WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:109
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| 11/11/2009 12:18 PM |
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My dog hates to be brushed. And I mean *hates* to be brushed! He absolutely freaks out. Now I wouldn't actually care, as his coat is so short and shinny that I don't see a brushing as ever being necessary for him. However, we're taking the AKC's Canine Good Citizen test next week, and we stand no shot of passing if he reacts likes this to the grooming section of the test. Can anyone offer some tips to try to ease him into being brushed?
We have tried brushing with praise and food- to no avail. I still need to try it after a long walk or trip to the dog park when he doesn't have as much energy. He is normally very even tempered and confident, so his reaction to brushing is really atypical for his personality. |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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TessaGA
Georgia
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Posts:2079
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| 11/11/2009 12:41 PM |
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How old is he? And what type of brush are you using?
Tessa used to hate it too, or thought it was a crazy game, always wiggling herself out from under the brush, biting it, etc. But I prevailed...just brushed her every day, starting with a very brief session of brushing an area she didn't mind too much, and gradually extending until I was able to brush her entire body. She's good now.
We use one of those rubber gloves for brushing. |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:109
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| 11/11/2009 12:46 PM |
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Yeah, maybe a different brush could do the trick… And regular practice. When I attempt to brush Cooper he is visibly upset/scared. I can make him sit and stay with the brush in my hand, but when I get close to him he dashes like he fears for his life. It’s strange and unnerving. |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:109
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| 11/11/2009 12:49 PM |
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Tessa, I missed your questions: Cooper is 7 months old. The brush that I am currently using is a standard metal-bristle brush. |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2079
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| 11/11/2009 1:01 PM |
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The wire bristles probably hurt him and I see now why he is so freaked out. Try one of those rubber curry brushes or better yet, a rubber grooming glove, works great for shorthaired dogs and removes a ton of dead hair.
You will still have to go through some desensitizing with him but I bet he will like the soft rubber brushes better.
www.freshscentdogspa.com/products/Rubber.png
I have the one in the middle, it's two-sided, finer for the head, and more coarse for the body.
Good luck!
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2079
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| 11/11/2009 1:07 PM |
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| The problem will be that at the test they will likely use a regular brush, although I bet with soft hair bristles rather than metal - still, the shape of the brush may remind him of the metal bristle experience. I also am not sure that one week is enough to desensitize him. Give it a try, and maybe take the rubber glove to the test and ask them to groom him with it - should make no difference, they just want to see that he lets himself be groomed. |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:4827
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| 11/11/2009 1:15 PM |
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I was going to suggest a hand glove as well, but Tessa beat me to it. Also, definitely take your brush and tell the evaluator before you start you want to use your brush. They should not have a problem with that at all. Most evaluators actually ask if you have a particular brush you would like to use for the evaluation.
To get him use to the glove brush, just put it on one hand and pet and treat with the other. Move the gloved had closer. Once you can rest the gloved hand on him, try gently stroking him with the gloved hand away from his face (back is probably a good place). Progress to where you can brush all over. If you work in small doses several times a day, you can probably get him ready for the test in a week. Just don't force the progress. If you don't make it you can always retest later. Also, have a stranger put the glove brush on and try it. You may get a different reaction with him from a stranger. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo) and the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." --Plato
"..It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." --Samuel Adams |
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:109
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| 11/11/2009 1:21 PM |
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We have class tonight, so I'll verify the types of brushes that our evaluator will allow. And if we can do a rubber glove, I will be hitting up PetSmart on the ride home.  Thanks for the suggestions! I am treating the test next week as a practice. If we pass on the first try, that's great! But we haven't had much time to practice so I won't be too bummed if we need to retake in January. |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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Kerplunk105
Bucks County, PA
MH
Posts:711
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| 11/11/2009 1:41 PM |
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| Any test that I've ever done, I've asked the person for the brush. Thats usually how CGC tests work. |
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Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2079
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| 11/11/2009 1:42 PM |
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| He's still young. There was no way Tessa would have passed the CGC test at that age! She was a real live one, but has come a long way since then (she's now 16 months). |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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Marie
Wisconsin
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Posts:2359
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MelB
MH
Posts:991
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| 11/12/2009 7:02 AM |
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when Sniper took the CGC test at 6 months they really did nothing more than touch him with the brush to see if he'd allow it. There wasn't an actual "grooming" involved. It's just to see if a brush comes near them do they allow the brush to touch them or dont' they.
I use a small horse curry bush on Xara, soft bristle and she loves it. |
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:109
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| 11/18/2009 8:01 PM |
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| Well, we passed!! Coop passed his AKC Good Citizen test on his first try- at seven months old. We figured out the brushing thing yesterday, and now he doesn't mind it at all. |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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Kerplunk105
Bucks County, PA
MH
Posts:711
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| 11/18/2009 8:14 PM |
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| Yay. Congrats! |
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Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:4827
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| 11/18/2009 9:10 PM |
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| Congrats! How did you get him over the brush? |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo) and the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." --Plato
"..It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." --Samuel Adams |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:1165
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| 11/19/2009 6:42 AM |
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| That is excellent! |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2553
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2554 |
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:109
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| 11/19/2009 7:51 AM |
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| Texas Belle- I brought the new brush (a Kong Zoom Groom) to class on Tuesday and asked the teacher to approach Cooper with the brush. Being on the leash with his training collar really helped. He got a few pops of the collar for trying to evade her brushes and quickly learned that being brushed was better than the correction. ;-) In hindsight this method has worked the best for Cooper for other commands- I should have thought of it sooner! We also let him play with the brush at home (it's rubber like a dog toy) and practiced without being on leash or with his training collar to get him more familiar and comfortable with being brushed. He still doesn't like when I approach him with brush in hand, but at least he doesn't freak out like he did a few days ago!! |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:4827
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| 11/19/2009 8:58 AM |
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| Thanks, I am always interested in what works to fix problems with dogs. Glad you got this to work and you passed. Hope you keep up with his obedience training. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo) and the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." --Plato
"..It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." --Samuel Adams |
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carlower1
Kansas
MH
Posts:1252
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| 11/19/2009 4:07 PM |
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I agree that with the metal bristles, you may be hurting him. Try for the soft bristles, and if you have another set of hands have someone feed him treats as you introduce a brush. Remember their skin can be tender so do not use too much pressure, sometimes if you combine the soft brush and a glove you can follow the brush with the glove and they will be more patient with it.
Wachter used to be touchy about the brush until he saw me spending so much time brushing the other dogs, then they would get treats. This last time around I ended up brushing the dust into (yes I know that sounds weird) his fur and he stood for it.. ESPECIALLY when I hit his "itchy" parts, then he just starting wiggling for me to brush harder. In fact when I left those areas he moved them back to where I moved the brush and started wiggling his behind to get the brush to scratch that area.
Carrie |
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