As I say we've been trying to cope with doing him on our own but just don't have the skills to do the difficult areas like between his pads and his feet and around his eyes, ears etc. I think he (and we) will have to get used to going to the groomers and just hope that he finally realises that they're not out to kill him.
What Susan described was desensitisation which DOES work. I believe it is quicker with the clicker but it is basically the same thing - just rewarding the non-reaction is easier.
If you continue to take him to the groomer when he is afraid of it you will almost certainly make the situation worse.
If you can not find a groomer that is expert in dealing with fearful dogs I really do recommend you try desensitisation yourself - with DAP, with clicker - but get him to enjoy grooming.
Feet and face are a pain - even dogs that enjoy a good groom can be funny about them. And it takes a while to get even handed with the grooming yourself - my terrier often looks lopsided about the jaw. But desensitisation does work and is better than forcing the poor dog into a situation that scares him every few weeks.
Once desensitised, with careful handling and a sympathetic groomer you could go back to professional cuts:)
One thing we found works with Duncan is we make it a two person job one of us distract and feed him bits of chicken while the other gently grooms him, face we do with him on his back cradled in my arm being spoken gently to, while my husband tackles his head. Sometimes it takes two days because as soon as he is fed up we let him rest and play a game and start again later when he is happier to have another go.
Wow! After reading the thread so far I'm going to stop complaining about my moulting GSDs, at least they are easier to groom as the only facial thing we do is check their teeth and keep their ears clean.
Wow! After reading the thread so far I'm going to stop complaining about my moulting GSDs, at least they are easier to groom as the only facial thing we do is check their teeth and keep their ears clean.
Well let's just put it this way Duncan is our first to need his hair clipped and will be the last we have - plans next time are a short coat chihuahua so much easier to groom.
Wow! After reading the thread so far I'm going to stop complaining about my moulting GSDs, at least they are easier to groom as the only facial thing we do is check their teeth and keep their ears clean.
Even my 'hairless' dogs are a pain to groom:D
Don't get me wrong, they are good as gold for it (mostly) but bathing, conditioning, skin cream, drying, trimming, clipping. And because they are so light their nails don't wear down properly so they have to have their nails clipped.
The terrier is better - I don't 'have' to trim him (except for his bum), but it makes brushing easier and keeps the hair out of his eyes.
Think I'm going for a Greyhound next time!! Or something else short haired!! .
I've ordered some small battery operated face clippers off eBay, so I think the plan is to try and condition him to accept them, see how we get on. Hopefully he'll calm down a bit and then we'll take him up the groomers for a more thorough trim.
I forgot to mention, last time he went groomers they told me he messed himself where he was so scared and they had to re-bathe him. So I think I'll hold off from making him go up there again just yet and see how we get on with the face trimmers at home.
Edit: OH has just emailed and said he's booked him in groomers for 22nd. Hopefully we'll have made some ground with him by then.
What Susan described was desensitisation which DOES work. I believe it is quicker with the clicker but it is basically the same thing - just rewarding the non-reaction is easier.
If you continue to take him to the groomer when he is afraid of it you will almost certainly make the situation worse.
If you can not find a groomer that is expert in dealing with fearful dogs I really do recommend you try desensitisation yourself - with DAP, with clicker - but get him to enjoy grooming.
Feet and face are a pain - even dogs that enjoy a good groom can be funny about them. And it takes a while to get even handed with the grooming yourself - my terrier often looks lopsided about the jaw. But desensitisation does work and is better than forcing the poor dog into a situation that scares him every few weeks.
Once desensitised, with careful handling and a sympathetic groomer you could go back to professional cuts:)
I am quoting this because I applaud what SM says. At the time - I had no idea that what I was doing was a "method" - it just seemed to work for me and my dog Clover. I realised that trying to control a dog through obedience and submission didn't work. I have recently read more about desensitisation and working with and respecting a dog's fears - wish I had realised this many years ago, for my sake and my dogs..
get a groomer that will do him in your house. in his own surroundings, at a dog salon there are a lot of other dogs so maybe yours feels nervous because of that. you could also try just visiting the salon for a while so that he gets used to the groomers, the other dogs, sights smell and sounds of the place.
get a groomer that will do him in your house. in his own surroundings, at a dog salon there are a lot of other dogs so maybe yours feels nervous because of that. you could also try just visiting the salon for a while so that he gets used to the groomers, the other dogs, sights smell and sounds of the place.
I don't have any home groomers near here, the best I could get was a mobile one but she did him in the van and she wouldn't let me stay with him, it wasn't that successful. The other groomers doesn't let me stay with him either, they say it just makes the dogs misbehave and they're harder to groom? I can see him through the window being groomed though but it upset me because I thought she was being too rough though I realise she was just trying to stop him moving while she was trimming his face.
I think possibly half his problem is that he isn't very socialised he doesn't seem to like other dogs and sees them as threatening. Groomers is already booked for 22nd.
