# Help with Neglected Wirehair Pointer



## Muppet (May 10, 2012)

So I am fostering (and will probably adopt) a 3 year old german wirehair pointer. She has longer, thick wiry hair about 2 inches long. It is not matted, but completely unruly. It is pretty evident that her hair has never been dealt with. 

She was just spayed a little while back, so she has not been properly bathed, but she has been brushed and nothing is helping calm her hair. I am assuming that she will need to be stripped, but with such long and thick hair I am a bit intimidated. I am under the impression that it could take a few months to get her settled out. There are no groomers in my area that offer stripping, so it is up to me.

I feel so bad for the girl. She was not socialized properly and now that she is in the city with lots of dogs and people who she would love to meet, everyone avoids her because she looks so unkempt and dirty with her freckles.

Does anyone have any advice for stripping for a longer hair dog? 

Thank you!


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Just pluck out all the longer dead hairs. They will pull easily if they are dead. This is the only time I would recommend a Coat King, on a pet, with blown coat. Whatever hairs it does cut, you should be plucking next session anyway.


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## Muppet (May 10, 2012)

Thanks! I am starting to do short plucking sessions, to get both me and her used to her beauty regiment. Sometimes the hair comes out easily, other times I feel like I am just picking on her with little results...

I had a thought, what if her previous owner shaved her instead of properly grooming her? Might that be why her hair is so unruly? If so, do I try to handle to situation differently?


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Muppet said:


> Thanks! I am starting to do short plucking sessions, to get both me and her used to her beauty regiment. Sometimes the hair comes out easily, other times I feel like I am just picking on her with little results...
> 
> I had a thought, what if her previous owner shaved her instead of properly grooming her? Might that be why her hair is so unruly? If so, do I try to handle to situation differently?


 Its possible she was shave/clipped in the past, but if you still have wiry hair, its all good. Just keep pulling it. Without seeing a photo, its hard to say what it wild and unruly. If not groomed, this breed can get some hair that is quite long, curly and unruly. Spaying and neutering sometimes changes the coat as well, and makes it come in softer, curlier and thicker.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Roxie's wirehair is long and it seems wild/unruly but I successfully stripped her once.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

I can't add anything to a discussion of wire hairs, but will she wear a bandanna or a big fake flower on her collar? I've noticed that people see a dog wearing a bandanna as friendly and petable. That might counteract her wild appearance and encourage people to pay attention to her.


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## Muppet (May 10, 2012)

She is starting to looking a bit better, just a slow process. She loves it though... for about 20 seconds. 

Amaryllis: That is funny you mention that. I have (tentatively) named her Daisy because I think is fits her cow-like appearance. I _just_ bought her a oversized daisy to wear around her collar. My last dog got so much positive attention on our walks, and I am having a hard time adjusting to the fact that my lady is harder sell.


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## Muppet (May 10, 2012)

here she is!


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Ya, she is really long. Looks like nice wiry coat tho. Keep pulling, and slicker brush her as often as you can, as that will pull the undercoat too. If time is of the essence, this is about the only time I would say get a Coat King and rake her with that really good til you stop getting coat out. That will cut some hair, but shes a pet and not a show dog, so not too much harm, especially if you are pulling those hairs later that month. Ideally, you need to pull all the long hairs within a two week window, or as you pull it, the rest just keep growing back out.  Handstripping is a neverending process. I spend at least an hour weekly on my Airedale.


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