A Westie's white coat is harsh on top and dense underneath, and it grows back untidy in about six to eight weeks. Our West Highland Terrier clipper sets come with the three blades the breed needs: a #10 for the face, feet and sanitary areas, and a #5 skip tooth and #5F to take the body down to a neat pet trim.
Westie Grooming at Home: What the Coat Needs
The West Highland White Terrier has a double coat: a wiry, weather-resistant outer coat over a soft, dense undercoat. Left alone, the undercoat packs down, the outer coat loses its shape, and the furnishings on the legs, beard and belly start to tangle and hold dirt.
Most pet Westies need three things: brushing a few times a week, a tidy of the face, feet and rear end every few weeks, and a full trim every six to eight weeks. Doing those at home keeps the coat comfortable and clean between professional appointments, or replaces them altogether once you are confident.
Clipping or Hand Stripping a Westie?
There are two ways to keep a Westie's coat short, and they give different results.
- Hand stripping pulls out the dead outer coat by hand or with a stripping knife. It keeps the harsh texture and bright white colour the breed is known for, and it is what show dogs get. It is slow, and most dogs need to be trained to accept it.
- Clipping cuts the coat to an even length. It is far quicker and easier to learn at home, which is why most pet Westies are clipped. Over time a clipped coat becomes softer and can look slightly less white, because the soft undercoat makes up more of what you see.
Plenty of owners do both: clip the body for speed, and use a stripping knife to tidy the head and blend the outline. Our fine and coarse stripping knives are in the grooming accessories range.
Which Clipper Blades for a Westie Haircut
Every Westie set uses A5 snap-on blades, and the three in the box each have a job.
- #10 blade (about 1.5mm): the short blade for close, detailed work around the face, inside the ears, under the feet and around the sanitary areas.
- #5 skip tooth blade (about 6mm): the starting blade for the body. Its wider-spaced teeth feed a thick or overgrown coat into the cutter, so it removes bulk quickly. Keep it flat against the coat and go carefully over loose skin.
- #5F finishing blade (about 6mm): the same length with full teeth. Go over the body again once the bulk is off, for a smooth, even finish.
If you want to leave more length, metal comb guides fit over the #10 blade and are an alternative to the skip tooth blade. Spare and replacement A5 blades are in our dog clipper blades range.
How to Clip a Westie: Step by Step
- Bath and fully dry your Westie. Clipping a dirty coat blunts blades fast, and a damp coat drags.
- Brush the whole coat through and work out any knots, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and on the legs.
- Start with the #5 skip tooth blade on the back and work down the sides, always in the direction the hair grows.
- Clip the neck and chest, then down the legs as far as you want the short coat to go. Many owners leave the leg furnishings longer and scissor them.
- Switch to the #5F finishing blade and go over the same areas for an even finish.
- Use the #10 blade under the feet between the pads, around the rear and on the belly.
- Finish the head and feet with scissors (next section).
Keep sessions short at first and check your blade often. If it feels hot on the back of your hand, stop and let it cool, or use a blade coolant spray.
Shaping the Westie Head and Tidying Feet with Scissors
The rounded "chrysanthemum" head is what makes a Westie look like a Westie, and clippers can't create it. Use thinning scissors to remove bulk from around the head and blend the line between the clipped body and the longer furnishings, without leaving hard scissor marks. Use rounded-tip safety scissors around the eyes, the edges of the ears and the muzzle, where a pointed tip is a risk if your dog moves.
Trim the feet round and neat, and tidy the ear tips so the ears stand up clearly. Our Westie Essential Scissor Pack pairs a bull nose safety scissor with a thinning scissor for exactly these jobs.
Brushing a Westie Between Grooms
Brush two or three times a week with a slicker brush to lift dead undercoat, then run a metal comb through to check for knots you missed. Pay attention to the beard, which collects food and water, and the leg furnishings, which pick up mud. Regular brushing makes every clip quicker, because the clipper is not fighting a packed undercoat.
Choosing a Westie Clipper Set: Mains or Cordless
All of our West Highland Terrier sets include the same three blades. The difference is the clipper.
- Mains: the Pedigree twin speed A5 clipper. Lightweight at 375g, with no battery to run down, so it suits long sessions or a thick coat.
- Cordless PRO and Cordless MAX: no cable to work around, which makes them easier on a dog that fidgets or is nervous of noise and cables. Both come with professional Japanese steel A5 blades.
If you also groom another terrier, the same blades and technique carry across. See our Border Terrier, Cairn Terrier and Miniature Schnauzer pages for those breeds, or browse the full range of professional dog clippers.
West Highland Terrier Grooming FAQs
How often should a Westie be groomed?
Brush two or three times a week, tidy the face, feet and rear every few weeks, and give a full clip or strip every six to eight weeks.
What blade should I use to clip a Westie?
Start the body with a #5 skip tooth blade to remove bulk, then finish with a #5F, both about 6mm. Use a #10 (about 1.5mm) for the face, feet and sanitary areas. All three come in our West Highland Terrier clipper sets.
Does clipping ruin a Westie's coat?
Clipping doesn't harm the dog, but over time it softens the coat and can dull the bright white, because it cuts the harsh outer hair instead of removing it. If texture and colour matter to you, hand strip, or strip the head and clip the body.
Can I hand strip my Westie at home?
Yes, with patience. Use a stripping knife to pull out loose dead hair in the direction of growth, a small section at a time. Coats that have been clipped for years are harder to strip, because the harsh outer coat needs time to grow back.
How do I get the round Westie head shape?
Use thinning scissors to remove bulk and shape a circle around the face, with the ears standing clear at the top. Use rounded-tip safety scissors near the eyes and ears.
Should I brush my Westie before clipping?
Always. Bath, dry and brush out every knot first. Clippers drag on mats and dirty hair, which is uncomfortable for the dog and blunts the blade.
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