[Wandatime]

Good luck finding someone to hand strip. I am from Richmond, VA, a pretty big city, and could not find anyone to do it. I love the wiry Cairn/Westie coat and read that using shears to groom will soften it over time. I also read that some dogs hate hand stripping and some dogs don't mind it. If you aren't showing your dog there really doesn't seem to be much reason to hand strip, especially if your dog is uncomfortable with it. I have had my Westie groomed twice in five years, and while he looked cute it sure didn't last long. Usually I groom him myself using a steel comb. I do kind of a cross between stripping and combing. Sometimes I'll hand strip around his ears. Bentley doesn't seem to mind the combing or the stripping , and he especially loves the full body massage he gets afterwards.

Anyway, as I said, good luck on your search and please post if you do, in fact, find someone.