# Getting the pup used to grooming



## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

I'm trying to get my little guy (13 weeks) used to being brushed. He doesn't want to sit (or stand) still for it and if he does sit still, he wants to chew on the brush. I've tried putting bitter apple on the brush so he doesn't chew on it, but then he wants to get away from it and won't sit still. I've tried brushing him when he is very tired and the brushing just wakes him up. 

He does stand still when I brush him along the chest and under the chin. He seems to like that, but after a couple of strokes, he tries to bite the brush again.

I want the brushing to be a pleasant experience for him. Anything else I can try?


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Try to do for very short sessions and when he is tired at first. I wouldn't even attempt to do a thorough job at his age just get him used to have the brush around him at this point. Another thing you should do is to handle his paws often so when the time comes to trim those nails he won't freak out on you.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I had exactly your experience when Brooks was younger.....and like you, I found the first place he would let me brush without trying to bite the brush was on his chest.
So that's where I would start every time and I would tell him what a good boy he was, give him a treat and then stop. After a while, I tried moving to somewhere else on his body. Gradually he started really loving being brushed (although to this day he STILL likes to bite the brush handle)


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## ID_Hannah (Jun 8, 2006)

Here's an old post that came to mind when I read your question. http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/what-did-you-do/10387-hates-being-brushed.html 

It has lots of good advice on the same issue. I think many puppies go through this phase, but I don't think it has so much to do with them disliking brushing. Rather, I think it's just a time for them to push their independence and they have SO many other things to explore and get into, no time for sitting still and behaving!  But it's also an important to work on grooming so you don't have to wrestle them when they weigh 70 lbs! 

Here's what I wrote in that post about my puppy grooming technique. 

"I can completely feel for you both on this issue!! All my personal dogs I've raised have all been terrible when it comes to grooming... well, at least the nail trimming part. My little terrier, Barney, takes THREE people to get his nails trimmed. One person to hold him, one to hold onto one paw while they trim the nails and one person to protect the other two from the three remaining flailing paws. Ugh! 

But, Zulu was fantastic with being groomed and having his feet done, thanks to the instructions I had to follow for raising him for the service dog group. The command that was the most important was, "settle." You should be able to cuddle your puppy like a baby and as they get bigger still roll them over and cuddle their head with the rest of their body between your legs as you sit on the ground. The younger the puppy the easier this works, but essentially when they squirm you don't let them up, just cuddle them tight to you and in a calm, low, firm voice tell them to "settle." And when they do relax, untighten your hold, tell them, "oh good puppy" in the same calm low voice and calmly rub their belly and let them relax with you. Never let a puppy up when they're struggling, wait for them to calm and then let them "escape." 

Once you can get them to settle for you bring out the brush. Get them to settle and then slowly and calmly brush their belly. If they struggle, stop brushing and calmly tell them to "settle" and wait for them to calm and start again.

With Zulu I started just playing with his feet when he was laying calmly with me. Then I moved up to examining them and later trimming them. When he was a young squirmy pup I never trimmed more than one paw in a sitting... sometimes it took several day to get ALL the nails done. With Zulu I also made sure that every paw examination was not a nail trim. After every long hike I took with him I would sit with him and examine all his paws for thorns, etc. I did this on nearly a daily basis even if he didn't really need the examination it made him calm about getting his feet worked on. I also trimmed the hair between his toes on a regular basis. By the time Zulu was 6-7 months old he'd sleep through any nail trimming or grooming activity. 

Settle also eventually can be used in more situations then just when you have your pup lying down. Because they understand settle to mean, "I'm not playing with you, you're suppose to behave calmly right now," it can be used in the bathtub, on the vet's exam table, etc. 

I think the most important things are not to let your puppy win (i.e. let them get away from you when they want to). Leash them and sit on the leash if you have to, so you have a backup if they do manage a mad dash. And secondly, don't escalate the situation. If they're fighting, stop and wait for them to calm down (while you're still holding them), then start again.

Boone is so much more stubborn than Zulu. And he hasn't yet perfected "settle" when it come to grooming. It's not so much that he wants to run away or fight the process, but he'd very much like to help by taking the brush away from me! That and he constantly has the wiggles. But he's starting to get the idea... not a minute too soon either, because he's becoming more and more of a moose by the day!"

Whew, sorry that's so long. Boone's a year old now... and although I had my doubts when posting this the first time, he's great at being groomed now. He'll sleep right through grooming, nail trimming, etc. Thank goodness, he'd a big moose to wrestle!! :


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

ID Hannah - thank you so much for your post. What great advice. I'll start working on the settle command with Rookie. He's great about letting me examine his paws, it's just the darn brush. Maybe because it looks like a toy to him?

I can see all kinds of great uses for the settle command so I'll add that to his repertoire.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

A trick of the trade with males...

Once you get them to stand, or even semi stand, gently grab a hold of their winky. They won't move a budge and will stand there completely still until you let go.



That's how I get Tucker or any other male dog to stand still while I brush him.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Hold a fist full of string cheese or other equally yummy snack in front of their nose. Make them work to get it out of your first like they'd have to work a stuffed KONG.

Pairing treats with brushing/grooming makes the grooming more fun in the dog's mind.

-S


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> Try to do for very short sessions and when he is tired at first. I wouldn't even attempt to do a thorough job at his age just get him used to have the brush around him at this point. Another thing you should do is to handle his paws often so when the time comes to trim those nails he won't freak out on you.


Excellant advice. really work with those feet.

Hooch


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## lovestofly (Feb 25, 2007)

GoldenLover84 said:


> A trick of the trade with males...
> 
> Once you get them to stand, or even semi stand, gently grab a hold of their winky. They won't move a budge and will stand there completely still until you let go.
> 
> ...


I have so many come back lines for this but will keep them to myself!!! But, thanks for the great tip - Oh Putz, time to get brushed........


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## GoldenShamus (Feb 26, 2007)

He's a puppy, he just think it's a game! 

I would have someone distract him with a toy or treats while you brush him. Keep the session short, sweet, and enjoyable right now; and when he's done, just let him be done. This way he doesn't think of it as a stressful or upsetting experience.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

GoldenLover84 said:


> A trick of the trade with males...
> 
> Once you get them to stand, or even semi stand, gently grab a hold of their winky. They won't move a budge and will stand there completely still until you let go.


Yeah that would get my attention.

Hooch


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## lovestofly (Feb 25, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> Yeah that would get my attention.
> 
> Hooch


That's what I thought but I don't have a winky so I was just guessing.........


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