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]

Oops, I forgot until I read your last post.....  I always give Ozzy a toy to bite as I brush him after every bath.  It helps take him mind off what I'm doing.  We sit on the floor in front of a big box fan while I comb/brush him as he dries.  I use to dry him with a hair dryer, but he started having some skin issues so I quit using heat.  I always brush him daily, but I brush him when he's taking his nap and he seems to love being brushed then.  It must be relaxing to him! ha   Until we get them out of the puppy stage, I think we all have our issues.  I'm waiting for Ozzy to blow his baby hair and get his adult coat, along with him calming down a little.  He's still quite playful and it's too hot to walk him right now to use up some of his energy! ha   He's really good during the day, but after dinner, he's wound up and ready to play for a couple of hours! 

Since I don't trim him myself, I never got him started getting brushed on top of a table, but it'd be extremely easy to make him jump on one. 

Like me, you'll figure out what it takes to make your little girl do what you want.  It's like raising children....  The first one is always the hardest, the rest are a piece of cake because you know what to do! lol  

[Bev and Tess]

Thanks for the toy idea....they love their toys! Blowing their baby hair is not something I look forward to :):) Adding up everyones advise....... I'm feeling a lot better!!!

[Patti]

Lot's and Lot's of treats when she sits still.

[Bev and Tess]

Yah, I'm hearing treats a lot!!!!! lol Thanks

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yes, it does take a little time, but the effort is well worth it.  Letting you handle their feet and pluck the hair out of their ears are big ones.  My puppy also did not like me cleaning his eyes at first, but I always do that first thing in the morning and he is accustomed to it now.  When he lies down next to me, I always play with his feet and examine his ears (basically started with checking for foxtails) and he is comfortable with that also.  We have always groomed our doodles and my husband does some of the "heavy work" like trimming toenails.  We share on most of the other parts of grooming and I do more of the baths and first cuts.  He does the blowing and the final cuts. Right now, easy brushing and treats when he comes for brushing may be enough.  Don't rush it and handle him as much as possible.

By the way, the bathtub is not very comfortable for washing your dog either, so you may want to think about that and where you will groom him.  We have double sinks and a table for grooming in the laundry room and that works quite well.  Also the cement floor is handy for spills.  It took us a while but now we have the grooming area we want for our dogs (and us).

[Bev and Tess]

She lets me do her eyes every day, its just the rest !!!! but with patience, time, and everyones advise we should be fine! Thanks