Grooming Issues
 

I would like to groom my baby at home but she will not stay still. It kinda starts to frustrate me because I want her to look decent everyday but it seems she likes the "I just woke up" look. ugh..any tips or suggestions?

Designate a place to groom. I like to use a countertop because the boys are less likely to want to get away. When on a surface above the floor, always keep one hand on your dog to prevent jumping or falling. I use my body to block them too.

Choose a time to groom when your dog isn't full of energy. Or, tie grooming to a favorite activity. I tied grooming to walks. Max learned that he needed a topknot and comb out if he wanted to go walking.

Use massage and treats to make grooming fun. I intersperse a lot of massage and praise with grooming. The boys also get treats -- pieces of kibble -- for good behavior.

Don't show any anxiety or frustration. This will make your dog nervous and want to get away from you. Be patient and keep working on making grooming more relaxing. At the same time, don't give up or give in. Be calmly assertive and she will learn that she won't be able to get out of it.

Well to begin with a young Yorkie tends to have that very natural look.:rolleyes: Sometimes as their hair is growing out you kind of wonder what they are going to end up looking like!

First make sure you have the right grooming tools. You want a couple of sizes of a decent quality metal grooming combs. I use a 4" for the face and legs and a 6" for the body.
toplinepet.com Here are some good examples of good combs. I also have the small pin brush but I never brush until all tangles have been combed out.

With a puppy it is best to start when they have been napping. Take your small comb and run it through the hair a few times. Play time is not the best time to decide to do the grooming and, yes, I know they like to play most of the time! Right now the hair is not as long so it is easier to get the comb through the hair quickly and painlessly. Do it at least twice a day so that when the day comes when her hair is actually long and needs lots of grooming she is already used to the routine.

Giving a healthy, tasty treat directly after the session will help a lot with her attitude toward grooming.Always give lots of praise. Never punish an active pup. Do what you can and then try again later.

I would suggest finding a good quality all natural shampoo and conditioner. It can make a world of difference in how manageable her hair is between baths. I use the YSS products including the spray conditioner.
Yorkie Splash and Yorkie Shine | Yorkie Shampoo and Yorkie Conditioner
I also have used WEN on her and it works great as well.
A weekly bath will also help in her training and keep her hair easy to comb.

Training a pup to accept grooming is just like any other behavior you train for. It takes lots of patience, love and encouragement as well as being very consistent with the plan.

I've been practicing a routine with Chevy, so that he continues to behave during grooming. After I groom him, he gets a treat. After his morning walk, and at night, he gets wiped down, hair brushed, and his teeth brushed. It's only been about 2 weeks or so, and now he runs to the bathroom after being released from his harness, and waits for me to begin. As soon as I finish and place him on the floor, he runs to the kitchen where his treats are, so he is beginning to learn if I let her do this, I get a treat. He doesn't sit perfectly still when getting his face wiped though, but we're still practicing. This is just something that works for me, but may help.

:thumbup: Excellent tips!

My Momo was very wiggly as a puppy during grooming time, so I gave him a bully stick while I brushed him. After awhile, he knew that being placed on the restroom vanity meant that he's going to get brushed & eventually didn't need any treats to distract him. He still tries to attack the brush or comb (lolll) when I encounter a tangle. I tell him 'No' & gently push his face away & cut the tangle off w/blunt nosed scissors.

try it in little steps, get the clippers turn them on and hold them in your hand when you are chilling out with her, she'll get used to the noise. Also keep a brush or comb handy and a little stroke here or there. Tufty went from the most horrible wee beastie with grooming to the dog that falls asleep in the middle of it. For nails, do one a day every couple of days, always have a nice natural treat as reward.

I love that look hahahahaha

I am having the same problem with my little one. It literally takes 2 people to bathe him. He hates clippers and he hates his feet or his face being messed with. As a result, he's not groomed too well. I can only get his feet and his ears so so and it takes a lot of work and patients just to get a little done on him. I've thought about shaving him but since he can barely sit still long enough for me to shave the hair under his tail, I can't imagine how hard it would be to shave him all he way down.....and he's not too much better with scissors.

He just doesn't like to be fussed with...which is unfortunate because his coat is sooo high maintenance. He gets matted really quick and even when I do brush him, he still has that "i just got out of bed" look.


I am hoping that as time goes on, he will improve. You'd think they'd get used to it since they are having it done all of the time. I've never tried to give mine a treat afterwards. Maybe I will throw that into the ritual.

If you follow the above advice, they will come around. My boy teddy was horrible, mean and attacking as a pup while grooming. I give shredded boiled chicken and brushed for about two minutes then stopped, did this several times throughout the day until he was completely brushed. It took about a month, but now he tolerates it, still gets mouthy (no bite) when I find a knot but otherwise gives me that bored look like are you done yet.

Doing some easy grooming sessions several times a day and ending with a treat will get you to where you want to go. They must learn to associate grooming with something pleasant and not as a punishment. Patience, consistency, and lots of praise and encouragement are necessities. Keep the session short at first. Trying to repair days worth of tangles all at once is only going to cause frustration for everyone.

Find a good conditioning spray to use on places where it is hard to get the comb through. If your pup has already developed a bad mat it is better to cut it out than cause the baby pain.

A dog will not struggle to get away from an activity that they have learned to enjoy. It takes consistency and the best time to start is the day you bring your puppy home.

If you have to do this on your own you might try holding the pup on your lap. That way if he does get away he won't get injured.

This little grooming table is also helpful for those who don't have 4 hands:
https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US
It is also available on Amazon and a few other pet supply stores. I think Pet Edge has about the best price though. You can put it on the floor or any table. If you are going to do your own grooming later on it is really helpful for doing the body work.