[Fluffles]

Petting and massaging while brushing is helpful for my Ruff. He also gets a treat at the end. I second letting them sniff the brush- we have to respect our little ones like people- they want to know what we are going to do to them! At first keep the sessions short and keep the stress low by not working too much on any tangle or mat all at once. Talking in a soothing way can be helpful, too, just make sure you do not reinforce their fear by letting your voice tell them it's ok to be afraid. Soothing but firm. (I learned that from clipping nails).

I use a detangler off the pet store shelf, but I'm on the lookout for a more natural product. In any case the one I have now does work for deodorizing, static control, and keeping the coat smoother with less tangles. I've heard some handlers use PlushPuppy, which I'd like to try.