# Typically Puppy or Trouble? Grooming a 5 month old



## Ana (Apr 19, 2017)

Lila's really my first dog. But I've wanted one forever, and have spent years researching and preparing. I can answer any behavioral problem thrown my way, including posts like this one. It's so simple when it's somebody else's problem! ?

I've come to realize that outside a vacuum, there's a lot I don't know! Especially with puppies!! I don't know what to expect out of my little pup, so it's hard to tell if I'm on the right track or unintentionally creating lifelong behavioral problems.

Lila is my 5 month old, standard poodle puppy.

*Problem #1: Brushing*

Lila needs to mouth anything that comes near her. My Google Research has concluded that that's normal puppy behavior. She's fine with her back and sides being brushed, but squirms away when I brush her head, arms, paws, or tail. 

My "solution": I do so many different things, honestly. I'll...
* Give her a yummy chew to hopefully keep her distracted
* Play tug while brushing
* Ignore her and brush, holding her collar to prevent brush biting and praising her when she isn't ( which isn't often  )
* My favorite but takes the longest: Holding a high value toy and brushing her. After a couple of brush strokes while she waits, engage in a few seconds of play. But I don't know what to do if she mouths the brush...

The last one teaches her self restraint, while the others are just distractions. I'm concerned that teaching her through distractions will mean a lifetime of distractions will be necessary... But sometimes she NEEDS to be brushed and I can't give her a good brushing otherwise!

*Problem #2: The Face*

Lila DOES NOT like her face messed with. Too bad, pup -- shoulda thought about that before being born a poodle! Is it normal for a 5 month old poodle to squirm so much when her face is being messed with? I've shaved her face a few times now, but it's not getting easier. The only way I can do it, is holding a treat in my hand to let her pry from my hand while I sheer her face. She tries her best to keep her face away from the blades, only giving me a little here and there. The blades get hot before I'm able to get much done, and we take a break, let them cool, then go at it again.

I get it. I wouldn't like it either. But I'm trying, Lila! If you just held still, this would be over quick! I don't know how long we worked on her face last night, but it might have been up to 2 hours (with looots of breaks and playing in between), and I didn't finish. The good news is that I think she ended up having a great experience.

Anyways, *What are 5 month old standard poodles typically like when it comes to grooming?* Is she a normal puppy, or should she really be better at this point? (I feel like we've made almost no improvement from 2 months to now.) 

Bonus question: I don't use any kinds of restraints when grooming. I often wish I had an arm to hold her still, but I've yet to break down and purchase one. I just set her up on a table and we go from there. She doesn't whine or growl or bite, just pulls away a LOT. Will not having restraints teach her that pulling away kind of works, or is no restraints better in the long run?


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

You were on the right track when you said you distract her with a toy, groom a little, and then give her a break. You're right, it takes the longest. Longest is best. 

How I trained my poodle puppy to tolerate grooming was in tiny stages. Pretend your dog has never been brushed before and start over. Today you are going to give her one brush stroke on the head, praise, give her a treat, and stop. Leave the grooming area and go play together. 

After a play reset, try two brush strokes, praise, one treat, leave the area and go play.

Up it to three brush strokes, one treat, leave the area and go play.

If your dog can't do four brush strokes without losing it, back right up to one brush stroke=one treat. 

Grooming and playtime need to be kept separate, so if she's attacking the brush, her energy level is too high. It's best to groom a tired puppy, so let her rid herself of some crazy energy before you try to groom. 

An important thing that helps me is my behavior. You bring a calm, in control, no nonsense, attitude when grooming, and a wild nutty fun attitude when playing together. It's not about showing the dog who is boss, but showing the dog that there is a time for silly and a time for serious. If you show the dog the difference in your attitude and behavior, they learn to follow your lead.

You are so right about making clipping a good experience, and yes, it can take a while to groom a squirming puppy. I used the one clipper stroke, treat, go play, method with my puppy. It took me a whole day to groom her face, but she had a good experience. 

I don't use restraints, but I do give my dog frequent grooming breaks. Anyone else want to chime in here?


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

I always put restraints on my girls when they are on a table for fear of them bouncing around and falling. 2 of them just stand there, Cayenne is a different situation, she hates being groomed, especially her face and butt. I restrain her behind her front legs and them in front of her back legs so she cannot sit down, as the minute you lift her tail down she sits. She is so tiny 3.5 lbs, that I have to handle her very careful.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I would recommend the Click-N-Treat suggestions. Be very patient and it will get easier for both of you.


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## Verve (Oct 31, 2016)

Did her breeder clip her face several times when she was still with her? That lays a good foundation for grooming. 

I groom young, small puppies in my lap, which helps with the squirming while keeping it a pleasant experience for the pup. You might still be able to do some grooming that way. 

I'm going to sound harder-assed than some of those above, but I think that being reasonably cooperative for grooming, especially brushing, is a poodle life skill. I use treats, especially for nails, but otherwise I think poodles should learn to calmly accept gentle handling and grooming. 

I think there is value in taking a puppy to an experienced groomer a few times, especially if you are tentative or unsure about clipping. She will probably behave better just because she isn't with you, and a groomer can teach her without being rough or frightening her. 

I would also engage in other exercises when she is relaxed where you handle her face and feet. 

One last thought--you may be at a difficult stage now handling her face if she is teething. Having gotten this far, I might wait another month until all her adult teeth are in before trying to do much with her head.


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## galofpink (Mar 14, 2017)

I don't really have anything useful to add - but we are experiencing much of the same with our almost 5 mos old spoo, Shae. I feel "your pain"! Shae doesn't like to settle and be quiet for very long - she is always go go going. I try to start grooming at a time she seems a bit more relaxed or worn out. Send DH outside with her to play soccer or something before. She doesn't bite at the brush - I have her clipped shorter, so I can keep brushing to 2-3 min usually, 5 min max. Shae is usually better if I brush her in my lap.

I try to keep grooming sessions as relaxed and short as possible. I did her first body clip when she was around 12 weeks old, but couldn't get her to be calm enough on my own to do feet and head. 

DH helped me do her face a few weeks ago, which took about 30 min (due for another clip this week) and we managed to get two paws done in an evening a few days ago. But it takes both of us...me holding and treating and DH clipping. I usually do all the clipping for our other dog, but Shae has a preference for DH clipping instead of holding and I'm just hoping she will grow into me clipping her. She's not aggressive toward the clippers or scared, just really, really squirmy.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Where is she when you are clipping her face? On the floor or on a grooming table?


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