clipping around puppy's eyes

[ginny]

I have a 14 week old ALD and I have been spending time every day brushing, combing, and pretending to scissors her so she gets used to being groomed.  However, the hair by her eyes definitely needs to be cut but she won't let me get near them.  I used a himalayan chew covered with peanut butter today in hopes it would work but she still moves too much trying to avoid me going near her face with the scissors.  Does anyone have any suggestions that might help.  I'm so afraid I'm going to slip and hit her, yet to take her to the groomer every couple of weeks for them to do this is just not feasible.  Do I just keep trying every day and hopefully she'll eventually let me do this?  Any suggestion?

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Tire her out first, that's what I need to do. 

[ginny]

Good idea, I'll try that.

[c zoomer]

Hi Ginny.

My pup was too wiggly at first, and there was no one to help, so I did take the groomer route.  It worked out that it was right for HER.  She's now 2 and only now trusts me enough to fuss with her eye goop.  The brushing is still an issue as she recoils whenever the brush pulls at "something".  But she lets me brush a little....so we keep progressing.  You may have read in a previous discussion that I tried to brush her when she was excited to go outside, followed by frisbee (loves frisbee)  I would do one thing each time....it didn't work.  She avoided coming to the door after the second time, and a year later is still hesitant.  I came looking tonight for some encouragement myself.  I've got a very smart, sensitive  and wonderful dog and I hope if I'm patient, this will all work out.

Heres a little aside.  We play in a condo laundry room in bad weather.  One time last summer, I put her in the stationary tub to cool off and get a drink.  Fast forward to last week.  Now when I run water in the tub she gets excited, jumping up and down, until finally, she took a chance and jumped into the tub!  She's a mini, so that was a big jump.  She likes the tub, so bathing is going to be easy...now if only the grooming part falls in place :)

All the best to you and your pup.

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

I do all the grooming myself. I use round tipped scissors. I grab them by the beard. If your puppy doesn't have a beard yet you can grab around the snout. Just make sure you have a firm hold on the dog. Then you cut at an angle close to the eye,  like an upside down V. I have trimmed lots of puppies that way since I train them. Once they know that you are in charge they'll let you do it without any problems. Good luck!

[ginny]

Thanks!  I do use a round tipped scissors.  Yesterday my husband held her while I tried and vice versa.  She struggled like crazy and cried.  i wonder if I should take her to a groomer just to do that for a first time so she knows what it's all about.  She has been really good about everything else and I don't want her to think she can get away with this.  I don't want her to think she won, yet I don't know how far to force her if she's having a fit.

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

You should never allow her to have a fit. The dog needs to know from the start who's boss. That sounds mean but it's so important. She needs to accept you as her pack leader. And the pack leader always wins. 

[ginny]

Thanks, I do agree, so now I need to be strong--I appreciate your response.

[Wanda Klomp]

Hi Ginny, hope this helps :-) https://youtu.be/ghYsdkB_okc

[ginny]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Connie]

excellent video