[Rebels_girl]

My nine week old puppy is an absolute terror when I put him on the grooming table. If I'm not actively feeding him a treat, he's biting at the tools. This is my first poodle and first puppy so I'm brand new to both. This is totally normal right? It's normal that he's wild and bitey and bribing him with treats to "get it done" isn't going to make him more difficult to groom in the long run? I'm trying to do two sessions a day (2-5 mins each because after that he starts to really lose his mind) on the table. Should I be doing more? I just want to make sure I'm doing the right things to make grooming him pleasurable (for both of us!) as he gets older.

 

[twyla]

yep normal, though I kept it short like you are and but only gave treats at the end. You need to curb the attacking of the tools go slow, do a little every day until he gets use to it.

 

[FloofyPoodle]

This sounds normal.

It's normal that he's wild and bitey and bribing him with treats to "get it done" isn't going to make him more difficult to groom in the long run?

If anything, it’ll make him really, really love grooming! Dogs don’t take bribes like humans—they think a bit differently. When you give treats for something, they are “in the moment”—Oh, I got a snack for that? I’ll do it again! The snack got pulled away for me biting? Okay, I won’t do that! It’s very much like programming a computer. Just make sure you’re rewarding him for non—bitey, non-wild behavior, and you’ll be fine, especially if you keep doing it as frequently as you are. It might take a bit before he stops squirming, though—puppies are feisty!

 

[Raindrops]

Yes mine was like this as well. I try to groom after a puppy has had plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. An exhausted puppy doesn't fight so much. Mine used to fall asleep while I was grooming him when I was doing a full body cut. For brushing it really just takes a lot of repetition and gentle but firm touch.

 

[Porkchop]

Oh yes, that is so very normal! Lacey was horrible with biting the brush and comb at first. I think all puppies are But I just kept brushing and feeding treats in short sessions. I think you’re doing it often enough and for the right amount of time. Good job for keeping sessions short and enjoyable as possible! He’ll associate the table with treat time!
Your 9 week old puppy also has no sense of how high up the grooming table is and how dangerous a fall could be. As he gets older he will become more aware of his surroundings and of dangers such as a fall from up high. He’ll be more well behaved on the table because he’ll be focused on staying on it. Then that will give way to it just being a normal part of grooming and will just chill on the table.

what brush are you using right now?

 

[Porkchop]

Wanted to add, even at a year old Lacey still tries to bite the brush or comb sometimes. That is because I do the day to day grooming on the couch. But on the table she won’t bite the tools I’m using anymore, and I don’t need to use a grooming loop (unless I’m using the high velocity dryer).

I still give her treats after brushing each body part to reward good behavior (each leg, body). Around 9 months was when she had a huge improvement to where I knew she’d finally accepted brushing. Even though she was going through coat change and it had become much more difficult and tangly.