[muckypup]

Hi

I have just read the posts about grooming elderly dogs and was wandering what the groomers views are on clipping puppies.

I am a groomer and have the view that puppies need to get used to grooming slowly so the first few clips i do are more familiarisation rather than perfect clips. I tell my customers this and they are happy with it but i wandered how some groomers can get a good finish on a jumpy scared puppy.

 

[Graco22]

I don't have a problem doing a full groom on a first time puppy if the puppy is doing fine with the process. Most puppies are good if they are very young..then they get to that "everything is scary age" which I believe is around 3-4 months old? After that, I think its just a matter of teaching them to accept grooming in a calm and rewarding way so that grooming is not something to be feared. Almost all puppies are going to "freak out" when you go to clip by the eyes...I would too if someone was coming at me with clippers like that..lol Its all about teaching them that its ok, being calm, and not pushing them too far. I have had puppies that at 3 months stood perfect for everything. I have also had puppies that at 3 months were absolutely terrified of everything, and were not acclimated at home to being touched ALL OVER. I treat every puppy as an individual and assess the groom in that way, and let the owners know it may not be the perfect cut, but its more important that its a beneficial "training" session for future grooms to come.

 

[GroovyGroomer777]

Finishing a nice groom on a puppy can be so rewarding - nothing looks cuter, and the owners are usualy so thrilled. If it is one of those freaky-deaky puppies, it can be really difficult, and like you said, not a perfect cut, just a training session.

I groomed one puppy who went absolutely BALISTIC as soon as I turned on the clippers. I didnt even try to clip her, just turned them on so she could hear them....she went nuts - not just jumpy - but lunging at me aggressively. I had never seen anything like it.

The worst part was that she was matted alllll over....needed a #7.....boy was I stuck in a corner..... it was a terrible experience for everyone. I think she must have been a puppy mill dog who had a screw loose? I still don't know. The owner never came back because I think she either disliked that I had to shave her, or she thought that I did something to the pup to make her go looney tunes like that.

 

[Love's_Sophie]

I do what I can on first time puppies; if that means a puppy can actually get a full groom, that's what he gets. If all he can get accomplished is a brush and bath, and maybe his feet trimmed, and eyes cleaned up, that's what he gets.

I DO prefer that brush and baths be the first few things a puppy experiences as his first experiences, but in reality, that's not what we are always handed as groomers. For example, today, I was handed a 9 month old Wheaten puppy...never been groomed; I couldn't very well just send her home with a simple brush and bath, so she got the whole works. She did quite well, fortunately, and wasn't extremely matted...so I did get lucky in her case.

Hey, Groovy, I think I got one of those same puppy mill dogs...shih tzu...went absulutely APE as soon as she heard the clipper, let alone touch her with it! Definitely had some screws missing, or loose at best!

 

[Graco22]

I'm with you guys on the puppies with no light bulb inside their heads... I had a regular (well, if every 3 months on a poodle mix is regular) client get a new lhasapoo puppy....9 MONTHS AGO....they call and make an appt for grooming, and of course I got the "No, he's never been groomed, he's only 9 months old." Well, of course he was pelted, had to peel it off with a 7 blade...and he was completely traumatized over the bath, dryer, and shave off, but my hands were tied because of the owners waiting so long, and not brushing or bathing the pup. He was a decent pup for it all, (except for the dryer...kujo for that) but he was definitly self conscious about himself when he left..acting slinky and unsure now that he was so naked. He'll probably forget that groom anyway, cause I am sure I won't see him for another 9 months...Oh how I wish people wouldn't wait til its a dire need.

 

[MrsJohnnyG]

May I ask a spin-off question? I'm not a groomer but want to make my groomer's job as easy as possible. Our puppies just turned 4 months old, but we wanted them to get used to the grooming process so they've already had two grooming experiences... one was an all-over puppy grooming type thing by the breeder's groomer when they were only about 7 weeks, then at about 11 weeks we introduced them to our groomer (she only did nail trimming and some other minor things to get them used to it).

We have a third grooming appointment scheduled for a week from Monday. They will be bathed, trimmed a bit, nails trimmed, pretty much everything. I've been trying to brush them to get them used to being handled and keep their fur mat-free, but while one of them tolerates it, the other one HATES being brushed.

Also, we've had a lot of rain and our yard has been a filth-pit. They like to play outside for several hours a day, and they have been coming in looking like they've been mud-wrestling.

