# Testing on you guys - grooming info page



## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I have written up a page on my business website specifically for grooming info for Cockapoo owners, in this group i must admit everyone has been pretty good and not slagged groomers off too much (could be because I am on here a fair bit!), but I have seen other pages where owners just don't seem to realise why the groomer has clipped so short so I am hoping to help everyone out by getting this info out there - can you tell me what you think of it please.

http://www.shortbarkandsidesdoggrooming.net/cockapoo-grooming.html


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Looks good to me. ...
I think you have been very polite.
For me the worst areas on Dot are the backs of her back legs, because this is the area she hates having brushed and I tend to work from front to back, by the time I get to the back legs she and I have had enough. The next time I will start at the back, it's knotty, she doesn't like it 
My groomer is generally polite about mine, she reckons the blaster helps keep the coat clean and clean coats tangle less, don't know what you think about that.


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## arlo (Mar 11, 2013)

I think it is great, I wish I had that knowledge when I had gotten Arlo, as when he had his first groom it was both stressful for him and I as he was a bit older. I was so niave I didn't even know they had to be groomed!(other than a brush n comb) when I got him. When I got Savannah I was given a great information pack from her breeder but again very little on coat care, (although I had learnt from this site by then) but this info would have been great to include.


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Looks good. Apart from the usual areas, Maggie gets extra tangles on her chest from her harness and on her knees from when she has to wear her rain/snow suit.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Thanks guys, there is so much more i could have put to be honest, I could have written best way to get smaller matted area's out yourself, beware of harnesses and headcollars (actually I may squeeze a bit in about that, thanks), how to get your dog used to being brushed if they already hate it etc etc - if just a few people see it and think 'oh I had better get them looked at by a groomer' it will be worth it, i know you guys are good at home grooming and that it is possible to keep on top of it if you are dedicated to it but what I want is to stop people leaving it until the dog is nearly a year, visiting a groomer saying 'she does have a few matts' not realising they have too many to save the coat, then saying to everyone else 'look what the groomer did'! I know some groomers perhaps don't discuss it enough or prepare them for the shock of a clipped off dog. A lot of breeders don't mention grooming and to be honest some who have only ever owned cocker spaniels wouldn't even know themselves what the coats are like!


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## Butterfly (Sep 6, 2015)

Hi for me it's great thankyou for sharing x


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I think it's a great and honest piece of educational info.


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Your article was wonderful and informative. This was a HUGE mistake I made with Sami especially. The Breeder told me nothing about when to groom or to get him accustomed to being brushed until it was to late. 
I wish I lived near you Dawn so I could be assured he was being well treated while being groomed.
He HATES the groomers so much he usually pees himself after I get him out of the car, he never does that at any other time. He shakes and whines when I turn down the street the groomers business is. I am at my wits end with it. I stress so much because he is distressed so much. The groomer is VERY nice to me, very soft spoken and speaks gently to Sami and Carley. I have asked her several times if they seem distressed, bark incessantly, whine etc. and she said they do bark sometimes and whine occasionally. She said she is a gentle as can be with them and never raises her voice. I have even snuck in early to listen for any scolding etc, but she is always speaking nice to them. 
Carley is very good being brushed and will lay nicely (after I catch her) and tolerate a 10 to 15 min. brushing. Sami goes totally bonkers. He pulls away, screams if I hit a matt like I'm cutting his leg off! This sends Carley into a frenzy and she barks the entire time I'm trying to groom him. Lately I have just cut out a bunch of matts cause its just not worth the stress. Now I have noticed he bites his legs a lot, as if he is trying to "Bite out" the matts before I get to him. Of course this just makes them worse and closer to the skin.
I have tried treats, but that only lasts about a minute, I have changed brushes three times. I have tried Freddy soothing him and treating him. NOTHING works. As soon as I hit a matt he yelps and is in a panic to get away from me. As soon as I put the brush up he is fine.
New owners . . . . please read this article and HEED her advise, or you will probably be sorry.
Sorry this is so long but I wondered if you had any advise to help me? Now that hes 4 yrs old Im afraid hes locked into a very bad idea in his head that its going to be painful and he hates it. 
He is sooooo precious in every other area, but this is a NO GO area. I have them groomed every 5 or 6 weeks. I hate to clip him real close, Freddy HATES him short, but I may not have any choice as his coat matts very easily. Carleys coat is much thicker and more course but she hardly ever has matts?? Help


