain dogs grow hair faster than others and you may need to perform a correctional stripping one week before you start the first stripping session. You may also divide the stripping areas into more than three sections and perform a grooming session five to six days apart.