Sunday (our weekly bathday) is soon approaching and I need advice!
I have a 14 week old mini schnauzer called Rufus, and although he loves
bathtime, he is always jumping up and trying to play a little too much, therefore
making bath time very difficult.
Also when we get him out to groom, he goes completley hyperactive and goes to bite the brushes etc.
Due to that fact he does not shed hair (and the amount of it) it is ESSENTIAL
we groom regularly and properly each time!!
We have read up on it, followed books instructions, tries distractions...nothing works..thebrush is far too interesting! - He wont stand still or even sit whilst we do it. (We have a non slip mat, set out on a table as the breeder suggested)
Please help?

Why not give him a brush to chew on - assuming the handle won't splinter in his mouth - and then groom him with a different one?

It works for us!!

Fiona
x x x

Hi Louise, one solution would be to invest in a grooming table with hook attachment (cant remember what they are properly called!) you attach the lead to it, like a professional groomer would do , you then have a tether (cant remember what thats called either - duh!) under his hind legs/tummy area, keeping him in a stand. He is still young and getting used to being groomed. My springer used to muck around whilst being groomed, but now he just jumps onto the table and stands to be groomed, so it does come eventually. Good idea to give him something else to chew while you are brushing him. To be honest though, I wouldn't put up with too much mucking around, refusing to be groomed can sometimes turn into a dominence issue with some dogs. You could also contact your breeder to see if he/she can give you some tips, as I am sure they will have come across it plenty of times - Hope I've given something of help! Julie:)

Hi Julie,
Thanks for the advice, I think I know what you mean...i saw one in a
dog groomers last weekend..may look into that.
Rufus deciding the rules and being dominent is what we were worried about, but he is only young so i will keep with it. Thats why we don't want to give him a brush to chew as he would be getting his own way... well i did do this but my Fiance spotted me out and told me off! (he is the alpha male and me the big softie!!)

Hi, my training class advised me that grooming your dog is a good way to show your *dominance*. I'm not sure I agree with that, I think it should be enjoyable for them but necessary. So, I started by making it a titbit exercise. Brush - give titbit. Brush again - give titbit (only if he doesn't bite the brush mind) etc etc

With my last dog, I brushed him and let him chew another spare brush - made it into more of a game.

Each to their own I reckon :)

Chloe

The only thing that lets us groom our two is to give them something to chew on - Molly has a finger !!! :) and Barney a longish chew. Only thing that works for us :D
Gina