Brushing .. Help!

[Woody's Mum]

Hi All,

I am having serious trouble with brushing Daisy and wondered if anyone has any ideas to help?  

Its my fault as I should have started this long ago but I was hoping Daisy would get more used to being brushed by now. The problem is that she thinks its a great game to try and demolish the brush!! I usually wait until about 9pm when she is flat out after her busy day and I sneak up on her when shes sleeping. I brush her quietly without fanfare and whisper sweet nothing whilst doing it .. but, as soon as she gets wind of what I'm doing shes up and dancing around the living room, wagging her little bum and trying to eat the brush!! It even worse with the glove brush - she thinks thats hilarious!!  

What shall I do?? Any ideas would be gratefully appreciated as I'm going to have the scruffiest little Daisy on record!    

[jilly]

I know exactly how you feel, ronnie doesn't hate being brushed but thinks it's a big game and chews the brush and comb to bits! what i do now to keep him occupied while i brush him (i used to what till he was asleep too! ha ha) is ive got a glove which i put a treat in ( in the finger bit), while hes busy sussing that out i brush him and he ignores me...too busy trying to get treat.  I groomed him for ages then took him over to my mum's who said 'ronnie could do with a brush'    i think hes just a scruffy pup! Think his puppy fluff makes him look scruffy too (like a big bear)  

[cbabe]

Daisey sounds like a monster !!! Have you tried getting someone to hold her front paws up off the floor while you give her a quick going over with the brush.

If she does start playing i would not fight her. Put the brush away and stop or she will think you fighting is a game and keep doing it! - you wil just have to grab snippets when you can. Eventually she will calm down and you wil be able to brush her in peace!

[graciesmum]

Gracie was and is like this too, i tried the reward based thing to no avail, what i do now is lay a towel on the kitchen work top and brush her up there, she's usually quite confused by this point and whilst shes looking at me enough to say what on earth am i doing up here mum i have managed to get three quarters of the brushing done, works for me anyway    

[TOPAZ BILLY]

Yep, got to get them up high otherwise everything is a game get a cheap rubber mat to put on a table or worksurface make sure you have everything to hand and a couple of treats just to distract and don't turn your back on them or they will be off and running.  I whistle or sing to Abby and Billy they are usually so confused by this that they just sit there.

Michelle

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

I whistle or sing to Abby and Billy they are usually so confused by this that they just sit there.

Michelle

         

[Louis]

My husband normally holds a rawhide bone for louis to chew on, and i just brush him like this.  I now have a grooming table, with arm i might add    Just bragging because i'am really chuffed with it, and it definatley makes a difference.  He knows it's not play time once he is up on the table.

Gemma&Louis

[Cob-Web]

I groom Molo up on a table - either outside if its fine, or inside if not - on a rubber car mat bought at the suggestion of Molo's breeder.
I had to ask for a 'platform' to stand him on when we did this part of the Puppy Assessment - there was no way he would have behaved if he had been on the floor  

I love grooming him, its so theraputic for me, and he seems to enjoy it too. He gets a few special treats while I am doing it, and he seems to take pride in looking smart after he has been all fluffed and brushed!

I know he comes from show stock, but I can't imagine that there is a genetic element to this enjoyment   , I guess its a case of getting them used to it from a very early age and some will always enjoy it more than others    

[Colin]

I used to cover the ironing board with a towel for grooming at first..... a tip of Mary's , I think. There's very little room for movement on there and it gets a bit wobbly if they are too energetic so they tend to stand still. Just don't leave your pup on there unattended though in case they take a flying leap in a bid for freedom.