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Westies can be either hand-stripped or clipped. Show dogs must be hand-stripped by plucking the coat with
finger and thumb. Pet Westies can be either hand-stripped or clipped and should be trimmed at regular intervals (at least every 3 or 4 months) to keep their coats looking presentable. While clipping your Westie is quicker and easier than hand-stripping, the benefit of hand-stripping is that the wiry hairs that form a Westie's hard outer coat are stimulated to grow by the process of stripping, whereas clipped Westies usually end up with softer coats (even if they originally had a nice harsh coat). A Westie's hard outer coat keeps rain and damp from reaching the dog's skin, so if your Westie has a soft coat, it is advisable to towel dry them if they get wet and consider buying them a rain coat if they spend a lot of time outdoors in wet conditions.
Regular grooming not only ensures that your dog is comfortable, clean and attractive, but also helps to strengthen the bond between you and your Westie by allowing you to spend quality one on one time together. Click here for more information on Do It Yourself Westie Grooming.
If you don't have the time, skill or confidence to groom your Westie yourself, we have listed the contact details of some experienced Westie Groomers below. Even if you are using a Professional Groomer for your Westie, you should still brush and comb your dog in between visits to the groomers to remove
any dead hair and help keep the coat clean.
Westie Groomers
Not all groomers know how to groom a Westie and many
simply clip them all over, rather than style them
to give the classic Westie look. Westies have a double
coat to protect them and if they are clipped too short they can develop skin problems if they come into contact
with certain plants and grasses.
If you are looking for a professional groomer in your
area, here is a list of experienced Westie Groomers:
Croydon: 9723 2173 or 0419 926225 ask for Karen
Ashburton: 9885 0050 Cathy Scotton
Chelsea Heights: 0400 053 141 Priscilla Devon
DIY Westie Grooming
If you want to do your own grooming, you need to make
sure you have the right equipment. We suggest the
following at a minimum:
- Slicker brush
- Comb (preferably with two sets of teeth - one
set of teeth closer that the other)
- Small blunt-ended scissors
- Sharp pointed scissors
- Thinning shears
- Chalk or Grooming Powder for Harsh Coats
- Nail clippers
- Grooming Chart
Some of these items can be obtained from the club
at our Trading Table. Both members and non-members can purchase the items, but members are eligible for discount
rates. Visit our online shop for details.
The Club will hold a session each year for members.
If you wish to learn more about grooming a Westie
for Conformation Showing or as a Pet, do check our
Events Calendar for the next Grooming Session.
Below is an example of a grooming chart:
Other Websites with information on grooming Westies
The West Highland White Terrier Club of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta Westies has a really interesting grooming chart shown on the right, developed by Mary Cunningham of Doubletake Westies in Texas, USA. The chart illustrates desired coat lengths and the direction to pull when stripping different parts of the dog.
Another website with some excellent link information and contacts is the Westie-L that lists a Yahoogroup comprising an e-mail list for people interested in the "black art" of grooming. www.westielovers.com/westie-l/grooming.html
Marie Ison of Brenmar Kennels explains the grooming process and illustrates the grooming zones of a Westie. The explanation is found at the Westie Club of Canada website.
Mary Cunningham has produced Grooming videos for the Pet and Show Westie with more detailed illustrations. These are available from Doubletake Westies and they can be contacted via email at habuten@aol.com.
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