How to groom a West Highland White Terrier?

Question

I need to know how to do this myself.

Answer 1

If you're looking to have your Westie groomed like a show dog, you have a LOT to learn! Westies require several different techniques, whether grooming for show or for a cute pet trim. Show Westies are carded and hand-stripped into a pattern. You can find the pattern with a simple internet search, or a visit to a bookstore ("Notes From the Grooming Table" by Melissa Verplank seems to be the foremost authority on breed profiles at the moment).

However, hand-stripping correctly can be a technique that takes awhile to learn. Your best best would probably be to find a local breed club for Westies and ask a member to show you how to do it properly. He/She will most likely be able to give you more tips on grooming your dog, such as how to card the coat (which tools to use for it), how to brush the coat out, bathing tips, drying tips (way more important than most people realize!), etc.

If you plan on clippering your dog instead of stripping, it's a bit easier, but also more dangerous (anytime you have a sharp, cutting instrument around a dog, it adds a bit of danger in the mix!). Since Westies require pretty frequent grooming, I would NOT purchase a cheap haircutting kit from a pet store or drug store. I'd invest in some high-quality tools from Pet Edge (www.petedge.com) so they last longer and give you better results. You may want to ask someone from the local Westie breed club, or a local groomer, to show you how to clipper your dog. It's following the same pattern, but you'll have to learn how to blend and scissor too.

All else fails, just take the pup to a professional groomer!
Good luck!

Answer 2

My advice: Find a good groomer...they are worth their weight in gold!!