Ours are much quieter than the mains wahl we use on his body, they won't of course be silent though.
It's more a low buzz.
Just realised ours are the third one on your list not the first.
yes I think the first ones I got are going to be too small, but the ad. said you could use them on the face and I thought the smaller the better, what a dope.
Come back and let us know how you get on we may have more thoughts in time.
Follow up: Took him up groomers this morning, they managed to do all of him except his face, they tried pretty much everything but we ended up giving up because his tongue was turning blue.
Will need to get him sedated at vets to get his face finished.
Good news you got most of him done, when you think about it how scary it must be to have sharps near your face when you are nervous anyway. And they don't understand we are trying to help them either.
Good news you got most of him done, when you think about it how scary it must be to have sharps near your face when you are nervous anyway. And they don't understand we are trying to help them either.
Yeah, I felt terrible for him, he got in a terrible state, I think I was almost as stressed as he was. He soiled himself again as well. Must admit the groomers were very good though, they really did do their best.
Comments
The pocket pro from Wahl.
What Susan described was desensitisation which DOES work. I believe it is quicker with the clicker but it is basically the same thing - just rewarding the non-reaction is easier.
If you continue to take him to the groomer when he is afraid of it you will almost certainly make the situation worse.
If you can not find a groomer that is expert in dealing with fearful dogs I really do recommend you try desensitisation yourself - with DAP, with clicker - but get him to enjoy grooming.
Feet and face are a pain - even dogs that enjoy a good groom can be funny about them. And it takes a while to get even handed with the grooming yourself - my terrier often looks lopsided about the jaw. But desensitisation does work and is better than forcing the poor dog into a situation that scares him every few weeks.
Once desensitised, with careful handling and a sympathetic groomer you could go back to professional cuts:)
Well let's just put it this way Duncan is our first to need his hair clipped and will be the last we have - plans next time are a short coat chihuahua so much easier to groom.
Even my 'hairless' dogs are a pain to groom:D
Don't get me wrong, they are good as gold for it (mostly) but bathing, conditioning, skin cream, drying, trimming, clipping
The terrier is better - I don't 'have' to trim him (except for his bum), but it makes brushing easier and keeps the hair out of his eyes.
Think I'm going for a Greyhound next time!! Or something else short haired!! .
I forgot to mention, last time he went groomers they told me he messed himself where he was so scared and they had to re-bathe him. So I think I'll hold off from making him go up there again just yet and see how we get on with the face trimmers at home.
Edit: OH has just emailed and said he's booked him in groomers for 22nd. Hopefully we'll have made some ground with him by then.
Thanks for all the tips guys.
I am quoting this because I applaud what SM says. At the time - I had no idea that what I was doing was a "method" - it just seemed to work for me and my dog Clover. I realised that trying to control a dog through obedience and submission didn't work. I have recently read more about desensitisation and working with and respecting a dog's fears - wish I had realised this many years ago, for my sake and my dogs..
I don't have any home groomers near here, the best I could get was a mobile one but she did him in the van and she wouldn't let me stay with him, it wasn't that successful. The other groomers doesn't let me stay with him either, they say it just makes the dogs misbehave and they're harder to groom? I can see him through the window being groomed though but it upset me because I thought she was being too rough though I realise she was just trying to stop him moving while she was trimming his face.
I think possibly half his problem is that he isn't very socialised he doesn't seem to like other dogs and sees them as threatening. Groomers is already booked for 22nd.
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&q=paws+wahl+clippers&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=140406916300475838&sa=X&ei=Kct2UL2xBoi20QX_soCwBw&ved=0CGIQ8wIwAA
Going to have to buy some more. Which ones do you think would be best?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wahl-Animal-Pet-Pocket-Pro-Black-Trimmer-SSP-9-99-/320984545598?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&hash=item4abc2b793e
or this model?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WAHL-Pocket-Pro-trimming-kit-Battery-operated-animal-hair-trimmer-/261110506874?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&hash=item3ccb66257a
or something else?
Ours are much quieter than the mains wahl we use on his body, they won't of course be silent though.
It's more a low buzz.
Just realised ours are the third one on your list not the first.
yes I think the first ones I got are going to be too small, but the ad. said you could use them on the face and I thought the smaller the better, what a dope.
Many thanks, I'll order these ones then.:)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WAHL-Pocket-Pro-trimming-kit-Battery-operated-animal-hair-trimmer-/261110506874?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&hash=item3ccb66257a
Follow up: Took him up groomers this morning, they managed to do all of him except his face, they tried pretty much everything but we ended up giving up because his tongue was turning blue.
Will need to get him sedated at vets to get his face finished.
Yeah, I felt terrible for him, he got in a terrible state, I think I was almost as stressed as he was. He soiled himself again as well. Must admit the groomers were very good though, they really did do their best.