# Need grooming advice...my pup hates it!!



## BrewLu

My little girl is about 9 months old and the dreaded matts are coming in fast! I love her long, scraggy hair and know that I have to brush it daily...but she HATES it! She fights it every time and tries to nip at me. It's such a struggle to try and keep her still. I've tried laying a bunch of shredded chicken out and try to sneak in a few combs while she scarfs it down, but that lasts all of 30 seconds!! I know I will have to get her trimmed down but for daily grooming I have no ideas how to keep her calm. FYI--she hates bathing also...she's very squirmy in general 
Can anyone offer any tips???


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## DB1

Oh dear, you may not want to hear this but I think your pup is likely to end up needing a complete clip off and start again, I know its hard to hear but if you cannot get a brush and comb over every part of her she will matt and they will keep getting worse and if she doesn't like being brushed now she is only going to get worse when you are trying to get matts out as it will frankly be painful for her. 
I would suggest you get her to a groomer very soon and you may then avoid having the coat clipped off if she hasn't got too many matts now, they could maybe help you by getting her used to being groomed. 
So many Cockapoo's are now turning up at groomers when the owner has only just realised to extent of the matts, they have never been before so are really stressed by the whole experience. If the coat is cut short they can then learn that a gentle brush doesn't hurt and they should learn to tolerate and accept it a lot better as the coat grows. For now I would spend a bit of time without a brush but just use your hands to really go over her, feeling for matts, checking if you can still part her hair all over and see her skin (often the coat starts felting near the body and owners haven't realised), look on places like her tail and feet as well, then you will at least know the extent of it and be prepared for what a groomer suggests. 
Sorry if this sounds like a lecture but I am also thinking of people with younger pups reading this too so they know what to expect, this is why it is important to visit a groomer when pups are very young, even if you don't want anything actually cut, it is worth getting them used to being brushed and handled by a groomer. To get your pup more used to it you must try very little and often, if she reacts as soon as she sees the brush then literally show it to her then treat her and put it away again until she is happy to see the brush, then touch her with the back of the brush and treat until she is happy with that, run the back of the brush over her coat - treat, gradually build so you can actually do a tiny brush stroke - treat and so on, but you do need to to get the matts sorted as they will just get worse and I would say visit a groomer for that, even if you want to groom her yourself after. Good Luck.


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## BrewLu

Thanks for the reply! She has been to the groomer three times and most recently just 4 days ago. Between this past week and the time before (which was only three weeks ago!) I noticed the matting happening quite fast! She loves being pet and especially belly rubs but hoping maybe taking her more often to the groomer would get her used to it eventually? 
What do I ask for in order for her not to look like a poodle but to keep some of the length?


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## DB1

The important thing is to get her brushed out all over to ensure she is matt free, if she is then it should be up to you what cut/length she has, if you want to keep her quite long then just a little scissor trom, if you are now looking for a more manageable length (which most people end up with once the matts start) then ask for her to be done with a long comb guard - the coat will only be about an inch long which is sometimes a shock to the system when you have had a shaggy pup but it will be easier to keep on top of the matts and there is less muck to clean after a wet walk! read the post 'is it possible to keep a long coat' in the grooming section. Glad she has been going to the groomers then, maybe just try the little and often training with the brush. But if I'm honest my boy still hates his front legs being done and I usually do those when he has a meal! puts up with it everywhere else now though and he used to attack the brush too.


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## JasperBlack

Jasper is the same with his front legs, fine everywhere else! Gets rather stroppy when I comb his front legs. I do them in stages! They must be more sensitive.


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## RuthMill

Going short isn't the worst thing at all. Especially in this wet weather, also the dogs probably feel better when their coat isn't dragging them down, all wet, cold and soggy not to mention matted. I think after you go for a good trim down at a groomers, you will wonder why you ever had it that long. Go for it!


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## Grove

For getting gandhi used to brushing when he was little we used a kong teething stick with peanut butter in all the grooves. It took ages for him to lick it all out and was a good distraction. I cut out any matts with scissors rather than trying to brush through them so that it wasn't uncomfortable for him

We actually like Gandhi's hair short best anyway now, so it is easy care these days. It's a good job too with the mud and that he goes for a dip in the river a couple of times a week


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## Lindor

For Maggie I brush her every day. When she was a little pup she needed food as a distraction or she would attack the brush. Now she stands still for it all and gets a treat when we are done. She has just gotten used to the clippers now and stands like a pro. Today was a mile stone. She let me use the clippers under her tail with no fuss!


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## Caroline13

*Cockapoo Grooming*

Hi, I had the same problem as you. Our cockapoo, Milly is now two and would try and bite the brush and spin around. I mentioned it to the groomer and she suggested putting Milly up onto the kitchen island so she would associate it with being on the high tables at the groomers. It worked a treat, she sits or lays down long enough to groom her for about 10 minutes. We give her a treat at the end. No more biting the brush or moving. It's worth a try. Good luck.


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## JasperBlack

Lindor said:


> For Maggie I brush her every day. When she was a little pup she needed food as a distraction or she would attack the brush. Now she stands still for it all and gets a treat when we are done. She has just gotten used to the clippers now and stands like a pro. Today was a mile stone. She let me use the clippers under her tail with no fuss!



