# Advice on How to Groom a Border Terrier/Chihuahua Mix?



## itsviv (Aug 25, 2016)

Our dog's a border terrier/chihuahua mix (I've attached a photo of how she looks like).







I used to take her to the local groomer, but they always shave her bald that she looks ends up looking like a hairy kiwi. I know border terrier's have an undercoat and to groom them properly, you need to use a method called stripping, but how can I groom a mixed border terrier at home? Any tips or recommendations would be really appreciated!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

I'd just keep her brushed out well to remove old coat. Why does her cute scruffiness need to be trimmed at all? Border terrier coat needs stripping or it gets too thick and long, does hers?


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## itsviv (Aug 25, 2016)

I wish it would stay at a short scruffiness, but it gets really long and thick. Should I try and use a stripping knife to groom her?


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

I'd see if stripping will work at all. Take a tuft of the longest and oldest hair, probably on her neck and take hold of the very top of the tuft, half a dozen hairs at the most. Pull. They should come out easily. If this is hard on her or hair doesn't come out easily she could have a drop coat rather than a wire coat. Drop coated dogs have hairs that live much longer and they aren't likely to come out easily. Another test is to look at the skin end of those hairs. Wire coated dog top coat hairs are thin at the base, thicker through the middle and taper to a sharp point if they haven't been cut.

Stripping is pulling hair, don't want to pull hair that is tightly attached! My dogs tolerate this fine and I've been pulling hair that doesn't belong on ears and legs since I had my very hairy Jack Russell. My dogs tolerate all sorts of handling, ears, mouth, feet and nail trimming. If your dog is squeamish about any of that then stripping will be difficult. It takes a long time to do and is very picky stuff. 

Another way to go is with a Mars Coat King. Stroke it through and it pulls out undercoat and old top coat. Here's a few photos on how it works, sold me for my spaniel mix's coat. And on how to get a reasonably good groom on border terriers.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

I agree with Kathyy try the coat king first and see if that gets the results your looking for. Since your just looking to clean out the coat and not a perfect tight coat that should work just fine for you. Striping knives can be a pain in the butt if you don't have a good blade, and can be very difficult and time consuming if you have a lot of coat to go through.


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## itsviv (Aug 25, 2016)

Thank you for all the help!


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