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Help with Grooming at home

1K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  Love's_Sophie 
#1 ·
Our Lhasa Apso puppy is just about 4 months old now and she is GREAT with baths, brushing, and the hair dryer. We need some advice though on how to get her used to the electric clippers and the sissors. So far she is TERRIFIED of both. She was originally skittish around the hair dryer but now she loves it. What I did then was I just gave her treats every so often and told her what a good girl she was and now she just sits nicely in front of me while I dry her.

Today I wanted to clip some of the hair away from her eyes with the sissors and she would NOT hold still. At all. I tried some stuff I saw on TV with slowly bringing the sissors to her and letting her get used to them and stuff, and that was all fine and good, but as soon as I try to clip near her eyes she just goes nuts. Obviously that's not good cause I dont want to poke her eyes out :-/ So then I decided to try the mini electric clipper that came with the big one, because it seemed a bit safer and maybe quicker. But she's terrified of these too.. How do I get her to relax about having the hair around her eyes/nose clipped? We do -not- want to have to take her to a professional groomer every time she needs a little clip.. Any tips would be appreciated!
 
#3 ·
Introduce it very slowly. First just sit the clipper by her and let her smell it. If she does that give her a treat. Next sit it next to her and turn it on(on a towel or mat so it isn't making a huge vibrating noise). If she touches it or smells of it, give a treat. Then pick it up and show it to her and treat if she has any interest. Eventually have it on and do the same thing, the idea is a little at the time. It helps if the treat is something good. I use a piece of ham or baloney in little pieces. One of my dogs will let you do about anything to her and the other one wants to get away. She is a lot better now. When I give her a trim sometimes I have to do it in 2 passes with a break in between. David
 
#4 ·
First, tire the dog out so sheis less likely to fight so hard. Second, get a person to help hold until the dog is more comfortable with the procedure.
 
#5 ·
Take her to a professional groomer now. After a few groomings, she will have learned to accept the clippers near her face. She is going to have to learn to accept them, because of her breed, there is hair there that needs trimmed. If you continue to attempt the trimming, and she gets scared and you stop, you are teaching her to keep the behavior up. I suggest letting a professional take care of it for a few times, then you will be able to clip at home with no problems.

If you truly want to do it at home, you are going to have to be very dedicated, and have someone to help you keep her contained in a small area, like on a small table, etc. NOT in your lap or on the floor. Dogs associate those places with love and play time, not business/work time. You can start by rubbing the clippers, while OFF, all over her body, and treat her only when she is holding still. When she is relaxed for that, turn them on, preferably without the blade on the clipper if they are the kind that snaps off...rub them all over her body, and treat when she is still..Eventually, she will learn to accept them, but you cannot stop on a bad note...only a good note, which could take some time. You need to keep a matter of fact tone about you, calmly tell her stay/still/wait, etc..whatever word you want to use. When they wiggle, I usually say "uh uh, stay."

Another useful thing to teach her, that most puppies don't like at first, is letting you hold her chin hair to keep her head still. Usually, as soon as you hold it, they fight you. I just calmly hold the hair under the chin, NOT pulling her, but just holding it. If she pulls against you, give a little, but do not let go until she is not pulling against you and is still, then release and praise her. When she is groomed, it is the safest and most common way that groomers keep dogs heads still while the head and eye areas are trimmed. Dogs learn to hold very still when holding the chin hair..its pretty universal, and something that will help you when getting her used to the clippers.
 
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