We have a member here ItzaClip who is a creative groomer and posts photos of her gorgeous dogs - my goodness wait till you see some of the work she had done. Plus she is very generous with her help and experience. Use the search function her to find her posts. You will be so inspired by her work - her most recent is a spiral clip.

 

My poodle is a show pup. He gets bathed every single week. I started the lying down process on the floor at home with some brushing and treating, then moved to the table. Started with the stand dryer, then moved to the force dryer. At some points you have to be firm and just tell them they need to do it. Like the chin rest. I put his head in it. If he moves it I put it back. If he moves it again I put it in there give it a small shake and tell him 'enough' in a sharp tone. Then just doing it over and over. Does my guy love everything single aspect of grooming? no. put he knows what he's supposed to do and does it.
This is his first bath and dry with me at 9 weeks old

Sleeping at one of his first baby puppy shows

And fast forward to today, 10 months old, after rebanding

He gets groomed at work and of course at shows so used to distractions. It actually makes it easier in the long run since they're used to it from the start.

 

To get your pup comfortable with holding still on the table, as with most anything, break things down into baby steps and set your dog up to succeed. Don't ask too much too soon so that he is apt to fail. Make several VERY short, micro sessions a day if you want to go this route and just gradually lengthen the duration. Use lots of teensy treats and praise. Let him know the behavior you like just as you treat him. Make it pleasant and bonding. Then let him get down and do something else.

You can use a rolled up towel or anything and pat it, show him to put his chin on it. Or if you've tried any clicker training, you can make it like a little trick and shape that behavior. You'll probably find after a time, he gets a little tired or bored and will, just on his own rest his little chinny chin chin on it. When he does, even for a second, reinforce that...praise and/or a treat. Let him know that's a good boy. But don't wait too long before you release him from that with your release word. (read about release words and how useful and important they are for just about everything. You can probably do a search on here.) Anyhow, later, once he starts doing this a lot, you can start adding a cue...maybe a word or just pat the place for his chin.

Here's how my little show boy (retired now) would put his chin on a rolled up apron I had. He'd hold nice and still while we made all those little pony tails and all the bands.



Anyhow, little by little your pup will become less wiggly. Just make sure it's as enjoyable as it can be and break things down so it's easy for him to succeed and get reinforced and then just build up from there.

My other little fella, Maurice is just naturally, by default "chill." I didn't have to do much with him. He just knew what to do.

 

I cant really help much but to say, just keep at it and he will learn to be calm and quiet. My pups (and their mother) have been groomed every 2 weeks (bath, blow dry, face/feet/tail/bands) since they were 4 weeks old. They kinda just grow up knowing the routine and don't have a problem with it. Sometimes they do get impatient and I just have to give them a firm shake of the muzzle and remind them to hold still when I am doing their bands or maybe shaving the last foot but for the most part they are patient. I also watch my groomer do my dogs at her shop (when we are prepping for a show) and I see how they behave for her. That way I know what type of training practice we need to do at home, so they are better for her. She also showed me how to correct them for certain things, some things they did, she did not worry about, others needed correction.
Keep up the good work, he looks good already and he will keep getting better!
Just a couple shots of my Joy and Sara, relaxing on the table at home. Age about 4 months old.

 

I should add that when he was a young puppy there was a lot of treats involved. He still had to behave (as much as can be expected at whatever age he was at the time), but he got plenty of treats to encourage him and show him he was being a good boy. Like with dremelling nails. I would do even part of one toe nail then treat initially, then do a bit more and treat, etc.

 

He had his first bath with the breeder, who also did their nails regularly, but he's been bathed and blow dried by me from day one every other week. Other than looking like a drowned rat, he's perfectly fine with that part of the process!

I started putting him on my table at home that first week i had him. Didn't hook him up or anything, just had the table in my living room and would randomly pop him up on it to let him get comfortable with it. Took a few days and worked him up to being hooked, then i started with brushing. Treats and brushing, that is! Then came the pads, sanitary, and eye notching. All at home.

By the time i did his face and feet (again, we liked the teddy look so i held off on that for a while) he was comfortable enough on the table at home, and at work (though it's a little more tricky there since he's so easily distracted by everything going on!) He still fights a little bit for face/feet but it's getting better and i do let him take breaks if needed. Mostly for me so i don't get frustrated, lol - i wind up making it a game for him on the table and that's helped a lot.

He's only had body clipping done two or three times. He still has puppy coat so i'm not really concerned about getting that "perfect". Just manageable. I'm trying to grow out into a german clip, and eventually we'll be doing creative stuff. But first, getting him more comfortable on table and less squirmy (time and patience!)

I guess we'll keep working on things at home and work. He comes with me twice a week so i can groom him AND so he can have "puppy play". Yes, i work in a chain store. I'm working up to opening my own place. For now, it pays the bills! He also goes once a week for his training (which he's doing really well at other than the short attention span!)

I showed my boss pictures of the chin rest and she absolutely loved the idea. None of our client dogs will use one, they aren't trained for it and we like to joke that we're happy enough they stand on the table for us, but i'm going to use one with Dublin for sure. He's not a show dog, or likely even show prospect, but i like the idea of them and i think he would enjoy being able to rest his head when we get into the creative stuff.

I've attached a few photos of his various experiences in tub and on table!

 

Awww he is soooo precious in that first photo. Look at that little expressive happy puppy face. Love the drowned rat picture! He looks so skinny! They all seem to look like that and give you the sad eyes. I think you are going to do great with him, you are doing all the right things, he will learn just fine for you. In no time he will be sleeping while you are doing his grooms!

 

He is gorgeous. I too am aiming towards a German trim w my boy Percy. I am jealous of your equipment options!!