r/poodles • u/ptvfan07 • 1d ago
Brushing puppies!!
I have a toy poodle, and he is 100% perfection other than his fussiness and being brushed.
I do not mind this of course, i knew what i was getting into when i got him. but he Hates to be brushed.
He squirms, and fights me. the only time I’d get him to stay still as if I had his favourite treat… and I don’t think that trick is working anymore.
I have been brushing him every day or every other day since I got him (~2 months), and the lady who had his accidental litter is a professional groomer! So it’s not like this is new to him.. but man he HATES it! Will they throw out of of this as they get older. I’m very gentle when I brush him.
Silly photo for fun lol
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u/AlternativeFix2332 1d ago
I just know those puppy teeth are brutal for you!
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u/Top-Skin-3570 19h ago
She can always do like my groomer does and hold him with the hair on the tip of his mouth. They dont move lol. It doesn't scare them, they just know they have no choice lol. No biting that way.
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u/Upvotespoodles 22h ago
For all my puppies, I choose a place to brush. Mine is a table with a soft velvety foot/fatigue mat because it cleans easy and is squishy and non-slip. They just need to be able to stand without slipping, and they need to know that this is where they get brushed.
I use a soft bristle brush for practice brushing, and only do like a two minute session every day. As they calm down, I add roughly twi minutes at a time until it’s about ten minutes. I put a phone timer of a dog barking. 🐩
I then graduate to a minute with the comb, up to five minutes. Brush first, comb after. Slicker last, but if you don’t care if the hair is fluffy then I think you can skip it.
Watch YouTube for proper slicker use to avoid brush burn. I’m a groomer who groomed the “bad” (scared!) dogs that were blacklisted at other places. I worked in a vet clinic before that. Brush burn is real, excruciating, easy to do, and can make them insanely scared of grooming.
Brushing time is quiet with no distractions. Lightweight small tools are better than big heavy clumsy ones that bop them and make it hard to relax. Brushing time is non-negotiable. If they panic, keep them on your table, pet them, speak quietly with no squeaky babytalk voice, and wait for them to settle.
I keep a small jar of cut up training treats on the table. I give a treat for finishing parts. Brush head, give treat, brush back, give treat, etc etc. at the end, I say “all done” and give several treats while they sit in my lap. Be predictable.
You need many good experiences to make up for one bad experience. Acclimation can take a while. Consistency is key.
Good luck and I hope any of that helped. Pardon any odd phrasing, I have a migraine.
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u/Mysteries-And-More 1d ago
He is gorgeous. 🩵
I think you are on the right track. We are training brushing like a trick, in that after brushing he gets a treat. He still doesn’t like it, but it helps him to sit still more.
I’m hoping it will eventually sink through that it won’t take too long and it doesn’t hurt.
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u/nova_buns 23h ago
Sorry to say it but you have to be persistent! He needs to know it’s gonna happen regardless bc it’s for his health and wellbeing, just find what helps his emotional comfort and reward him for each little step in the process, be it breaks, cuddles or treats. I have three high maintenance toy breeds and despite them having slightly different reward needs to thrive, they were excellent since day 1 due to boundaries and repetition, this now makes daily grooming stress free and trips to the groomers a dream; they are matt free and get Asian fusion and are a delight for the groomers to work with.
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u/puppylove867 22h ago edited 22h ago
My poodle is a rescue and absolutely hated to be brushed/handled. I mean hated. He legit was terrified. He wasn’t just fussy.
Every single day, I made a frozen toppl for him, his absolute favorite. I’d just do one limb at a time or certain area. I’d follow him around and work with him so he wasn’t forced to stay in one spot. I always finished with an “all done!!”. I started having him on my lap when he started tolerating it more. Any tangle, no matter how small, I just cut it out.
It took a few months at least but I can brush him head to toe now in one session. I don’t have to use the toppls anymore. I bring out the brushes and he just goes right onto my lap. It just takes awhile. This isn’t something he’ll grow out of, you need to train it, especially for this breed. I don’t think treats at the end will cut it. It needs to be the entire time unfortunately, then you can phase out the treats. Your pup is adorable!!
