The West Highland White Terrier’s double coat needs ongoing attention to keep it smart and clean. The outer coat consists of 2 inches (5 cm) of harsh hair, which is curl-free. The undercoat, 
which resembles fur, is short, soft and close.

MAINTENANCE:

West Highland White Terriers are stripped by hand or knife, thinned or clipped, depending on their coat and if they are to be exhibited. This is a constant visitor to the grooming salon, with mats and tangles underneath. For most pet owners, and for the comfort of the dog, it is better to trim this hair short. Westies are not shaved close. An Oster No. 4 or No. 5 is short enough, unless the owner requires a shorter trim. When stripped, the hair is roughly 2 inches (5 cm) long, with fringing underneath and blended in on the legs. The face is never clipped, but is rounded into a chrysanthemum shape with scissors.

PROCEDURE

Equipment needed: Stripping knife, clippers, slicker brush, wide-toothed comb.

Breed tip: Brushing and combing must be done on a regular basis to prevent mats from forming, as the West Highland White Terrier is a sensitive breed that hates being tugged at to remove tangles.

• Brush the entire coat removing tangles 
with an anti-tangle spray, if necessary.
• Trim the neck from 2 in (5 cm) behind the ears, downwards over the shoulder,
incorporating the chest along the body to the tail, down the sides to a level line from the elbow to the pelvis, leaving a skirt.
• Trim the tail. This hair is shortened by using the stripping knife, hand-plucking, thinning scissors or merely, for the pet dog whose owner requests it, clipped with a No 4 or 5 Oster, or a No. 40 blade with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) universal comb attachment for a hand-stripped appearance.
• Trim the hair from under the tail and around the anal area always holding the dog’s genitals for safety when scissors and clippers are close to delicate parts. Clip or scissor these parts, going in the direction of the growth of the hair.
• Strip or lightly clip the upper side of the tail, or blend to the required length with scissors.
• Bathe in white-enhancing shampoo, and apply a conditioner where necessary.
• Blow the coat dry, while using a pin brush or slicker on long hair.
• Check the Westie’s nails, ears and
 teeth.
• Trim off any hair lifted from the bathing.
• Blend the skirt into the body with the stripping knife or thinning shears to ensure a smooth, balanced appearance with no “stepped” effect.
• Comb through the hair on the head and allow the dog to shake.
• To deal with the ears, strip the stray hairs with a knife or with thinning scissors, and neaten the edges with scissors where excess hair has grown. Always hold the ear leather and clip to the fingers for safety.
• From the back of the neck, scissor the head round in a forward action to the chin hair to form a chrysanthemum appearance.
• Indent the stop (the area between the eyes) with thinning scissors to remove enough hair to reveal the eyes.
• Pet dogs usually have their legs scissored to about 4 inches ( 10 cm) in a downward blend, and the skirt shortened at the bottom. Some Westies have their underneath clipped with a No. 10 blade through from the chest to the stomach, incorporating the genital area. This should not be obvious when the dog is standing up, as the skirt falls over the clipped area.
• Some people have their West Highland White Terrier clipped all over apart from the head, with a No. 4 or a No. 5 and they can look very smart when clipped. However, it is sad to see this lovely breed shaved to the skin, as it sometimes is, and it is not necessary. Even when matted, the coat can be attended to; if clipping is absolutely necessary to save the dog from experiencing too much trauma, then a coarse blade can be used.