# Is it wrong to sedate my toy poodle for grooming?



## arwenowney (Jul 7, 2014)

My husband and I just rescued a 2 year old toy poodle from being put down. We are first time dog owners, even first time pet owners, didn't grow up around pets, and we had no idea how high maintenance poodles can be. but she's been with us for almost a months now, we fell in love with her dearly and we feel very lucky to have her in our lives now. When we first got her i went online to read about how to take proper care of her, and I'm a bit overwhelmed. since she sleeps with us, I wash her feet and butt with doggy shampoo after every walk, and wipe her fur with grooming wipes to get the dust off. and even though she hates it she has now learned to tolerate it. I also try to brush her but she HATES it, I feel so bad, it looks like i'm hurting her and it breaks my heart. I can't brush her entire boddy, she won't let me, and now she's starting to mat, especially badly on her legs as water touches them every day.

I also noticed that she has food stuck under her front teeth as she has an overbite, and she wont let me touch her teeth no matter what i tried, her breath is terrible now. another problem is that she constantly gets hairs in her eyes, i read that if we don't get it out she might get eye problems, but it's a two person job to hold her down to wash her eyes out. I'm honestly considering sedating her once a week so i can take care of her... i don't see any other way. We can't afford $75 on a groomer once a week but she does need a lot of maintenance and work to stay healthy. And it's not like she is a puppy to teach her good hygiene. So is it wrong to sedate my god for grooming? Our vet said that we can try benadryl but it might not work in calming her down.:act-up:









*Note* : we have enzymatic dog chicken toothpaste with 3 different dog tooth brushes and she hates it, she also won't chew on anything hard, she acts like a little diva.
Thanks


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Other people who have rescued poodles have faced this problem. Ask a vet if she needs her teeth cleaned. While she is out for teeth cleaning, they will cut her nails, and some vets have grooming staffs who can shave her down for you. Then it will hurt her less for you to comb her, and you can work on slowly getting her use to being groomed.

Once she is shaved down, she should not need to be clipped for about 4 weeks. You can learn to do it yourself in time, but a professional groomer every 4-6 weeks would help you a lot. You should not need a professional grooming each week.

I am sure other people on the forum will have more advice for you. I really recommend your vet seeing to her teeth.


----------



## Mahlon (Jun 8, 2014)

Awesome that you are both stepping out of your comfort zones, are willing to learn, and though not dog/pet people in the past that didn't stop you from rescuing your new family member. That's just awesome 

The poster above me had some great ideas and solutions so no need to repeat them, but I did want to address some stuff that wasn't mentioned that might help. 

One thing I read that sent up a red flag for me is the daily use of shampoo and water. Especially with a dog who can't currently be groomed that sounds like a recipe for disaster in my humble opinion. With our teacups and mini I had growing up, after trips outside when raining we only ever used a towel to wipe their paws and dry then if totally soaked, but usually was just their paws. 

Now mind you, they weren't covered in mud, but sometimes would have some dirt rocks or leaves in the longer hair on their paws and feet and this more than was enough to clean them. Worst case we might use some water, but that was rare and if worse it usually meant a full on bath. 

I would say first try cutting the shampoo out of your ritual for coming inside, and aiming to get to the point where you just towel them off or clean when dirty. Thi will become easier oobviously once you can get feet trimmed but will also work on longer hair. 

The excessive shampoo and water though is gonna be a problem in my opinion for any poodle, and a nightmare when it comes to a poodle with grooming and trust issues. 

I don't remember you mentioning in your post if you are able to use scissors on your pup or not, but I'd think that might be ideal to start. I know for me the main priority would be first trying to get the sanitary and matting issues dealt with, even if my dog ended up looking like a five year old groomed her. Also I would be purchasing some clippers and a Drexel nail tool for home use, at the very least toget them used to the sound, while not being groomed, but in a calm trusting state with treats and slowly work on acceptance of them and the noise. Same goes for brushes and teeth, get creative and use similar situations and the hygiene iteoutside of a situation where they are actually being used. An example might be when using a towel letting pup in, rub down the back gently in a combing fashion to establish trust, and then slowly move on to where you want and need to be. 

Also benadryl is a wonder drug, it'd worth a shot it tends to work really well or not at all on dogs or humans, but is generally safe if you follow instructions and don't overdo it. But I wouldn't recommend this as a repeated treatment even if it works. 