Well done Maggie, just shows being consistent and patient pays off xx


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## Tinman

BrewLu said:


> My little girl is about 9 months old and the dreaded matts are coming in fast! I love her long, scraggy hair and know that I have to brush it daily...but she HATES it! She fights it every time and tries to nip at me. It's such a struggle to try and keep her still. I've tried laying a bunch of shredded chicken out and try to sneak in a few combs while she scarfs it down, but that lasts all of 30 seconds!! I know I will have to get her trimmed down but for daily grooming I have no ideas how to keep her calm. FYI--she hates bathing also...she's very squirmy in general
> Can anyone offer any tips???


Oh wow she is a lovely fur baby, but it is true. Once those matts come, especially as their adult coat comes through - it's very hard to manage. She may not like been groomed if she has matts, as they will pull at her skin,
My two love been brushed and groomed, and will push each other out of the way, but ruby still gets matts, she has a much thicker coat than Ralph's.
Good luck - you will hate the first big cut, but it does grow and is much more manageable in the wet weather x


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## JasperBlack

Your little girl is a cutie, BrewLu ! If it was me I would have her trimmed shorter until she gets used to being groomed. Unfortunately the matts will just get worse, especially if she won't let you groom her. I personal try to trim out any little matts that appear by running the scissors through the centre of it. It's so much easier to groom out then.this way jasper doesn't associate grooming with discomfort. He is 2 and doesn't like to be groomed but will tolerate it now. Although he is rather vocal during the whole thing, he wouldn't want me to think he's happy about it! Haha. It takes time and patience, good luck x x


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## Mazzapoo

She looks great though doesn't she, I can feel a little soft rock moment coming on....


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## BrewLu

Oh my gosh--that's hysterical!! And right up my alley!!!!


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## Tinman

I was going to say about Bon jovie 
Then I stopped myself...


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## Mazzapoo

Ha ha! I have no boundaries! It was a compliment, they're both delicious


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## Lottierachel

Caroline13 said:


> Hi, I had the same problem as you. Our cockapoo, Milly is now two and would try and bite the brush and spin around. I mentioned it to the groomer and she suggested putting Milly up onto the kitchen island so she would associate it with being on the high tables at the groomers. It worked a treat, she sits or lays down long enough to groom her for about 10 minutes. We give her a treat at the end. No more biting the brush or moving. It's worth a try. Good luck.


I always cover the kitchen table in towels and then groom Tilly on there - a million times easier and she's happy with it. She knows that she gets treats throughout and at the end!

She hates having her front legs done too - there must be something about them.


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## DB1

Yes I should have said try a table or worktop,it really helps, yoga matts (waffle type or other patterned ones) are good for a non slip surface, most could be cut into 2, maybe even 3 for smaller dogs.


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## Tinman

Mazzapoo said:


> Ha ha! I have no boundaries! It was a compliment, they're both delicious


Haha I did post, late last night (wine was involved - girls Christmas meal!!) my boundaries had been widened........then when you look I edited it early this morning!!


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## BrewLu

Well...I bit the bullet...Gypsy had her first real haircut. I was sooo nervous, I even had nightmares about it! She looks like a different puppy, it's super cute and seems so much more manageable! Thanks for all the advice, I'm glad I got her cut


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## BrewLu

And I just realized she has the "Elvis lip" going on?


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## DB1

looks super cute, it is so much easier for everyone with less hair to bring wet muck in, and she doesn't look too short.


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## Tinman

Looks gorgeous, that's great for a first cut x


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## Mazzapoo

Wow! Everyone on here is usually really disappointed after a groom, that's fab!!


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## Cat 53

She looks great. My two line up to be groomed. No do them daily, on the bed. They get their eyes done, then ears, then combing ( I find a comb gets right down to the skin) and any matts get cut out. I groom their ears, head, back, muzzle and chest with them lying across my lap. I then tip them backwards onto the bed and groom their legs, tummy and tail. This way it's really easy to get to their armpits and all the tricky places. They then get their favourite bit.....toothpaste. This is rubbed all around their gums. Both dogs love it. They close their eyes in sheer bliss. Phoebe thinks it's her divine right to be pampered like this daily. Max isn't such a push over,mbut he does enjoy it. They also queue!


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## DB1

Marilyn its fab that you have 2 dogs so chilled out about it, I would say you are lucky but it was obviously brilliant early handling from you.


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## Cat 53

Thanks Dawn.. Little and often right from the start.....I used to give Max his Kong to hold in his mouth which seemed to calm him and allow him to relax and enjoy.


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## BrewLu

Oh my gosh-I can't believe your dogs are that laid back about it!! That's amazing!!!


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## Neecy

BrewLu said:


> Well...I bit the bullet...Gypsy had her first real haircut. I was sooo nervous, I even had nightmares about it! She looks like a different puppy, it's super cute and seems so much more manageable! Thanks for all the advice, I'm glad I got her cut


Oh my what a difference! She is adorable! I really love her new look...she looks like a little chocolate teddy bear, and Gypsy is a great name!


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