Problems with grooming

Hi Liljah,

I do not know what age your Shane is, but I have a 15 week old pup that did not like being groomed. She would snap at the brush, and try to run off. It was near impossible, then I realize I was moving too fast with a ~8 week old pup.

So I started from ground zero. I put my brush away, and began by running my hands all over her body daily, and gently praising her to get her used to being touched all over. I would also reward with treats to associate touching with a positive note. I would hold her paws, her ears, scritch her chest, and her tail too ... talking all the time, kinda like in a story-telling way.

"Oh Janka, what big EARS you have! All the better to hear your commands with, my dear" ... that sorta silliness.

On the 3-4th day, I introduced the brush, starting with the top of her back. I use the 'down' command on her, and reward her with treats while gently brushing her, and voicing encouragement. It also introduces her to the 'stay' command as well. )

Now she is being taught to stand in place while I groom her, but I still reinforce good behaviour with a few treats. I also taught her to roll on her side as well, with the same method, so I can clean her belly and her wee-wah area since that part gets dirty from rolling around in dirt and grass, as she tends to get pimples if I don't keep it clean.

The touching of the ears and paws are geared towards other grooming practices, like cleaning her ears and clipping her nails.

At the moment we still use the slicker brush, but her adult coat is coming in. So we might have to graduate to the Furminator soon.

Hope I helped a little with my input. Good luck!

As for baths, I can't quite really say. She only had one so far, and she was screaming the whole time in the tub. O_O She needs one later cos she has doggy drool all over her from romping with her friends.

Bath tips -
Get a non-slip mat for the length of the tub
Get a non-slip yoga mat for outside the tub
Get lots of towels
Make it fun
The youngest likes to jump in and out at least one extra time. If she can do that, it's fine.
OK and for the soap routine - I mix the shampoo up with water, use a cup for water to dampen the dogs first, shampoo them up outside of the tub and then call them into the tub for more lathering and a good rinse.
Oh yes the bathroom gets washed too!


With grooming - working cornstarch into the coat really well first makes the grooming pull less, the dog like it more. Just do a little at a time and make it play. That's OK too.

I also agree that this may be part of a 'training/leadership' issue. Just because my dogs may not see bath time at the BEST TIME EVER! They will certainly take their baths cause I said so, and there is no REAL pain involved.

The key words are 'because I said so' and my dogs trust me and know I'm their leader. Not that they will be punished if they don't go in the tub. It's not that kind of leadership. It's just that when I calmly ask them to do something, and guide them thru it, am there to help if they lose their confidence, they get thru this and MANY other things in life.

Dog classes were a huge help in my dogs looking to me for calm guidance and leadership. And the classes taught me how to do it properly (once again, not about me punishing and correcting but properly GUIDING). I also know if my dogs get TONS of exercise before a bath they tend to put up with it better.

I also swim my dogs, have them go thru puddles, lay in puddles/creeks/ponds/etc. And though a bath isn't the same, if I KNOW my dogs are ok in water generally it take the guilt off me if they seem to be in such pain and suffering in the tub ( ).