[odiesmom]

I have a 4 year old poochon that refuses to let me groom her !! 3 years ago she had a very bad experience with a groomer and now is very difficult to handle. She is a MESS and my groomer totally scolded me last time I took her in on how difficult she was. I have tried everything including sedating her at the vets advice , still no go on the brushing or grooming . She actually has bitten me when I have tried to clean her face ( she is a piggy and gets food in her face fur ) any advice on this one ?

 

[Abbylynn]

Wow ... three years ago is a very long time for the poor girl. It must have been really bad!

I have to groom my Schnauzer/Poodle mixes. Leeo hated his legs and feet brushed or nails cut forever! He was just different. The other dog is alright with it.

The only thing I could actually tell you is that I would give the dog the brush to smell ... then treat ... try to run the smooth side of the brush along the dogs back one time ... and treat ... repeat and repeat.

I never could get them use to a pin brush although I was gentle with it and tried my tricks.

I got them used to clippers and the blow dryer by letting them become familiar with these items while treating the whole time. It did not happen for me over night either.

 

[stacey101]

abbylynn gave some great advice, Koda has a similar problem with getting his nails clipped but has gotten so much better!. Because the nail clippers are so 'scary' to him, i bought 3 pairs and place 1 in his bed, 1 by the food dishes, and to get a treat he has to let us touch his paws with the clippers. Its a long and slow process, but so worth it seeing i can do his back feet without getting bit.

 

[georgiapeach]

You might want to put a mesh muzzle on her until you can get her to behave better. It won't hurt her (or you either). You might also get an inexpensive grooming table with a grooming arm to secure her while you groom her.

 

[odiesmom]

Well this time she is going to the groomer, a new one and see how this goes. I ususally cut her way down, legs ,ears etc at the beginning of winter then try not to cut her short till it warms in the spring but the snow makes her legs and belly matt bad. And her piggy habit of eating makes her face hard to clean, I have them do a poodle cut not the longer bichn cut on her face. And she does wear a sweater all winter . It is just sad that she is now afraid of groomers, back in 2009 I was very sick and in the hospital for 5 weeks, the wonderful friends that were caring for her and my terrier took them in to be groomed so they would look pretty for mama to come home to. They SHAVED her, ears, tail, every inch of her. I was horrified. The owner of the shop they had taken her too was so embarrassed when I took her in to see, I wanted my money back and she said " oh it cant be that bad "Poor sophie not only had been shaved she had knicks and cuts all over her. She did refund my money ( the other girl even had the audacity to charge me extra because she was hard to handle )and she threw in a cute little pink tutu dress ! I raised 3 daughters and I swear I spend more time doing the dogs hair than I did my daughters hair lol