# When do wire coats come in?



## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

I'm wondering when my westie's coat will come in. She is 10 months old and her wire coat just started coming in but so far it is only top part of her back. Her coat is being stripped at the groomer's. Is there a way to encourage the wire coat to come in faster? Thanks.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

At 10 months old, she should have a decent amount of wire coat coming in, and in the pics (if thats her) she is looking pretty wiry in the face, etc. The best way to get more wire coming, is to keep stripping it out..Ideally, she should be having her coat rotated weekly. She looks really fuzzy in the pics (again, if thats her) and needs more coat pulled. Every week, the longest hairs should be pulled. That will encourage new harsh coated growth. It is very hard for a groomer to keep a wire coated hand strip dog's coat in good shape. Reason being that most people just cannot afford the weekly sessions that are necessary. However, you can learn to help at home and your dogs coat will look much better. Once the coat is blown (anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months, depending on the individual dog) the only thing that can be done is to strip it all out (to undies as its commonly called) and start over..


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## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

Yes that is her in the pic. Her fur on her face is soft and curly but doesn't have that harder wiry feel. My groomer does not strip her face area, should this be done? What does blowing a coat mean, she doesn't really shed too much. Do I stripped the hair that is not wiry yet? Is there a website I can learn how to strip properly? Thanks!


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

The hair on her head and furnishings is not going to be as hard and wired as the body coat. Its just isn't. But it still has to be stripped. Ideally, on the head, you have so many different layers of coat coming in, that the hair stands out, then is shaped to the correct westie shape...However, it is unlikely you will ever get her head to look like the show dogs without alot of chalk and hairspray...You would be very surprised what those show westies heads look like when they aren't all "done up"....They look nothing like what you see in the shows most of the time. But in order to get those layers, you have to strip the longest hairs weekly...New coat won't come in unless you pull the old dead (blown) coat out. When a dog "blows" coat, it doesn't necessarily mean they are shedding..with a wire coat, it means the coat is dead, and needs to be pulled..if you don't pull it, eventually, it may fall out on its own, but that could take months..and it may not all fall out. You know if the coat is blown if it pulls easily with your fingers..Live coat will not just easily pluck out. Generally, the blown coat is the longest hairs. 

Yes, if the softer/puppy hairs will pull out, you need to pull it in order to get the new harsh coat coming in. There are many websites that can show some stripping techniques, but practice, practice, practice. Stripping tools are very individualized, and what works for one person, maybe not work best for another. I am assuming she is a pet, and you are not planning on showing her..Some stripping articles advocate using a coat king on wire coats...for a pet, its ok...its NOT ok on a show dog as it does cut hair, and will over time, ruin the coat. Here are some links to some decent stripping info.

http://www.harborside.com/~laurelt/handstrip.htm

The above article is very good for basic info, questions, etc. Well worth reading. 

http://www.norfolkterrierclub.co.uk/coatcare.htm

This above article is a very good one on the techniques..its on Norfolk Terriers, but the body pattern is pretty darn close to a westie, aside from the head. 

If you google handstripping dogs, rotating handstrip dogs, etc. you will find many more links.


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## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks so much for info. She's just a pet but I do like the way the Ceasar dog looks.


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