# Teddy HATES being brushed. Tips?



## sarahebeth (Feb 16, 2016)

I have tried to be diligent about brushing him at least every other day. He's not matted, but he does get tangles. I try to be gentle, but he hates it and fights me. Even when I'm brushing places that aren't tangled. He squirms and growls (that ornery puppy growl) and attacks the brush. Any tips? I have a pin brush, a slicker brush, and a comb. He's hates them all equally. 

Is it normal for puppies to be belligerent about brushing? Do they just eventually get used to it? 

He is getting groomed next Friday. Part of me hates to cut any of his fluff, but he has so much...maybe getting shorter will help.

I grew up with shih tzus, but my parents bathed and brushed them, and, since then, I've had a zero maintenance dachshund (lost her in the fall) and currently have a Brittany, and zero maintenance Boston terrier. The Brittany happily gets "furminated" once in a while and gets clipped twice a year. I know poodles require more and I'm trying to do right by him. His attitude is just throwing me.

This pic is from last weekend. He has A LOT of hair.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Brushing daily, keeping the sessions short does help. I use a large steel comb first to get out snags you can't see, when my girls haven't been clipped in a bit the very ends tend to form teeny snags, so even in the summer I clip them regularly even if it's just a 1/16" it does help


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## sarahebeth (Feb 16, 2016)

I think my comb might be too small. I should post a pic of it when I get home. It may make you guys laugh.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

His coat is quite long and though very cute, you also need to get him accustomed to clipping. Many people wait too long and then it is a life long struggle. Are you going to be doing his haircuts at home or at a groomer? Either way, lots of treats and exposure to clippers.


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## sarahebeth (Feb 16, 2016)

N2Mischief said:


> His coat is quite long and though very cute, you also need to get him accustomed to clipping. Many people wait too long and then it is a life long struggle. Are you going to be doing his haircuts at home or at a groomer? Either way, lots of treats and exposure to clippers.


He was groomed by the breeder at 8.5 weeks and he'll be groomed next Friday at 12. I plan to have him professionally groomed for a while...while I build the courage to try myself. I do groom my Brittany, but he's super easy going. He just stands there while I clip him (I actually think he enjoys it), and I clip him all the same length for the summer, so it's easy. Poodles are more intimidating.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I have these I ordered from Amazon


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I would give him half his meal in a bowl, and use the other half for treats. Touch with the brush, treat, repeat several times. If he bites at the brush, distract him with a treat held in your other hand. One very gentle stroke with the brush, treat, repeat. Repeat several times a day, keeping each session short and stopping before he gets bored - a good game to tire him out first may help. After a session or two, the treat comes after several gentle strokes of the brush, and then one for every firmer brush stroke for a while. It really does not take long to make short grooming sessions a happy time, rather than a fight! Keeping his coat on the short side will help to ensure grooming is not painful, and lots of short sessions will be easier on both of you.


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## sarahebeth (Feb 16, 2016)

I'll try the treat strategy tonight. 

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## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

Brushing is just part of life as a poodle. He will have to tolerate it. Lots of times, pups don't like it, but you just have to persist, very gently. Don't hurry . Try not to pull on a snag when you brush. Once he is clipped shorter, KEEP BRUSHING. It's for training, even if his coat is so short it is ok without. This is the easiest way to teach them it's ok to be brushed...brush when there's no chance of hitting a tangle, causing pain. TREAT TREAT TREAT!

There are some good videos out there on line brushing, which is what you have to do with a longer coat. Unfortunately, those demos are on well behaved adults, usually lying down on a table! If you don't have one, get a grooming table, with an arm and a noose. It is safer for the pup, and gives you a handle on him.

Check your brushes by brushing your arm. Are the tines scratching you, leaving marks? On a good brush, the ends of the tines are rounded, the cheaper ones they just cut the wire off, leaving a little sharp edge. Find a more gentle brush if you need to. Combs are for checking for mats AFTER you brush. Don't try to comb out a tangle. Do it carefully with your brush. You can hold the tangle near the skin and brush out the tip, then work inwards.

Get some really good dematting spray. I really like "The Stuff". It has some silicone in it, which helps the hairs slide apart. It can cause some breakage if you leave it in the coat, but it won't hurt a thing on a baby...you are training him to LIKE being brushed. The Stuff comes 2 ways, one is already mixed, in a spray bottle, the other is concentrated. I buy the concentrate and I keep 2 mixes. One is one cap of Stuff diluted with water in a spray bottle, the other has 2 caps full. You spray the dog all over to get him good and damp, not quite dripping. Then wait about half hour (it will soak thru the whole coat), and brush very carefully. 

Ask your groomer to give you a brushing lesson, if they are good at it. I was trained to demat a dog by a breeder of Afghan hounds, so I am very good at it. A good groomer can help you train your puppy to behave on the grooming table. If you can afford it, take him in every 2-4 weeks for the first several months until he accepts it as part of his routine. 

Hope some of these suggestions help your little guy.


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## sarahebeth (Feb 16, 2016)

Awesome. I'll look up "the stuff" for him. Great idea about talking to the groomer, too. 

I did check my slicker brush and it's scratchy, so I'll get a better one. I used the pin brush tonight (it has ball ends) and gave him treats and he did a little better. I kept it short tonight. We'll do it again tomorrow. 

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## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

I think you're on the right track with short frequent brushing sessions.

Dulcie wasn't very cooperative with brushing when she was a pup. I forgot about that until I read your post. I don't know when or how it changed - but now she is very compliant andI think she actually likes it most of the time.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

You will manage to turn him around quickly. My Iris was HORRIBLE for me with brushing. She was great with the groomer. Eventually with short sessions, lots of treats and patience she came around. For years now she just sleeps through grooming and brushing....I do one side and flip her over. Quite a change from growling biting puppy.

Hang in there...it does get better.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Swizzle use to hate brushing. I would brush him when he was very tired and keep it super short with lots of loving. Now there is no problem. The same worked for getting him to allow me to scrape his teeth.


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

To get Noelle used to brushing, I did what CT Girl suggested. Short sessions while Noelle was sleepy. I also used one brush stroke=1 treat. Two strokes=1 treat. I increased duration between treats until Noelle got unhappy, then went back to 1 brush stroke=1 treat, and worked my way up. I also changed my mindset. I decided I was only pretending to brush her. If I was only pretending, my focus was on getting her comfortable, instead of actually accomplishing anything.


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## glace (Dec 3, 2012)

I agree about the treats, frequent, short, sessions, and gentle strokes... I'd also suggest you start the training brush sessions immediately after a grooming, when the hair is short and no trouble to brush. Otherwise it's an uphill battle from the start. 

But for Stevie, the thing that made the biggest difference was the brush. I had been using a "gentle" slicker, but it wasn't gentle enough, and it wasn't really designed for poodle hair. So I bought a 16mm Chris Christensen T-brush, and it changed everything. It has the great rounded tips mentioned above, and the brush head is narrow, but wide, so it doesn't pull or get bogged down in the fur. It glides on through easily and now she gets very relaxed when I groom her.


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## hopetocurl (Jan 8, 2014)

Also, start getting him used to the nail clipping... 

I got a small Oyster peanut sized clipper and turned it on and just rubbed it all over Willow's body when she was a puppy. I also used the brush/rub and treat method. She's still not a fan of being brushed...but just stands there for a grooming like it's nothing. My friend's poodle has to be sedated... so you want to get this under control.


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