West Highland White Terrier
CHUCKIE LUND
HAMISH
Chuckie takes Hamish through a clipped version of the traditional Westie shape, beginning with an important step that can easily be missed when a hand-stripped breed is being clipped: carding the coat.
She cards before clipping to remove undercoat, help the jacket sit flatter and remove hairs that would ordinarily be addressed through stripping. Hamish is then clipped with a #7F while retaining the skirt, furnishings and breed outline.
This tutorial is also available as a fastForward
Part 1 | Carding, clipping & setting the pattern
Chuckie shows how she skims from the clipped jacket into the furnishings rather than creating a hard transition. For groomers still developing that clipper control, she demonstrates how a #7 skip tooth can help soften the blend.
The neck, shoulders and rear are set before the tail is clipped into the strong carrot shape associated with the breed.
Part 2 | Layered furnishings & breed balance
Hamish is an active dog whose owners don’t want an enormous skirt, so Chuckie shortens it while retaining the Westie outline.
Rather than letting the furnishings drop heavily from the body, she layers and blends them to create a more natural transition. Feet, hocks, legs and skirt are continually assessed together so the finished shape remains balanced.
Part 3 | The round Westie head
Chuckie leaves the ear tips more naturally finished rather than clipping them, then builds the head outward into the rounded Westie silhouette.
The visor, back skull, ears, cheeks and chin all contribute to the final circle. Thinners and chunkers keep texture in the finish, while a small amount of product helps the coat stand so the final shape can be properly assessed.
