# Grooming the Face



## The Pink Poodle (Feb 22, 2011)

I have 2 pooldles that will not let me groom there face.. I get lucky some times with scissors but not the clipers.... it makes it hard to use the scissors when they move alot... My male is worse he will just about not let you do anything & jurks his head all over so i cant.. it takes me hours or 2 days to get there faces done... I have tryed just letting the clipers run & put the non cutting side to there face to get used to it & know it wont hurt & still nothing even tryed treating them... The other trouble i have is pulling out the hair in the ears.. my male lets me get one or to pulled then his theeth start showing same with the face..I am banging my head on a brick wall trying to try things to help & no luck on something working.. :banghead: LOL 

so I have a few things to ask:

1: How can I get them to let me do this?? 

2:Also Would a grooming arm help me ?? * they stay on the table & let me groom them but some times they sit or move while I am cliping them*

3: Is there something that can make them really tired so I can get it done.. * I have had luck on it when my female desides to sleep in my hand while cutting her face with scissors.. But its a once in a blue moon thing*

4: Any other grooming tips will help... I have only been cliping them for almost3 years so I am still learning & love to learn new things...

Thank you for your help


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

1. You just DO it. Be calm assertive and just do it.

2. Grooming arm, table, groomers helper, butt strap contraption to prevent walk-aways, calming air spray, sharp tools, non-jaggy brushes, quiet clippers....you need all of this to complete a nice groom on spastic small dogs. After 3 years of struggling, I'd say its TIME!

3. Lots of exercise before will tire them out, also a full meal, dont do it first thing in the morning after a full nights sleep. Again the calming Air Spray inside a mesh muzzle will calm them down alot. This spray has many names....but its herbal, holistic, non-toxic


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## The Pink Poodle (Feb 22, 2011)

thank you so much... I will try that & see if it helps... & will look in to getting a grooming arm or make one  ....


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## Ann Mc Keon (Feb 9, 2011)

*poodle face*

Rescue remedy is great stuff and organic, but definately grooming are with noose, if they shake their head a lot, sometimes with my left hand I place my thumb over the nose, my index finger looped in the neck strap and remainder fingers hold the rest of the face, firm but not tight, calmly clip back to ears and when they accept this forward from ear to front of face. hope that helps, you might be able to get a grooming arm to fit on a table you have already


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## Rayah-QualitySPs (Aug 31, 2010)

*Grooming. The best help will be a good groomer or poodle breeder.*



The Pink Poodle said:


> I have 2 pooldles that will not let me groom there face..
> 
> 1: How can I get them to let me do this??
> 
> ...


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Mine can also be fidgety with his face. I clicker-trained him to put his chin in my palm (see Kikopup's Youtube video on this), which is a big help!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I would definitely get a grooming arm, but I would also put several hours into teaching them that there is nothing to fuss about, especially if they have had a painful experience at some time in the past. It is slow and time consuming - think several five minute sessions every day for weeks, but you have three years of engrained behaviour to overcome!

I would start by putting the clippers and other grooming stuff on the floor near me, and treat every time they went near it, then, once they had got that idea, every time they sniffed or touched it. (Are they clicker trained? This is much easier with a clicker. Otherwise try scattering a few small treats close to the clippers.)

After several sessions of this, I would repeat with the clippers switched on. Don't try to force the dogs - let them learn for themselves that the noise of the clippers means that the buffet is now open. It may take a day, it may take week - patience is the key.

Once they are cheerfully bouncing up for treats next to buzzing clippers, I'd move on to gently restraining on my lap with the clippers in one hand - treating for good behaviour. Then touching with the clippers switched off. Then holding clippers switched on, touching with clippers on, etc. Then repeat on the table.

I am going through this to some extent with Sophy - she tore a nail a while ago, and has decided having her feet touched HURTS, and the nail clippers are an instrument of torture. So every day we play the puppy tap tap game with the clippers, until I can take just a fraction off one or two nails. Another few sessions and we should be back to her letting me do the lot for one or two treats.


