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Pup Terrified Of Grooming Implements


samoyedman
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...to the point that even if I put Schmackos near a comb, he heads the opposite direction. As soon as I grab any grooming implement, he runs like hell.

Before I was a bit tough on him and used to resist his protests by holding him when I would slicker brush and comb him. I'm trying to get him to be submissive and maybe even enjoy being brushed.

Time is marching on...the longer I leave it the harder this will be to do later.

Suggestions? Or should i go back to being tough?

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Hi, some questions for you :walkdog:

How old is he now?

How old was he when you first started grooming him?

What grooming tools ar you attempting to use?

Where do you groom him.. ie. floor or table?

4.5 months.

started a few weeks ago. Did it about 4 or 5 times..usually just parts of him at a time. Each session (about 5 minutes) was a battle of wills.

Slicker brush and rake-comb.

Floor. I don't have a grooming table (I think I need one).

I should add I have a professional groomer who washes him and she seems to take the no-nonsense approach when grooming him on her table....I guess I'm a softy and I want him to enjoy being groomed.

Edited by samoyedman
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What about using his lead on him. If you can tie the other end onto something or hold it & try grooming him one-handed?

My sheltie didn't really like grooming too much. He prefered to try and eat the brush :walkdog: until today when he surprised me by sitting when told, so I could brush him. It was only for 5 minutes, but he stayed without the lead. :D:

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You could try leaving the brush and combs around where he can see them, but not making a fuss about them being there. Let him play around them and learn that they're not going to bite him until he doesn't pay any attention to them. Then you could start picking them up, just holding onto them, while you're having a game with him with his toys. Hopefully this will teach him that you're not going to grab him and hold him down every time you pick up a brush or comb - so the brush and combs aren't even scary when you've got them in your hand.

If he's over being worried about them, you could try the schmackos trick near them so he starts to like them. Next I would start sitting next to him while he's having his breakfast and dinner and giving him a really gentle stroke, just once or twice while he's preoccupied with eating. If he shies away, just ignore him and when he gets stuck back into eating, try it again. Eventually he should get sick of leaving his food and just ignore you brushing, and over a few weeks you could build up how much you brush him until you can do all you need. By that stage he should be ok with you giving him a brush at any time, because he'll know its not a big deal anymore.

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What about using his lead on him. If you can tie the other end onto something or hold it & try grooming him one-handed?

My sheltie didn't really like grooming too much. He prefered to try and eat the brush :walkdog: until today when he surprised me by sitting when told, so I could brush him. It was only for 5 minutes, but he stayed without the lead. :D:

Thanks for suggestion. I already did that and again it was a battle.

The point here is I can groom him if I grab him and hold him despite his struggles. But he dislikes it intensly and one day he will be too big to handle like that.

I'm trying to make the leap from this being a conflict to something he tolerates, and maybe in the future, something he enjoys. Its the only element of our dog and owner relationship where we don't see eye to eye :)

Frequent grooming is an absolute must for my breed. I'd really prefer to use candy rather than the stick.

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Grab some treats and feed as you go.

After a while, the space between treats (rewards) can be increased.

My Dobe who hated the bath, now goes the whole way without a problem. I'm sure she has her mind on the treats all the time. :D

She still gets a good handful at the end. I reckon she earns it. :walkdog:

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Put him on a table samoyedman, it's very hard to groom any coated breed on the floor. If you don't want to invest in a grooming table any sturdy table will do, just make sure that you put a towel on it so he doesn't slide around. You've actually started grooming a little late which is probably why he's playing up a bit, I generally start grooming, cutting nails, cleaning ears, checking mouths (and testicles :walkdog: ) at 6 weeks of age.

Edited by Miranda
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Your biggest problem is having him on the floor, if you haven't got a grooming table try getting a rubber mat(the ones that are used inside baths) and sticking it to your dining table.

Use as little restraint as possible as this will just make him want to fight against you, if he's in the sitting or standing position have him either side on or facing you with one hand on his chest (just under his throat) and use the other hand to brush. When he's being good talk to him in a low soft voice and as soon as he goes to move or play up just say uggh in a deeper harsher voice and then go back to what you were doing.

If he's so worried and he is going to a professional groomer I would be making sure they are not being too rough or hard on him.

Hope this all makes sense, this is the way I deal with puppies and naughty dogs when i'm grooming at work.

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Make it a game. Roll him onto his back and just pat him, scratch his tummy and tickle him. Then gradually introduce a soft bristle brush instead of your hand.

If that works you could slowly progress up to the slicker, and eventually the comb.

Ideally he should be up on a table; maybe you could buy an old dining table from a second hand shop for outside. You can stick a non slip surface on it.

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Never finish the session when he is struggling.

The first thing I would try is to have the groomer do him so you can be sure there are no knots or dead coat in there, then later that day take him to the area where you groom him, set the tools out and just give him a stroke and inspection with your hands. When he is still, let him leave after a bit of praise.

Next night do the same but brush a small area of him, again stop before he struggles to much. Just a sharp 'no' should be enough to get him to be still for a second - one more pass with the brush while he is quiet and praise and allow him to go.

Do this at least daily and he will start to get the idea.

Make sure your grooming tools do NOT have sharp ends to the teeth of the combs/brushes - check how much pressure you are using - just try the same on your arm. Make sure you aren't trying to drag out the knots - the more pulling you do the more it will hurt your pup and the more he will fear grooming.

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Put him on a table samoyedman, it's very hard to groom any coated breed on the floor. If you don't want to invest in a grooming table any sturdy table will do, just make sure that you put a towel on it so he doesn't slide around. You've actually started grooming a little late which is probably why he's playing up a bit, I generally start grooming, cutting nails, cleaning ears, checking nails (and testicles :walkdog: ) at 6 weeks of age.

Thanks for above suggestions.

Miranda, he was groomed by the breeder before he came to me, and she was the one who recommended the no-nonsense approach. My groomer washes him and does the nails and ears. Even trims the hairs around his bum. What a woman :)

Where can I get a grooming table? Any pet store? Thats one thing my groomer said...its easier to groom him up high, she does it with him chained from above and in a "hugging" position. But me doing that won't stop him resisiting short-term.

lol, its insane how much I'm getting into this dog thing.

I just wanted something to feed, pat and throw a ball to. :D

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A towel on top of the washing machine makes a handy grooming table.

yep but being a Samoyed I dont want that hair all over the laundry getting into everything especially when he drops his coat annually. I kid you not his hair gets in EVERYTHING. I wake up each morning and try to pick white hairs off my pillow in between insane bouts of sneezing :walkdog: I wash my clothes and theres still white hairs on them. However, I am not complaining. I knew this before I got him.

I think its going to be done outside. :D

Edited by samoyedman
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A towel on top of the washing machine makes a handy grooming table.

yep but being a Samoyed I dont want that hair all over the laundry getting into everything especially when he drops his coat annually. I kid you not his hair gets in EVERYTHING. I wake up each morning and try to pick white hairs off my pillow in between insane bouts of sneezing :walkdog: I wash my clothes and theres still white hairs on them. However, I am not complaining. I knew this before I got him.

I think its going to be done outside. :D

Well, how about an outdoor table - try Bunnings etc - and put one or two of those non-slip rubber bath mats on it when grooming.

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