It usually doesn't take that long to brush them or that much effort?
My male Artie is 2 1/2 yrs. old and my female Abigail is 1 1/2 yrs. old. Artie has a full coat year round since my ex-boyfriend got mad @ me when he was a puppy and shaved all his hair off. Since then I vowed that he would look like a real Yorkie, topnot bow and all. He must be brushed at least twice a day or his coat will matt! Abi on the other hand can get away with only once a day. (Artie loves it and Abi tolerates it). Everyday they go through a grooming routine.....right before their morning walk, I brush them, wipe their eyes with a wash cloth, brush their teeth and put their hair in a french braid or ponytail/topnot. Both of them take about 20 minutes, 10 minutes for each.
With Artie I give a special command, one word in Japanese, it's different from any english command so he mentally associates this word with brushing only.
Besides they know they have to do this before they can go on their walk.
I do also dress them according to the weather or occasion? That also includes the matching bows on both of them, even my male! I'm sure of one thing, in all endeavors especially Grooming, I do everything from clipping their nails, tipping/shaving their ears, trimming the hair around their paws and in between their toes, Sanitary shave (a polite way of saying to shave their private parts) even expressing their anal glands! (Now that's Love?)
You Must remain calm and relaxed so they will be! So they can associate the action as a relaxing experience. Think of "Spa Day"?
