Getting used to the brush

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Lucca hates being brushed. He tries to bite the brush and me every time I brush him. He is fine at the groomers. Any suggestions? I have tried to give him a treat to keep him occupied while I do it but he caught on fast!!

[Sharon, Boo & Cricket]

We give our doods their kibble (one piece at a time) while we brush them. Brush-brush-kibble, brush-brush-kibble. It helps distract them so they don't think about the brush so much. For stuff they really don't like (trimming, ear cleaning, etc.) we give them higher-value treats, like hot dogs cut into little bits. They'll put up with a lot for hot dogs! ;)

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

The treat idea sounds good, but does your dog digest hot dogs well? Our dog sleeps in our room and some foods concern me for obvious reasons :)

[Sharon, Boo & Cricket]

Hahaha! I can identify! ;) So far the hot dogs have been fine though. We try to give our doods the more “natural” hot dogs, ones without a lot of ingredients, and have one meat only. Hebrew National is one brand we’ve used. We don’t give the doods much, just a half to one hot dog cut into teeny weeny pieces (half a pea size).

Oh and our trainer gave us a neat tip about treats. She said to put the dog's regular kibble in a ziploc baggie along with a few chunks of hot dog (or other stinky meat). Mix em around, let it sit for a while, then remove the hot dogs and use the kibble as treats. The kibble will smell like the hot dogs and the doods love it! :)

Hope that helps! :)

[1i86r4x3nftnw]

Hi Carla our breeder taught a specific way to brush our coco as she was so bad to brush she would try to bite the brush and growl and try to get away they said to make sure you have a brush wire with rounded pins so that it doesnt scratch the skin and to everyday to lay the dog down with their head away from you and have one arm holding them gently down on the head and neck area and the other at the back legs and gently massage them with your hands and then gradually add the brush everytime they start to move stop and hold them when they are good give them small little liver treats this really worked for us within a week coco was calm and know just lays and waits for the brush if you like I can post some pictures of the method which may make it easier to understand

donna coco & jazz

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Thanks, I'll try that. Yes, post the photos.

[Kyoko]

I give mine a kong, filled with her favorite stuff, like yogult and banana, kibbles with peanut butter, etc....
She seems to be more sensitive than my Chow Chow, and does not like to be brushed either. I am thinking may be because she does not have the under coats like Chow Chow. She is also very sensitive and go crazy when burrs get on her, when the chow Chow can walk around with 10 of them stuck on his legs! Carla, you said Lucca was fine at the groomers. I am thinking about taking Carlie to the groomer for the first time, but concerned that she wil not stay still. How did you get Lucca to do well there?

[1i86r4x3nftnw]

here are some photos of jazz being groomed

[1i86r4x3nftnw]

Hi Carla I have put some photos up on my page that show how to hold your dog for grooming it worked wonders for us they are both really good although you really have to keep it up and dont give in also the rewards for their good behaviour

[Mommy2Max]

This may or may not help but, if Max is up high on a counter (just like at the groomer or vet) he fiddles far less. He just doesn't have as much room to move and the height is slightly intimidating for him.