He wont hold still!! Advice please!!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by ScootieBootie

You need to desensitize him to the brush. It takes patience, time and consistency, but you can do it and be successful.

In order to do this, you need to have the brush visible pretty much at all times. Walk around the house with the brush in your hand, lay it in different places where the dog can see it, lay it on the floor and watch his reaction to it.

If you put it on the floor, and he shows curiosity and doesn't freak about it, toss a piece of cooked chicken to him. Do this every time he shows curiousity and not fear toward the brush.

I suggest using cooked bits of chicken for behavioral modification because it's healthy, inexpensive, easy to toss, and dogs love it.

Once your dog ignores the brush on the floor, try placing it closer to him, and make sure to praise/pet/toss chicken at him when he is doing well.

Once you can bring the brush up to him, let him smell the brush, and give him a treat for not being fearful.

Once he does not show fear when the brush is brought up to him, try to brush him on his chest first. This is a non confrontational area. Once that goes well, brush his back, sides, legs and head last. If you get to an area that he starts freaking out about, go back to the last body part he was comfortable at and start over.

Do not make a scene out of starting/ending the grooming session. Do not talk to your dog excitedly, or make it seem like brushing is a 'big deal'.

Good luck! And I think that the detangling spray is a smart thing to do!

Good advice, thirteen weeks is so young, start slow. I use to do a lot of "pretend" grooming with Joey, brushing with the flat side of the brush, or using the clipper with the blade pointed the other way; he got use to the activity without associating it with any discomfort whatsoever. They are so protective of themselves in these early months, and if you hurt them they remember it for a long time. Cowboy magic is a great detangling product, I would use it before Joey's bath and get all tangles before bathing.

[upindust]

Originally Posted by Lynn WDW

I actually went back and got a second brush for Baxter to chew on. He chews one and I brush with the other. He still doesn't like it but it is a little easier.

teddy tries to chew on his brush but I don't let him I tell him no and he leaves it alone but then again he only fought me once and I kept fighting back and told him no and found ways to get him to behave like rubbing his belly,, telling him good boy when he's letting me brush him and giving him a treat afterwards.

[upindust]

Originally Posted by WagsWife

Becks would do this when we first got him as well. It is a dominance issue...he is trying to assert himself, but you have to show him that you are in charge. When Becks would fight me, I would firmly (but carefully) pin him down and tell him "no"...I would NOT let him up until he had stopped squirming. When he would stop squirming, I would then let him up and try brushing him again. You will have to do this over an over before he understands that *you are the boss. It will take a few times but keep at it. Right now, we are working on the spray...Becks HATES the spray.

thats exactly what i did with teddy.. he listens so much better since my husband and I have let him know that we're the bosses.. he was afraid of the spray but now he's use to it. We use to actually use the puppy colgone as a "bad dog" method.. he's being bad so we give him a little spray and say bad boy...but now he doesn't mind it anymore so our method is broken lol.

[Mom to Hot Rod]

The spray I got is called Mr. Coat. I got a small sample sized bottle at a pet expo from a groomer there. It smells really good! It definitely makes a difference. Lot's of good advice was given. I'll have to try some of the ideas myself. Good luck.

[tatertot15]

Winston: I just looked up the combs you were telling me about from Pure Paws of AZ and looks like I have one of those combs lol I just didnt know it....its the one that my groomer told me to get. I guess I'm doing something right lol.

[MomToAria]

I had the same problem with Addaley. She hated the brush and when I would try to brush her she would snarl, growl and want to bite my hand off. I let my groomer know and she actually took the time to show me "how" to brush them. When she brushes them she never has the pokey bristles touch their skin, she touches their skin with the top smooth part of the brush so it doesn't hurt them (some dogs are more sensitive than others). She also kinda swoops the brush up through the hair (not really sure if that makes sense, it's kinda hard to explain). Also for difficult places to brush like legs, belly and face she told me to put Addaley on her belly on my lap and do the same brushing technique. Once I started doing this Addaley has been soo much easier to brush. I also give her a couple treats when she is being REALLY good. The brush I use is those wired ones, I feel like that one gets her tangles out great and doesn't pull her hair as much. Oh and if my brush does get caught I make sure to hold the hair that is matted as close to the skin as possible and brush that matt out that way. This alleviates the discomfort from pulling the hair.

Hope that helps, let me know if you have any questions.

[tatertot15]

OK so yesterday I went to buy the spray and couldnt find the ones you all were talking about so I just bought one (cant remember the name now)....it helped a little but it still isnt getting the knots out and I noticed it was breaking the knots out and they were coming out on the comb so I stopped brushing him because I didnt want to hurt him. the only way he would hold still is if I was laying down and had him on my chest (very awkward but it worked) we layed there for like an hour I used 3 different brushes to try and help work the knots out but when it came to the comb it was just pulling them out....What do I do?? I got him groomed at petsmart about a week ago....could these knots have apeared since then or did they not work on them at all?? I dont want to have to shave him because he is too cute and I know he will have beautiful hair once his mommy gets some knowledge on this stuff. I kept putting more and more spray on him and it helped but didnt fully work. Please help me??

[RONLYNN]

I've found the best thing that works for me is to place Teddi up on the counter in the bathroom. I think because the surface is cold and hard like the groomers she is fine with it...like she knows how to behave up there. If I try to do it on the couch or on my lap or something the results are a lot different. You might want to try that.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by tatertot15

OK so yesterday I went to buy the spray and couldnt find the ones you all were talking about so I just bought one (cant remember the name now)....it helped a little but it still isnt getting the knots out and I noticed it was breaking the knots out and they were coming out on the comb so I stopped brushing him because I didnt want to hurt him. the only way he would hold still is if I was laying down and had him on my chest (very awkward but it worked) we layed there for like an hour I used 3 different brushes to try and help work the knots out but when it came to the comb it was just pulling them out....What do I do?? I got him groomed at petsmart about a week ago....could these knots have apeared since then or did they not work on them at all?? I dont want to have to shave him because he is too cute and I know he will have beautiful hair once his mommy gets some knowledge on this stuff. I kept putting more and more spray on him and it helped but didnt fully work. Please help me??

Yes the knots can appear overnight that's why it's best to brush and comb every day. It's important to follow brushing with a combing close to skin so that you are sure to remove tangles before they become mats. Also, certain products work better than others, and if you baby has a cotton coat, this means that he tangles easily, and it might be best to buy a product especially made for this purpose, such as Cowboy Magic Detangler, you can buy it online. Certain products have too much water in them and water can make tangles even more difficult to remove. I would use the Cowboy Magic before the bath, and after bathing I would put regular conditioner in chest and armpit area because that was where he had the problem. Of course, rinse well, after doing this. I had more of a problem with his puppy coat, now Joey never tangles, occasionally he gets a sticker in his hair, and Cowboy Magic works great for that too.