[Teddy’s mom]

My 4 month old needs shaved down for summer badly. He hates being hot and well it’s that time of year. How do I help him get use to the noise of the razor?

 

[fjm]

Put the clipper on the floor unplugged and switched off, and let him investigate it. Switch it on, and reward him for going near it. Touch him all over with the switched off clipper, rewarding him for staying calm, and when he is happy with that touch him gently with it switched on and reward.

Poodle pups need to be introduced to grooming while they are young, but lockdown has interrupted many good things. Are you brushing and combing him regularly? That will keep his coat from matting, making clipping much easier, and will also get him used to being handled, which will also help enormously.

 

[Teddy’s mom]

I brush/groom him nightly. He gets to lick peanut butter off his lick mat only during this time. My thot was making it a high value treat time. He still struggles. I have to work quickly and I still have to put him back. Not sure if that’s age and normal?

 

[Rose n Poos]

Breeders will usually help this process by doing 2-3 small grooms on a puppy before sending them to their new home precisely to help the pup get accustomed to the sounds and feel of grooming.

It's been very difficult to keep this up however since the pandemic has affected so much. This means you're essentially having to start over on desensitizing him to the whole grooming process.

It's certainly normal if he's needing to be reacquainted or first time acquainted, and isn't necessarily age related. You'll do him and any future professional groomers, or yourself if you choose to do the grooming, a great service if you can ease him back into this process.

Obviously the bath and dry is done as a piece but the clipping can be done sections at a time, over several days.

You can do the face, feet and sani right after the bath and dry. Then the next day, trim just the body. The day after that, trim the legs and the last day shape his topknot. If you have to break it down even further, that's ok too. He won't be the first poodle to be groomed in bits .