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Oh Nanci that is a shame, to be honest with the dogs i groom some just accept me brushing lots of little knots out others squeal and snap when I catch the tiniest little tangle, I believe it should be possible to change his behaviour but not overnight. It may mean going for a really short all off clip to start with (which I know Freddie would absolutely hate) but it means there would be a lot less chance of catching any matts during the time you are working on the behaviour - actually for a week or so before that I would try to change his emotional state when he see's the brush - do this in baby steps, pick the brush up and treat him, brush down, do this a few times a day, hopefully he will start to feel happier about seeing the brush, its best if he is not actually brushed during this time - if he is going to be clipped off anyway that shouldn't matter too much, if you feel he has to be then use a different brush. when you feel he seems happy to see the brush you can move to just touching him with it - try to get him close to you and do it gently, immediately treat - then as long as he readily accepts that, do this a few times a day, you can progress to using the back of the brush as if you were grooming him - the reason I said to start this before he is clipped off is because if you have got to this stage and then he is clipped you can then progress to turning the brush over and giving a really gentle brush, so on his new short clip there should be no chance of catching any matts while he is being brushed, gradually he should accept you brushing more and firmer so hopefully he is loads better when his coat has grown. It is not a quick fix, rush any stage and it sets things back and sadly if he hates it SO much then he may not be much better when he starts getting knotty again (which of course they always do!), but I imagine you would be happy with any improvement.


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

That's great Dawn, I too was quite naive about grooming, having had a maintenance free terrier I had no idea ......... until one day Poppy got completely covered in Velcro burdocks and sticky buds  She actually doesn't Matt too badly, never on her body which is silky smooth, it's her toes and top of the hind legs, she also hates being brushed so we're lucky she doesn't have a badly matting coat.


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Thank you so much Dawn for the reply. I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to steal your thread. He is not afraid when I take out the brush. He even wags his tail and will come straight to me, cause he's so stinkin sweet! I can brush him all day without a fight . . . until I pull even the slightest bit on a matt. That's when the screaming begins and from that point on all he does is struggling to get away. I think his skin is very tender and he just can't tolerate it. I had a very tender headed daughter that would cry when I brushed her hair, my other daughter was fine with pulling. He seems to be in true pain and just cannot help but yelp. If I pull hard he will occasionally snap at me, then immediately lunge to lick my face with paws around my shoulders to tell me how sorry he is. I've decided I will just have to keep him much shorter and Freddy will have to learn to live with it cause I if he gets bad matts, he starts chewing at his legs and tummy. I'm afraid he will develop a skin condition if I let it go much further. Thank you again!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

aww, bless him, its so hard if they are very sensitive, at the end of the day it can't be nice to have knots brushed out and I bet he doesn't even get many compared to others, poor baby. Glad he is generally happy being brushed though.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I keep Kiki shorter all over than Dot because she is a bit on the sensitive side 
That said because a shorter coat is easier to comb through she is much better about being brushed now.
Sami will look longer legged and slimmer with a short cut  and it will grow.


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

I wish you were more local dawn, I'm afraid to say my two will need a scalp next week - 
Our regular groomer has gone on maternity leave and I'm missing her! I have been keeping up with the grooming, thankfully my two love it, and when Ralph is been groomed cheeky ruby just worms her way in under the brush 
But they are now too thick & long, they had a swim & a mud bath yesterday and they are beyond all repair.....


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