They like jumping into the tub and playing in the water, but the second I try to actually bathe them, they fight me and try to jump out of the tub.

Do you have any suggestions for succeeding a little better at brushing and bathing them so that my groomer isn't faced with filthy, matted puppies who hate being brushed and bathed?

 

[Graco22]

May I ask a spin-off question? I'm not a groomer but want to make my groomer's job as easy as possible. Our puppies just turned 4 months old, but we wanted them to get used to the grooming process so they've already had two grooming experiences... one was an all-over puppy grooming type thing by the breeder's groomer when they were only about 7 weeks, then at about 11 weeks we introduced them to our groomer (she only did nail trimming and some other minor things to get them used to it).

We have a third grooming appointment scheduled for a week from Monday. They will be bathed, trimmed a bit, nails trimmed, pretty much everything. I've been trying to brush them to get them used to being handled and keep their fur mat-free, but while one of them tolerates it, the other one HATES being brushed.

Also, we've had a lot of rain and our yard has been a filth-pit. They like to play outside for several hours a day, and they have been coming in looking like they've been mud-wrestling.

They like jumping into the tub and playing in the water, but the second I try to actually bathe them, they fight me and try to jump out of the tub.

Do you have any suggestions for succeeding a little better at brushing and bathing them so that my groomer isn't faced with filthy, matted puppies who hate being brushed and bathed?

Some dogs never like being brushed/groomed..No matter what you do, you just cannot make them like it. However.....(and I see they are standard pups..lol) what they do have to learn is to accept brushing/grooming and behave for it. Kinda like children in church...most don't like it, and don't want to do it, but its just one of those things parents insist they do and behave for. You will have to teach your puppy what is acceptable behavior, and what is not. Teach them to stand for brushing without nipping, crying, twirling, sitting, etc. Same with the bath tub. Teach them to stand, and stand still. You are the one in charge, and the faster they learn that, the easier grooming is going to be on them and the person grooming them. Puppies usually learn fast, and they learn to do what works..If spinning, jumping, and screaming gets them out of the situation, they will do it..If it doesn't get them anywhere...they learn fast its not worth the struggle, and give in to the teacher.

 

[MrsJohnnyG]

Thank you! I'll keep working with the brush-hating monkey.

 

[Graco22]

LOL Thats the spirit..You know, my standard (who is now soon to be 3yrs old) had been getting his face and feet done by the breeder every 2 weeks from 4 weeks up til I got him at 10 weeks. He was washed, dried, brushed, etc. regularly practically from the day he was born..He still doesn't like to be groomed. LOL When he sees me go in the bathing room at the salon...he waits and watches me to see if I am just passing thru, or going to call him to the tub for a bath..same when I go to my grooming table at the end of the day. He doesnt' like it, but he stands like a statue for all of it. He even puts his front feet on the side of the tub and table for me to lift him up. Same with brushing at home..He will lay down on the floor and not move a muscle. He knows when he's done he will get treats, but its not enough to make him like it. Unfortunatly, he's a poodle, owned by a groomer...so he is out of luck! LOL You should see him go bonkers as soon as I put him off the table..he is so excited to be pretty..and DONE!

Keep working with them. Don't give up..they are young, and with consistancy over time, they will learn proper etiquette for grooming, which will make things much easier on them and the groomer (and you) for their whole lives.

 

[MrsJohnnyG]

Too cute! I do have hope for the one who runs away when he sees me coming with a brush. He does like to be petted and held, so I think he could come to like it. Our older dog (the worst "trained" of the pack) is a handful in many ways, but even she loves to be brushed. Last night she actually cried for me to brush her... and when I do, the expression of doggie ecstacy is priceless. Our groomer told us one time that when he was finished with her, she actually jumped back onto the grooming table -- something he had never seen before. I guess she wasn't finished being brushed!

 

[Graco22]

LOL, that is too cute. I have had a few dogs do that too..but trust me, its rare that they want to get BACK on the grooming table when they are done! Have hope with your little ones. My guy didn't actually start helping to get in the tub and on the table til he was almost 2 years old...lol Once they learn to accept it, I think its easier for them to learn to like it, or almost like it. You know, I guess they just give up fighting is cause they know its going to happen regardless... I wish I could get another standard puppy...I miss mine being little.