Keeping still

[Bridget and Lupin]

So how do you guys keep your dogs still while grooming them?  I'm tired of Lupin coming home with a poodle blow-out, but she's so mouthy and squirrely that I can't imagine her staying relaxed long enough to allow me to groom her. 

I'm curious to hear how you all manage it. Thanks in advance!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

A grooming table made all the difference with Tara.  Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide! LOL She knows exactly what it means when she is on the table and will often just lay down and let me work on her. Before the table it was a struggle!

[Teresa Joyce]

Hi Bridget,

A grooming table with a noose is a good place to start.  It will reduce the stress on your back in trying to groom her on the ground and there is nowhere for her to go.  Be careful with the noose though and NEVER leaver her unattended as she could strangle if she jumped off.   A long play session prior to grooming time has helped with my boys as well. If you decide not to take on this challenge, you may search out a groomer that will allow her to fan dry and not force dry her coat.  This will allow the curls to set naturally.  If she is not matted, ask that they use a duck comb for trimming and the longest one possible.  This will leave a more natural look for Lupin.  I am a groomer in Phoenix and intend to open a shop that specializes in doodles as so many owners want the natural curl and non-poodle look.  I groom both of my boys with this method and they look natural, soft and still have their unique and beautiful coats.  Good luck:)

[Bridget and Lupin]

Thank you both for your input!  Are grooming tables pretty portable/collapsible?  She rarely matts, so next time I will definitely ask for her to be fan dried and for a duck comb to be used.  A good play session is a great suggestion!  I'm in Madison, WI and I wish someone here would open a specialty doodle grooming shop. 

[Susan and Pippi]

What is a duck comb? I am Googling, but no sensible results. Thanks!

[Teresa Joyce]

A duck comb is an attachment to the clipper blade that leaves the hair longer.  It is called many things.  The groomer should know what it means.  This article will give you more information.  http://groomwise.typepad.com/grooming_smarter/2009/01/done-in-a-sna....  The only caveat is the coat must be mat free which means that a comb must run freely through the hair all the way down to the skin. Good luck with these!

[Breanna]

I just give Crush an enticing treat that keeps her distracted (nylabone, kong with peanut butter, etc.) and follow her when she moves. The hardest part of brushing her out is keeping her still and where I want her. 

[Tracey & Spike]

These are good tips to know! We don't plan on grooming Spike ourselves. Other than the in between things (normal brushing, trimming around his eyes etc) I'm already tired of chasing behind him with the brush. As soon as he sees me grab it he's GONE!

We had to do the eye hair trim for the first time this week and it was beyond a struggle. I essentially had to tackle the poor guy to keep him still enough for dad to get near his face with the clippers. There has to be an easier solution. Maybe our problem was not having a grooming table. We were using the floor in the kitchen. Very hard on all of us.

[Bridget and Lupin]

I've had pretty good luck using our dining room table with a mat on it.  Getting them up off the floor seems to be key.  Good luck!

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

When we first started trimming Yogi's fur around his eyes, my husband held him and I just trimmed a very small amount to get him used to it. We also utilized treats at first, and used our settle command so he knew he had to be still. It really only took a couple times of us doing it together. Now I do it alone and Yogi is very still.

[Teresa Joyce]

Hi Tracey,

Sorry to hear that it is such a struggle.  Two thoughts - one - dogs very quickly pick up on what you are feeling - if you are anxious they will be anxious even if you are using your best sweet puppy voice.  It may take some time of we're going to just look at the tools together on the floor next to the Spike's toys and not pick them up or try to use them with positive reinforcement.  If you are frustrated or feeling anxious, your pup will pick up on it and make grooming time really hard.  Two, noise and vibration can really scare a dog.  For dogs that I am unfamiliar with, I let them see and smell the comb, brush, clipper, scissors and touch myself with the tool and then them with them so they know that it is not a threat. Clippers show them to the dog and let them sniff them, then start with them off and just touch the body give praise when accepted and ignore when it is not accepted then after a few sessions, turn the clippers on let the dog become accustomed to the noise and then touch the body so that the dog feels the sensation - just imaging if you had something making a horrible noise and looked gigantic coming toward our eyes- we would all be running like mad too-  scissors - let the dog see and smell them and with them closed and laying flat across  the end of the foreface right above the nose - just touch them to the skin and then very, very, very lightly tap the scissors on the skin.  For brushing, be  careful that you are not inadvertently scratching the skin with the brush - especially a slicker brush or one that has pins like it.  For my 2 year old, Oodle, he gets some play ball time and then brush time and then play ball time then brush time.  He knows when I say "brushy brush" he needs to nicely submit to brushing before play time continues.  When I am grooming other peoples pups, I always remember that they, just like us, have a past that may have bad experiences and also have fears associated with them and the unknown.  I wish you the best of luck.  Teresa