Grooming Facial Area
I was hoping that someone might be able to give me some advice. For medical reasons we have had to keep our sheepdog shaved for the last few years but now he is back to health we have started to grow his fur out. We're struggling with his face, and he only tolerates a minute or two's brushing at a time. I have tried using a tangle comb but he really hates them. We're brushing him every day but his tolerance levels aren't going up an awful lot. Does anyone have any advice for me about how we can help him get used to it and perhaps what brushes/combs I can use? Many thanks |
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| Short, frequent sessions to keep matting at bay so it's comfortable. Lots of treats and praise. Patience. My sheepie is 6. She is not a fan of having her face brushed but she tolerates it then runs to the pantry for her favorite treat. |
| It could take some time, but you can get there. Like Mim said, lots of short sessions. Give an occasional treat. One that is irresistable and that you never give at any other time. Also something else they love- maybe belly rubs or ear rubs. Something the dog really enjoys. When we were teaching the dogs to be on the grooming table I used every trick I had. What you must remember is to ALWAYS end on a good note, and you decide when the session is over not the dog. Otherwise the dog is training you to know when he is done. Make it something for the dog to enjoy. I heard someone say once that it takes 10x a possitive experience to overcome 1 negative one. (that may even be generous) Keep at it, make it fun for both you and your dog and before you know it, it won't be a struggle anymore. Shellie |
| Monty was a kicking wriggling nightmare. I changed to a grooming table, this would keep him from moving around but did not increase his enjoyment of grooming. Then his mats were getting bad in his thighs and belly which were hard to get to on the grooming table and then I decided we were just going to have to do this with him lying on the floor. So I got him to lay on his side and was gentle but persistent in line grooming him. If he tried to wriggle and roll on his back which he would do frequently I would say no, roll him back on his side, hold him in place with one hand and gently groom with the other hand. It took at least 5 days of 20 mins 3 times a day for him to start getting the message that he was not going to get away with wriggling and rolling around. Monty also hates his beard and face being brushed accept when he is laying on his back, then he tolerates his face being brushed and actually loves his chin and throat being brushed, he groans and has his happy tooth out (canine sticking over his lip). If I brush his chin when he is not laying on his back then he is snapping and trying to get away  You may have to try different positions to find one that works for you.But mainly keep it gentle and loving, but be firm in that you are in control and will not tolerate snapping and squirming. When he does this, stop, gently put him back in the position you want, hold with one hand and groom gently with the other, repeat until he gets the idea. Getting annoyed doesn't work, I know. Treats never worked for me whilst grooming but afterwards he gets a carrot and a happy dance at how pretty he is. |
| Thanks for all the replies. We call Harvey "Snapping turtle" during his grooming because it usually ends that way. I'll take on board all comments and see where we go. I must admit, I haven't been giving him any treats during his grooming sessions so I'll introduce those. He has some freeze dried fish that are his favourite so maybe we could save those for grooming. What kind of brushes/combs would you use? And would you recommended using any kind of spritz too? |
Snapping turtle  what a cute name for something that can be annoying.I really like the Madan pin brush as the pins last a long time as most pin brushes I have tried the pins bush back into the pad. I found to get a good pin brush I had to order online. I got mine form toplinepet.com I also use a comb on the beard. I forgot to mention that Monty does enjoy the grooming now and hardly wriggles anymore for me, he has even fallen asleep, but it is a different story with my husband because he hardly ever grooms Monty he has not learnt the way to manage the grooming so that he can do it gently so that Monty enjoys it. Monty starts snapping and squirming then Russ grooms harder to get it over quicker, which of course makes Monty squirm and snap more  |
