Trying to get an early start on good grooming habits

[Rob haddix]

As you can see from my home setup I am well prepared for a lifetime of grooming my baby girl. I have had her since she was 8 weeks old and we go to the table 3 times a day as a routine. First we go for a long off leash walk on our 5 acre ranch with her brother a 12 mo old Doberman, then we come in, go to the grooming room and get a little brush & comb, then we go have breakfast, lunch or dinner (depending on the time of day) I have been slowly introducing her to all things associated with grooming and I am very persistent in making her stand while I brush and comb, but she is still a little wiggly about things. I have the arm and tether but we don't use it very often. I am trying real hard to make the grooming room a fun experience and not forcing her to do anything that might seem scary. I have been able to slowly introduce the nail clippers and have successfully clipped the tips of all nails a couple of times, I keep a pair of scardey cut scissors on my desk so when she sleeps at my feet I can get on the floor and cut her eye hair. 

I introduced the blower about a week ago but she was pretty scared, so I clamped it to one of the work tables and pointed at the grooming table when we did our brush and comb, it took a week but yesterday I was able to blow it directly on her and blow off some of the things she picked up during our walk, it is a wonderful tool. The only problem is now she thinks it fun and wants to play bite at the air coming from the nozzle. I'm trying to keep control of the grooming sessions, so I don't want her to think every time the blower comes on it's time to play.

I know just because I have all the grooming stuff that doesn't make me a groomer by any means, I have a lot to learn, so if anyone has any suggestions and tips for the road of grooming socialization we have in front of us please share your thoughts.

I'm a 57 year old guy, we (me, Apollo & Trixie) live on a 5 acre Alpaca ranch in the mountains of Northern Nevada, I work from home so I spend all my time with the dogs and when I go, they go with me.

Trixie is now 10 weeks old.

[Carolyn Shusterman]

I'd say if you are as good at grooming Trixie as you are at taking photos of her ..... I'd say Trixie will be a mighty fine looking gal.  She is so adorable.  Wishing you a lifetime of joy with your baby girl.

[Carolyn Shusterman]

Bob, check out Kate's grooming suggestions at:  http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/doodlegrooming/forum/topics/how-i...

[Rob haddix]

Carolyn, That's a great post by Kate. I can't wait until Trixie is calm on the table so I can carefully sculpt her beautiful coat. I know she is going to blow the puppy coat so I'll have to wait and see what the final canvas will be, but I figure after 3 or 4 months she will be a pro on the grooming table.

[BG and Gavin]

Wow, its a dog's life at your place!  Lucky dood!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Wow, your grooming room is to DIE for! I'm so envious and all I do is touch up work between professional grooms. Still, to have a room like that... very nice.. What's your bathing station look like? It sounds as if you are doing everything right. You're so lucky to have 5 acres. Oscar, 9-1/2 weeks old, is still relegated to the house and side yard for potty breaks. Our back yard is basically a bog with the rain we're having, so no outside time yet. Can't wait to get the vet's OK to go for neighborhood walks.

I haven't yet started Oscar on the grooming 'routine' that Lucy is accustomed to (baths, high velocity blow drys and face and paw scissor work), but need to get him use to some of the sounds, without the actual activity. I started Lucy at about 10 weeks and she's a pro now.

Very cute pics, btw... looks a lot like my Oscar, only she's darker.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I should add (in answer to your question) that I started Lucy with cutting around her eyes, ever so little at a time (I so hate not being able to see a doodle's eyes!) and worked up in duration on face work. The 2nd thing I did was a bath, probably at 11 weeks, which she didn't care for either, but it was good to get that first one under my belt (and her's, so to speak). I didn't start the high vel. dryer till she was about 4 months old, but pretty much just rev'ed it up and started to work on her. No easing into it. She didn't like the noise initially, but after 2-3x it didn't bother her. I didn't run the clippers over her and around her when she was young (not touching her, just for the sound), and probably should have, although she's not bad with clippers now. Same with the dremel, I wish I'd done that differently. To this day I've never cut her nails... only her groomer has. She loves her grooming sessions with me now, and runs into the bathroom when I tell her she's getting a bath, so I must have done something right. She does well at the groomer too.

Oh, and don't forget to start brushing her teeth when she's young. You can get different flavored dog toothpastes for variety and to keep your pup interested. Lucy gets her teeth brushed nightly and loves it!

[Rob haddix]

The bedroom I do the grooming in has it's own tub / shower combo so I put in a long hose with a spray trigger so I can give her bath's in there. I was waiting for her to get use to the blower in case i wanted to dry her that way but I think she will be getting her first bath for Thanksgiving.

This is a picture of her and her brother. Dobermans are very low maintenance other than nail clipping and dremmeling which I have been doing with him since he was a puppy.

[BG and Gavin]

Looks like Trixie takes care of the ear cleaning duties.

[Sue & Lily Grace]

She is georgous and I am envious the room you have to devote to grooming her. Wish you all joy with her.