First time doodle mom needs help getting started

[Bev and Tess]

Tess is now 12 weeks old and I've been brushing her since she first came home...or should I say trying to brush. I'm using a pin brush and being gentle and positive but she keeps biting the brush. No damage to me or the brush but not getting anthing done this way. AND HOW do you get them to sit still to trim a little around their eyes, or pads or clean their ears?

[Ozzy Bob and Leanna]

Been there, done that!  My best and only advice is be consistent and she'll get use to it and it'll become much easier!  The secret is CONSISTENT!  Our nearly 8 month old doodle didn't like it at first either, but now he dearly loves to be brushed and combed along with brushing his teeth everynight.  Keep on keeping on, it'll get better I promise!

[Bev and Tess]

Thanks! that gives me some hope, hadn't even tried to do teeth yet:) today I gave her a chew stick to bribe her and it worked right up to her finishing her treat. Not really into starting something that will stick and I'll have to do every time, but then I thought it might give me some time and her a chance to get use to it.

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

 Fun times with training is very important. You will want to be brushing your dog on a table eventually as it is can be a long process and being on the floor or furniture will make the job harder. Start teaching your dog she will get treats for standing on a low box. Then transfer this to a higher table.

Do some basic leash training and then teach your dog it is ok to be tied up somewhere. Move this skill to a grooming loop. Once on the loop, it keeps the puppy from moving around to bite the brush. This is a process and has to be trained in stages with lots of rewards.

Think about this, if you had scissor there instead of a brush in your hand, I think you might find a way to prevent the biting to save you puppy a cut. Think of the brush as a dangerous tool. Puppies that bite brushes will bite scissors or clippers and we sure don't want that!

Disipline....not to be confused with punishment... is very important. First you teach the dog what you want her to do, then you can insist she do it at a later stage.

[Bev and Tess]

Thanks so much! That helps a lot, I have definetly considered doing the grooming myself. I think we all have in our mind what we want in their cut and wasn't very interested in a shop that crates many dogs and keeps them all day. So we will take little steps, and keep at it........and the floor wasn't very comfortable :):)

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Bev...that is exactly why I quit going to the groomers.  Gracie was there all day in a crate with tons of barking dogs and it was totally stressful for her...me too when I would go get her!  She hated going but the only good thing that came of it was that she got grooming table trained so that when I started grooming her she knew the ropes and the commands to hold, etc.  There is so much to learn but you stick with this group and you will get it all figured out.  Barb is our wonderful mentor and is so helpful and patient with us.  She is a very busy lady breeding and grooming her own but always finds time to tutor us and answer our questions.  I don't think any of us who groom our own Doodles would be doing it without the help she has given us...Thank you Barb!!! 

 

Twelve weeks old is still very young and Tess is probably entering into that biting, attacking and growling stage.  There are times you think you have the devil on your hands...we all have gone through it.  There are lots of people out there on DK right now asking what happened to their sweet little cuddly puppy..."have I created a monster?"  Doing things on the floor does mean playing usually so as Barb said, start elevating her.  I bought a grooming table when there was a sale and having them up on something really helps...also helps your back!!!!  My Gracie is a Standard so she is a tall 70 lb baby!!! 

[Bev and Tess]

• Thanks so much for your advise!  DK is great and everyone has been so helpful. Thanks for taking your time and I will start looking into a table for one of my next puppy purchases :)

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

It is always best to work on your baby when she is really tired or sleeping.  Use a pair of blunt nosed (end) scissors to cut around the eyes or face.  The same with their pads.  It is probably safer to use the small little trimming battery operated clippers to shell out the feet.  Cleaning out the ears I just use a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide and clean out or I use q-tips to get in the nooks and crannys.  Don't go deep with the q-tip.  If you are talking about all the poodle hair that looks like a birds nest...that needs to be plucked.  It took me a long time to pluck Gracie's ears.  I had the groomer do it for the first few years and then when I took over grooming her myself I had to learn how to Dremel her toe nails and pluck hair from the ear.  Everything I have learned has been right here in the Grooming Group.  You might want to sit down when you have a chance and check through the Archives on the different grooming subjects.  The questions you are asking have been addressed many times and by reading back, you might learn something that we have forgotten to tell you.  I love to gather all the information I can!!!  Same with you are brushing or combing...when they are really tired.  Be sure to use a comb because the brush just skims over the top.  Matting occurs down at the skin and as she starts blowing out her puppy coat you will be confronted with mats and possibly a total shaving by a groomer.  It seems to be the "right of passage" for all Doodles to experience a total shave once in their life.  You can try to stay one step ahead of it by combing her.  Make sure you get the comb down to the skin and if there are mats, you won't be able to pull it.  I use a comb with rotating pin (teeth).  Can't find them at a dog store but you can Google them.  I order mine on line.  I love this comb because the pins spin and are forgiving when you hit a tangle or mat.  Oh, by the way, all baby Doodles bite their brushes!!  ha ha  Oh, I almost forgot...you can YouTube a lot of this stuff too.  There are quite a few videos on "plucking dog ear hair", etc.

[Bev and Tess]

Thanks! hadn't even thought of youtube....watching a video would really help! I'm sure all the questions get asked over and over, I just hadn't found the ones for getting a puppy to sit still and stop bitting the brush long enough for me to get anything done. Will definatly try the comb with rotating pin-teeth.

[Jess and Pippin]

Pippin has a hard time sitting for grooming/brushing (he is 7 months).  Right now, it is a 2 person job, with 1 person doing the work and the other person rewarding him for good behaviour (treats and praise in response to specific commands). 

[Bev and Tess]

Thanks for helping! Iv'e always done some of the grooming for past pets alone, but will defiantly get my husband involved!!!! great idea, that should make a huge differance :)

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

Harley is 6 mo and we still have some difficulty with this.  Putting him on a table made a world of difference. around the eyes is a two person job here also.  Hubby holds a highly desired treat sometimes in a closed fist, open just enough for him to lick it and this helps.  It is getting better tho, so have faith.

[Bev and Tess]

great idea!!! I'm getting such good advise from everyone....Thanks so much!