| Yesss! Buy the Madan pin brush. I have all kinds of brushes and combs and some were even recommended buy the groomer I USED to take my other dogs to and this brush far exceeds them ALL! I still use a super heavy steel comb I have to make lines in his hair but only because it's easier and I have it - I don't think it's necessary. One of the other pin brushes I had was actually losing the pins in Steel's hair! He also likes to chew on my hands when we first start.... treats don't work with him, he gets too excited so I use a long snake toy. A. I can wrap it around my hand until he calms down and realizes I'm saying NO and B. It is long enough to reach from his back legs to his mouth while I'm brushing. Does that make sense? He chews away while I brush then eventually he just lays there and decides he likes it. He is only feisty for about the first 5-10min. but I have been brushing him almost every day since I brought him home. |
| I've ordered one of the oval brushes. Grooming is definitely getting easier already. I think I'm being a bit firmer with him but also being really positive about it. He's got some way to go yet....he's grumbling a lot but not snapping so much now. What about the eye area? How do you keep the fur from his eyes so that it doesn't irritate? The next task is making bath time enjoyable! |
| When Monty was young I used hair clips, now I tie it in a top knot. I didn't find his hair irritates his eyes, and I never trimmed it. It might be at an arkward stage and when it gets longer you can brush the fur away from his eyes and tie it up. Keep up with the firmness, like you said you can be positive and firm. If you are grooming on the grooming table try to groom him so he is laying on his side, he will be more relaxed that way and will more likely let you groom him and nap. I mostly groom on the floor now as I can't get him to lie down on the table. I don't say much to Monty when I groom him as if I talk to him he thinks it's play time and rolls on his back. I Haven't found a fun way to bathe Monty, he just tolerates it. As I groom him a lot I find I only need to wash him about once a month. |
| I trim the hair between Steel's eyes. Just a little. Let me better explain I trim it a lot but a small area. I love to put it in a top knot so I didn't want to ruin that but his eye lashes and all the little pieces kept falling out so of course I left his pretty lashes but I cut the annoying little pieces and now I keep them very short so even when I take the top knot out to go to bed he can still see. This took some getting used to. After awhile he just learned to drop his chin to the floor and wait for me to finish the deed. Not months, days. As for bathing.... All my dogs shower with me. After having 3 2 legged kids my back just can't take bending over the edge of a bath tub anymore! Plus they all just seem to like it. Steel lays down and falls asleep waiting for me to finish before I start him. My shower has several heads, one is lower Sonny bites at that one - cleaning his teeth I guess?! Another is a sprayer which is like what a groomer would use I suspect which I what I use. I think many people have them in their showers, they are attached to a hose and lift off the wall. Makes bathing a snap! |
| The Madan brush arrived and I love it! I'm going to order the two others so that I have the different strengths too. He is doing brilliantly now but can still only put up with so much. As he's had so many unpleasant experiences in his life I want to try and make this enjoyable for him His dislike for being bathed comes from the treatment that he's had to have over the years and now he's just formed a phobia about them, I guess. If we shower him in the garden, during warm months, he's fine but indoors and he just hates it. We don't have a walk in shower big enough for him so he has to get in the bath where we do use the shower attachment on him. We'll just have to keep trying that until he gradually realizes that its not going to be painful anymore. I've tried putting his hair up a couple of times and he just flicks it until it comes out  I've now done the same as you and trimmed between his eyes  |
| If you have time you could start desensitising him with his aversion to baths. You'd need to bath him somewhere else while you're working on it though and it can take a while. Take him as close to the bath as he'll go (might just be the doorway) then with lots of praise hand out an extra special treat or play his favorite game then walk away. Make it quick, lots of fun and frequent. Never push him. Never react if he won't come close or engage in the game. Aim to go there a few times a day every day. Only move closer if he's willing to. If you push to hard you end up back at square one. Work at making it all a game. Even the getting in and out of the bath. Depending on the dog it can take a long time though. |
| Fuzzy you live near me I'm weedon. I have trouble grooming Hollie and twice now she has been clipped as can't seem to groom her properly however hard I seem to try but would like her to stay long coated. Would be nice to meet someone else with oes would love to meet up. Dee |
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