Maybe it's time for a puppy cut. Short hair is so easy to care for!!
Alice hates to be groomed.
I had a feeling this would come up at some point. The breeders didn't introduce her to any type of grooming besides a bath, as far as I know.
Anyways, here's how she is;
She doesn't mind me brushing as long as i'm holding her with one hand.. which could be a problem in the future, but it's on the one I'm concerned about now.
She hates water; bathtime? :blush: not so fun. She runs around the tub and tries to get out. Washing her face is a real chore too... She will try her hardest to get away from me
She will NOT let me get a topknot in her hair anymore! I had to stop for 1 week to go to ISYM (a music camp) and I didn't put one in.. after that, she just didn't let me put in a band. I will do it when she's sleeping sometimes.. but she just won't let me
Any advice for that? Thanks everyone :thumbsup:
Anyways, here's how she is;
She doesn't mind me brushing as long as i'm holding her with one hand.. which could be a problem in the future, but it's on the one I'm concerned about now.
She hates water; bathtime? :blush: not so fun. She runs around the tub and tries to get out. Washing her face is a real chore too... She will try her hardest to get away from me
She will NOT let me get a topknot in her hair anymore! I had to stop for 1 week to go to ISYM (a music camp) and I didn't put one in.. after that, she just didn't let me put in a band. I will do it when she's sleeping sometimes.. but she just won't let me
Any advice for that? Thanks everyone :thumbsup:
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
haha i really love her hair, so i'm trying to keep it medium length. it's so cutee... but i'm not sure how to style it yet. i'd love to have a topknot, but she just goes crazy when i touch the top of her head!
i really love her hair, so i'm trying to keep it medium length. it's so cutee... but i'm not sure how to style it yet. i'd love to have a topknot, but she just goes crazy when i touch the top of her head!
I disagree she doesn't need a puppy cut if you don't want her to (and she is matt free) - she is only a baby and most puppies react like this to grooming etc.
You need to train her to accept it - dogs which have top knots don't generally love it immediately. You need to make brushing her and playing with her hair a positive experience
I would start small - she is only a tiny baby and doesn't probably need a top knot at the moment and if she is struggling/stressing it might be making her scared of the whole thing.
Play with her hair, put it in a loose top knot (not every day), touch her all over whilst giving her treats and praising her for good behavior. Remember she is a baby and she will get better with it as she gets older. Also you might consider getting some plain bands not scrunchies/barrettes/bows - these are heavy and harder and she is more likely to complaing about them (rip them out).
I didn't put top knots into Luna's hair until she was about 16 weeks old - before that I would just brush her and I know her breeder didn't put top knots in her hair before I got her. She now LOVES getting her hair put in a top knot - she licks the bag of bands when I get them out and lays her head down on my lap for me.
It's all about positive associations - make it fun for her and she will learn to love it and grow relaxed about it.
Luna doesn't love baths either but as she has gotten older she has learned to 'tolerate' them better
You need to train her to accept it - dogs which have top knots don't generally love it immediately. You need to make brushing her and playing with her hair a positive experience
I would start small - she is only a tiny baby and doesn't probably need a top knot at the moment and if she is struggling/stressing it might be making her scared of the whole thing.
Play with her hair, put it in a loose top knot (not every day), touch her all over whilst giving her treats and praising her for good behavior. Remember she is a baby and she will get better with it as she gets older. Also you might consider getting some plain bands not scrunchies/barrettes/bows - these are heavy and harder and she is more likely to complaing about them (rip them out).
I didn't put top knots into Luna's hair until she was about 16 weeks old - before that I would just brush her and I know her breeder didn't put top knots in her hair before I got her. She now LOVES getting her hair put in a top knot - she licks the bag of bands when I get them out and lays her head down on my lap for me.
It's all about positive associations - make it fun for her and she will learn to love it and grow relaxed about it.
Luna doesn't love baths either but as she has gotten older she has learned to 'tolerate' them better
Oh she will get better as she gets older...I am so happy to see this post because I've been dying to see new pics of her, come on!:wub:
haha
Here is the key to your post: "she will NOT LET me". LOL. Just be gentle with her but be firm. I use a topknot pillow, all dogs know, when it comes out, they stick their head in it and it is time to do face/topknot grooming. It is called a "cue". they know it. When dogs are confused, they fight. she is just confused.. be gentle and guide her. Also, wash her in the sink, not the tub. (smaller area) and are you using a table to groom her on? use one, same one, every time. Let her lay in a donut pillow. make a game of it, IN the donut pillow. slowly change over, donut pillow to flat pad. It will take time, but you cannot give in when she is squirming. It makes her think that is the cue she gives you, to make her stop.I had a feeling this would come up at some point. The breeders didn't introduce her to any type of grooming besides a bath, as far as I know.
Anyways, here's how she is;
She doesn't mind me brushing as long as i'm holding her with one hand.. which could be a problem in the future, but it's on the one I'm concerned about now.
She hates water; bathtime? :blush: not so fun. She runs around the tub and tries to get out. Washing her face is a real chore too... She will try her hardest to get away from me
She will NOT let me get a topknot in her hair anymore! I had to stop for 1 week to go to ISYM (a music camp) and I didn't put one in.. after that, she just didn't let me put in a band. I will do it when she's sleeping sometimes.. but she just won't let me
Any advice for that? Thanks everyone :thumbsup:
dolce loves peanut butter , i soo have to try this... what do u guys do when the fluff tries to take his topknot off .. ?by scratching n rubbing his head like a lil maniac.?:HistericalSmiley
they learn this because a) you are setting them down to fast afterwards and they learn it and b) they have something to rub ON
Hold them for a bit afterwards and distract them when you do set them down.. ie: have treats and just toss a few here and there to distract or do tricks, whatever you want. but key is, keeping them from doing it in the first place. they won't "outgrow it" or "learn not to" they learn what the CAN do and practice it to make perfect 
haha thanks everyone! i loved these posts they were funny and very helpful!
i need to put up more pictures
they were funny and very helpful!i need to put up more pictures
Ha ha - I did this without knowing it. When I get done with combing and top knot I give her tons of kisses and snuggles and tell her how beautiful she is - she usually winds up in my lap for a few minutes and then doesn't rub her head on the floor.they learn this because a) you are setting them down to fast afterwards and they learn it and b) they have something to rub ON
One of the commands that was easy for Izzy to learn was "kisses" so I wound up telling her to give me kisses whenever we do something she really hated. So now when I am combing her beard she gives me kisses and I tell her what a good girl she is all the while I'm combing. It makes it easier for us.
Kisses also works when I'm bathing her and when I turn on the hairdryer and she get's scared. Giving kisses gets us through a lot!!
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