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## lunamarz_31 (Nov 15, 2010)

Are they food or toy motivated? Perhaps you can bribe them, making it a rather positive experience...
My poodle ABSOLUTELY HATES having her nails clipped, whenever I grab her paw she always pulls it back, sometimes when I have positioned the clipper ready to go, scaring the heck out of me. So far no incidents yet but a potential hazard of missing my aim and hurting her.
So I figured out a solution, I put her on a bathroom counter (she won't jump off of it), because if I sit on the floor, she will easily squirm and run away. I also put her favorite treat in front of her, and rewarding her a piece when I clip a nail or two. That distracts her from the nail clipping activity because she is focused on the treat.
When I see that she is at her breaking point, I stop, and finish the job either a few hours later, or the next day. 

Be firm and assertive, but gentle. Good luck!


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## murieics (May 10, 2009)

Jake doesn't really like his face being clipped either. What I have finally found works best for us is an extension of how I brush him (and clip his feet).

I always brush him out laying on his side. To do his face, I leave him laying down, and hold his head in one hand while I clip. This helps for several reasons, I think: 1, he seems calmer laying on his side (I think in part because we do it so very often) and 2, if he decides he's done with the whole process, there isn't much he can do, as his feet aren't underneath him- it's easier for me to keep him still until he stops fidgeting.

I've done it this way three or four times now, and the last time I did it (this morning!), he pretty much just laid there and let me go for it.

Good luck!


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## The Pink Poodle (Feb 22, 2011)

*Grooming arm/ some on tyler*

Thank you all so much.... They do love treats but when it comes to grooming the face treats are noting to them.. lol I think they are human hehe... I used to wrap darken up in a towel, put the blowdryer on & brush her head till she fell asleep & that worked but as she got older she wont do it anymore.... it was so cute just like a bundled up baby..  I will try everything yo all have said & will see what takes with them... I think sometimes they are to smart for there own good hehe.. 

I am looking in to a grooming arm but they are so high.... Anyone know where I can get a really good one at a great price or how to make one???

I have a clicker & tryed to train them with it since darken has a barking habit... but its like they wanted nothing of it even with treats.. I tryed a year & 1/2 of training with it & no luck.. I cant even get tryler to do a trick... he just wants your lap & love.. 
when I first got tyler he was a year old & the people who had him got him as an extra dog in a batch of dogs they got.. they had enough males & wanted to give him a good home to some one who would take care of him... they keept him out side in a kennel & they cliped his face but not well... So when I seen him I had to bring him home.. he is the sweetes boy... I washed him & groomed him.. I seen he had some grooming before since he jumped on the table to be groomed & had no problems at all... the just one day he just did not want his face cliped & has been like that since... he has a few other problems like he has a odor to him so have to wash him more then darken & he has dry skin i think & nibles at him self till sores come up.... I have found if i keep his hair short he dont do it as bad.. But he still chews at him self...

I dont know if any of this helps, but other then that he is a great dog never really barks & when he does man he has a high sqilling whineie bark but i love him.. 

Thank you all


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## Beach girl (Aug 5, 2010)

Glad I found this thread. I have been grooming my two off and on for a couple years. I use a Wahl cordless clipper which works all right, but seems very big and bulky for the face. I can never get that velvety, close finish on the face that the pros do. What do you all use for clipping the face of your mini and toy poodles?

Re the grooming arm - don't know if you want to spend the money, but I recently bought an inexpensive grooming table with arm and a grooming seat from Pet Edge. Not really too pricey and is well worth every penny; makes life SO much easier.


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## The Pink Poodle (Feb 22, 2011)

Hi beach girl... I use the same Wahl cordless clipper... It is hard to get the close finish that the pros do.. It takes me a while... but when my darken was younger it was easier to get the close velvety look with the Wahl clippers... I used the smallest gard that came with my clipers Think its red and the blunt ended scissors , if i could I would not use the gard but hated to do that...She was a baby when i did it then & she would sleep while i clipped her..... your poodles are Beautiful... That is the color of my darken as well..... I got one of the folding long tables from sams club that I have been useing for a grooming table... I have a non slip matt i put down on it & it works well.... I have been looking for a arm that i can fit on it or make a arm to fit it... I think that will be a big help with my poodles... I found one grooming arm on ebay for $37.99 & it was the cheepest I have found.. but it is still high to me... I cant get over how high stuff is for dogs now days.... I am glad you found this thread as well...


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