Midland Sealyham Terrier Club
 

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A.

The top coat should be hand stripped about 8—10 weeks prior to the show. This is done by removing the long hair from the coat using the fore-finger and thumb, after rubbing a little chalk into the coat. This will make the hair easier to grip. The hair should be taken out at weekly intervals so as to promote continuous growth of new wiry hair.

About five days before the show, depending on the thickness of the coat, the top coat should be trimmed from back of the head to the tail, the hair on the neck made as short as possible using the finger and thumb, and blended into the longer hair over the withers and along the back where the hair should be about 1—11/2 “ long. (Run the fingers through the coat in the opposite direction to the hair growth, and the hair should come up to the first joint of the middle finger). A fine comb (No.6) run through the coat once a week will remove any unwanted dead hair and undercoat.

B.

The ears should be clipped inside and outside the ear flap with either an electric clipper No. 10 blade or a hand clipper. The edges of the ear can then be trimmed with a pair of scissors.

C.

A line should be taken from halfway along the bottom of the eye, under the jaw to the same position under the opposite eye. All hair in front of this is left. Take a line from the outer corner of each eye to the top of each ear with the clippers and a No7 blade.

Do not clip up any further than this line.

Clip up from the breast bone to the back of each ear fold and to the point of each shoulder, do not clip too far back. If hand clippers are to be used this should be done about 7– 10 days before the show, otherwise about 5 days with electric clippers depending on the rate of growth. ( each dog is different).

D.

The top of the head should be trimmed as close as possible using a serrated stripping knife. The long hair over the eyebrows and whiskers can then be combed forward, then standing behind the dogs head, the eyebrows can be cut into shape by trimming them along the line of the head with scissors so that the dogs eyes can be seen from the side. Avoid cutting them too short and giving the dog Scottie expression.

Facing the dog, any excess hair over the eyebrows can then be thinned out using a Duplex knife. Where the hair on the top of the head meets the clipped part at the side, can now be blended using a Duplex knife.

E.

The hair behind the forelegs. At the point of the shoulder and elbows should be shortened using thinning scissors to about halfway down the leg and the inside of the front leg from the pastern joint to the foot. The foreleg should appear straight from the front and side. Level off any long hairs on the feathering with a Duplex knife and trim carefully round the feet with scissors obtaining a neat round appearance. The long hair on the breast bone can now be blended in.

F.

The hair at the side of the ribs should be blended in with the top coat.

G.

The hair on the hind legs should be thinned out overall to give a rounded appearance to the hindquarters. Trim any long hair from the hocks and cut round the feet with scissors.

H. The area under the tail should be clippered using a No. 10 blade and slightly up the back of the tail.

The hair on the front of the tail should be kept short.

The day before the show the dog should be bathed everywhere except the top coat. Towel dry the dog and when it is still damp, comb out, then dry thoroughly. The nails can now be cut also hair growing between the pads. The art of successful trimming lies in bringing about the apparent merging of the long into short coat without showing any lines of demarcation.

Study the type of dog you are trimming and try to minimise his faults and bring out his good points.

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