I wrote a novel and sorry for that but hope it helps, and I think if you can get some of the problem spots and Matt's out with scissors and start establishing trust you will be on the way to helping your poodle be the happiest it can. I still would work with the vet and see if you can schedule an appt for sedation teeth cleaning and evaluatiin, nail cut, and hair cut , especially the sanitary areas, feet, and face. It will be so much easier to work with and gain trustees she's in a better groomed state and it's just maintenance. 

Thanks. 
Dan


----------



## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Everyone has had good advice on grooming, this forum is a wealth of knowledge. Establishing trust is the biggest issue, and as someone else pointed out, it doesn't matter right now if it looks like she was groomed by a 5 year old, as long as she's clean and free of mats. 

And I also stress the importance of getting her teeth looked at. If her breath is stinky there may very well be a problem, which can also make her reluctant to do hygiene, or chew on anything....and just not feel good in general. Think of how you feel when you have a toothache:-(

Even though poodles are high maintenance with grooming, the breed is so wonderful in all other ways- it's worth it! Once you get a routine for grooming that's not bad either, and you can always keep her in a short easy clip to cut down on maintenance. 

My best advice would be to know you just have to give it time. The baby steps add up. In a month look back at where she is today, and most likely you will see that she is making progress. Rescuing a dog is very rewarding, and it is amazing to watch them start to trust you. You are doing a wonderful thing giving this girl a chance. 

Use this forum-and ask lots of questions! Do you have a picture? 

How is she doing other than the grooming? Is she housebroken?


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Everything everyone else already said, plus if you really need to give something to help her relax for grooming as you get her used to her new life you can try Rescue Remedy as an alternative to benadryl. I, myself, have a paradoxical reaction to benadryl as far as is sedative effects. It makes me wired up! Rescue Remedy is homeopathic and you can control the dose since it is in a liquid form.


----------



## Pluto (Jul 8, 2012)

I think you should spend the money on a good trainer rather then sedation. As a first time dog owner you may not be comfortable reading her body language and you can quickly teach each other bad habits. A good trainer will be able to read if she is in pain or just irritated, and can teach you how to use the appropriate amount of positive reinforcement balanced with persistence when something has to be done (ie unfortunate a certain amount of grooming is not optional on a poodle). You can definitely work up to being able to brush her body fully, even if she doesn't enjoy it, without sedation. 

In the mean time, sedation and working with a very gentile groomer to shave her down close will give you a good base to start. Then you can work with a rubber massaging glove or very soft brush getting her used to being touched all over every day (multiple times a day). This type of brush will not keep her mat free in the future, but will get her used to the daily process so you an use a pin brush or slicker in the future. You may want to do this while lounging on the couch or floor, cuddling, and dispensing yummy treats to make it part of your daily routine.


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

If you do try to comb her, be sure to spray her with a detangling spray first. There are also combs with rotating tines that pull less, and there are dematting tools that are sharp on one side to take apart mats. I know some groomers who cut the mats with their scissors. You need to be careful with these sharp instruments.

The spray is really helpful. If you can work in her with another person who can help calm her and gently hold her, it might help.

I hope your vet can help with her teeth and a shave down. My 3 yo dog actually had a tooth fracture that was caught during cleaning. So it would be good for them to look over her teeth closely.


----------



## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

Here is what I would do with her. Get her teeth cleaned and shaved down while under sedation to start her over anew. Then even though she is short see if you can find a groomer to show you how to brush and comb through so that as she grows out you can keep it maintained. I would also right away have a few private lessons with a positive trainer to both help you learn how to speak dog and address any specific behavior issues , especially the grooming. 

The daily shampooing needs to stop though, not good for skin. Once a week is plenty if that. 

This is where I would start and it would get you off In the right direction so you can progress toward her becoming a stable, happy dog. 
Keep us posted


----------



## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

why is this same inquiry posted elsewhere in this forum under a different user name? how many ids does the op have here at pf?

http://www.poodleforum.com/9-poodle-grooming/109193-wrong-sedate-my-toy-poodle-grooming.html


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

It doesn't sound like this person is asking about a real situation if she has 2 logins. I think if the original poster does not respond after 5 or 6 comments, I am going to assume they are trolling and go to another thread.


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

MiniPoo said:


> It doesn't sound like this person is asking about a real situation if she has 2 logins. I think if the original poster does not respond after 5 or 6 comments, I am going to assume they are trolling and go to another thread.


Yep, that's what I was thinking too. I always start wondering when someone never comes back. But of course, I've been known to forget a thread I've started if it's been a while and I don't get back to it. But you'd think in a case like this where the person seems to need advice, then doesn't come back to check...well, I agree with you.


----------

