Brushing matted front legs
I would love any suggestion on how to get him to like it or at least tolerate it.. Thanks Lisa and Frankie |
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| Me too!!
My Mom's poodle is really bad when I groom her and gets nasty. I've had to muzzle her.  But its easier to manage a mini poodle than it is a maxi sheepie.
Tiggy is also bad but she doesnt get nasty just keeps pulling her legs away and lying on them so I cant reach.  I try to brush her legs at a separate time to the rest of her so she doesnt have to spend as long putting up with lying still. I do very short bursts with lots and lots of her favorite treats being handed out. And then a big, favorite dog biscuit when I get her down. I tried 3 different types of brushes and 2 different combs for below her wrists where she is most fussy the reasonably wide toothed comb works best in terms of her tolerance if not in terms of the finished look.
She did try grabbing my hand in her mouth to move it away once and got a severe telling off. I moved to her shoulder briefly but went back to her lower front leg quickly as I didnt want her to win. That's why lots and lots of treats and short stints, especially at first, because I didnt want her to think that if she got mean I would get scared and give up. She also jumped off the grooming table herself once while I was selecting a new torture tool. Another telling off, back up on the table and no favorite biscuit. 
It is still a battle of wills and patience though, with me holding her foot and her trying to pull it away. Her front legs are always the least well groomed. |
| Hi Lisa:
I sympathize with you - the puppies especially this time of year get those darn knots. I'm not a groomer and only have had OES for 6.5 years but here are my thoughts - I'm in the middle of this process myself - teaching my pup to lie like a limp rag while I work on all parts of his body. What I've done which seems to work really well is I set up a place all quiet. If you are adept at the grooming table - great, but for me - I'm more comfortable with a puppy with a low table (for training purposes) or on the floor. Hopefully you've already taught your puppy a down and then I take a bunch of treats. You need to do this in steps and it is helpful to have a person to help if you can. First - connect the word "good" or "nice" with a treat. Say the word and give him a treat - a couple times. When you say the word and he looks at you waiting for your treat to come - then you are ready. Put him in a down and sit next to him or set up on the table. Stroke his leg with fingers and say good or nice - then give treat. Do it a couple times and then build to being able to stroke twice before saying nice or good and giving treat. You then want to pick up your grooming tool and touch it to his leg (don't try to go through hair) and say good and treat. After you can do that easily without problem - pick a spot that doesn't have a matt and go through the hair, good, treat. You need to build this slowly - take a couple days. I know you want those matts out now but you need to do this to build a good future for grooming. Ultimately - you will be able to have your pup lie in front of you and you can easily groom any part for a bunch of minutes before praising and giving a reward. When they are a bit older - you can do a whole section before giving a treat. If you can have a helper give the treats - that is great. Do not have the helper hold the treats in front of the pups nose - that just makes for a pup scrambling to get the treats. The key is to teach the pup to "wait" and be "still" for the treat and to connect them letting you work on them for a bit with the final reward. Good luck!!! Judy |
| Hi Lisa it could be also the OCD he has at the moment so not real thrilled with you trying to groom that area at the moment, might be just a bit uncomfortable for him.
Not long till he has his surgery so maybe after when all healed start slowy back to getting him use to having that area groomed. Also if matted very hard to make them enjoy the experience as trying to de-knot the matt can pull on the skin too. There pretty sensitive in that area when grooming. Do you know how to finger pull apart a matt then gently work the comb through it so you are not pulling on them? If he lets you groom the rest of him and not the front legs then probably at the moment uncomfortable for him with the OCD. Is he OK with you doing the back legs? If so might explain the front leg issue at the moment.  |
| Funny you should post this today! I just groomed my 3 year old and his front legs were the worst! I think they get "nasty" because this is the area that has the mats and mats hurt!!!! I try to do one leg at a time. Since you said he lets you rub and pet that area, try rubbing some oil or demating stuff in the legs. work it through with your fingers. Try to gently pull the mat apart, little bu little, with your fingers while petting/rubbing. Try brushing one leg, with a pin brush that won't scrape the skin. And reward with a cookie. Do the next let another day.
I read on one of the posts your dog has OCD and will be getting surgery? Not sure what OCD stands for....They probably will shave down the area for surgery. But from experience, if the area is matted and they shave, they usually shave too close and cause razor burn. I would recommend you look into the "comfy cone" collar - as opposed to the e-collar - for post surgery. Much more comfortable and easier on your walls! I got mine at Pet co... but the larger sizes are not always readily available so start looking or ordering one now. Entirely Pets has it too... Good Luck, Ashley |
| must be the day for it; i was brushing out Tonks and Luna today too. Luna is far more tolerant; i was able to do her whole body and front legs (but not back ones) before her fidgeting made me stop. Tonks is AWFUL; not that she gets nasty, but she will tuck her legs UNDER her so that I can't get to them. Whatever I am brushing she will roll so that I can't get to that area. She'll turn to face a different direction; anything to keep me from getting the job done.
What has helped for me is that we have a treat that is JUST for when they are groomed. Its their favorite, and when I sense them getting to the point where they've had it, I offer them a treat and tell them how good they are being. then its back to brushing and they seem mollified for a little bit. Luna will actually lick me the entire time, if she can reach me. Its like she's saying "but I love you; see how much i love you? Why do you do this to me?" I wonder what our groomer makes of the behavior?  |
| ^^^
licking is a sign of nerves so that makes sense. Marley and I fight over her legs ALLLLLLLLL the time. Esuring she knows head down and on your side commands have helped. That way I can exptend her leg wwithout the turtle act I never have seen the needs for treats, nothing could compete with a whispered "okay" she jumps up and runs shaking her head all the way  |
kerry wrote: ^^^licking is a sign of nerves so that makes sense.
Yes, appeasement behavior. Dazz does it as well when I'm dematting. Belle is my "don't touch my feet!" queen. She'll be 12 in a little over a week and she hasn't gotten any better about it over the years
Kristine |
| billy lets me do the back of his front paws but not the front.
i can extend his leg to get the back, even lets me do his armpit, then i just do some sneeky ones to the front. i accept a few matts and pull them apart when his lying next to me on the settee. i have always had him standing to groom, so if he tries to keep his paw to himself i put my shoulder inbetween his head and his paw so he cant hide it. i tried doing him lying down but thats just worse. funny thing is he loves a foot massage and demands one daily, yet no brush allowed. i sometimes sneek the dematter in with the foot massage! its got to be a sheepie traite. i groom 3 others and there all the same! |
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