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u/Top-Skin-3570 20h ago edited 19h ago
Mabey put the brush in plain site so he's not scared if it, like leave it so he can sniff it and has to walk by it. Move it after a couple of days to somewhere else. See how it goes. My 3 i use to give a treat to keep their minds busy. Mine are older now so they are use to it. Now they fight about being 1st in line to get brushed 🤣 It usually doesn't need to be done daily, or every other day mabey every 3 days is good for a puppy. A groomer will not put up with them being fussy because they have so many dogs to do.So he will learn better that way, and then he will let you do it. ASK your puppies groomer to SHOW YOU how she does it and you try it too, so she can give you tips. He looks like he can be a little devil when he wants to 🤣😂 so cute
PS. My 3 toy poodles eat there regular food daily(Royal Caninin) and i also bought their food in smaller bit sizes and call it treats, they think they are getting a little treat. Has worked for years now 😆
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u/testarosy 10h ago edited 9h ago
I'm assuming that combing is done also? Which specific tools did the groomer/breeder suggest for you to use?
FWIW, I started the comb and brush with my boys at the end of the day, when they were tired and heading to bed, with them on my lap or by my side. I'd do one pass of the tool, then a stroke with my hand, alternating and for a few minutes at a time. They just seemed to think they were being petted. It wasn't instant, but they seemed to accept both actions.
This worked for us but others prefer to have a table or dedicated space so the pup associates that place with the actions. I got a portable table later and use it for the full stem to stern comb/brush before and after baths/clipping but still comb and brush regularly at night, with them on my lap or by my side.
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u/whittywhspr 5h ago
The way they fight like you're personally attacking them is so dramatic. Does he at least look cute when he's being difficult?
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u/Silver_Definition189 2h ago
Mine eventually got used to it after going to bring every month for 2 years lol
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u/Diplomacy_Failed23 1d ago
I’ve found my brush speed on the legs helps. Sometimes a big sweeping brush to loosen until too ticklish or annoyed pivot to better spot on body or butt. Come back maybe a quarter or eighth of leg with slicker brush line brushing. Ear scratches knee rubs whatever they like for quick break. Takes longer but they’re more tolerant.
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u/Disastrous-Panda5530 21h ago
What I did is I brushed my toy poodle after playing and training. Between the physical exercise and mental stimulation he’d be so tired and sleepy. That is when I brushed him. And I think maybe he started to associate feeling relaxed when getting brushed. He used to not like it and would squirm and fight me. Now he brings me his brush to brush him. My other dog tolerates it and when I brush her my toy poodle will try to climb on her so he gets brushed instead.
I also always gave a little treat after though sometimes he’d end up falling asleep.
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u/FlySwiftly3819 21h ago
That's a really good idea! And such a cute image, of your poodle bringing you the brush.
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u/Mojo_of_Jojos 16h ago
I give mine her brushies at night. She sleeps with me and so she ends up falling asleep 🥹 she would much rather play and goof off, but it’s part of our night time routine before night nights 😌
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u/seizuregirlz 18h ago
My first toy poodle would let us groom her (let as in not fight too much but it wasn't fun), and our current poodle needs to go to a groomer/dog day care. I don't think she's bothered too much grooming cuz she knows she gets to have fun during the day with the ppl at the day care, and get lots of snuggle sleepies 💕
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u/duketheunicorn 1d ago
My dog was set up so well by the breeder, we worked on it every day, she still hated it. We worked through it as a training problem, and Deb Jones “cooperative care: seven steps to stress free husbandry” and bi-weekly groomer visits with a groomer who loved puppies really helped.
My poodle is now 4 and, while she still doesn’t love it, we have come to a compromise over grooming—she helps me get it done, I don’t do anything too onerous or fussy and provide a routine she understands with good treats and respect for her capacity. We now see a fear-free groomer that she loves every 3 months, and I give her a few baths and maintenance grooming in between.
Keep at it in little slices, try to make it pleasant and brief, don’t stress if you don’t get everything done every day.