Does anybody have any advice on how to groom an 8 stone newfie when she doesn't like to be groomed? I have to give her her own brush to chew on at the same time and this just isn't practical!! She's really good in every other way but this is driving me mad!!

Our kai tries to chew the brush when we brush him, used to take 2 of us to hold him and groom him. :D
I have started putting the halti collar on him and tying the lead to a big hook in the wall, he cant get his head round to attack the brush. after a day or two he has finally accepted that i have to brush him. now he stands as good as gold so long as he has his collar on, if he hasnt he's back to sitting or  laying down and trying occasionally to attack. :)

Does it have to be a brush she chews?  What about a dog chew?  A bone?  Having someone to help you, who can give your dog treats while you brush? 

Must be a newfie thing,my dog is berner x newfie and she can be a pain sometimes aswell,I usually give her a treat and make her work for her reward.

I'm already working with treats but I think I might need to be a bit more persistant and not give up (ever!) Thanks for the advice, I'll keep trying, might have a go with tying her to something to prevent her moving also!

Tried her with chews etc, but it's the brush or nothing with her!

Have something of a similar problem with my Tibetan Mastiff pup. He's BRILLIANT most of the time but he goes mad when I brush his tail and screams his head off. I've resorted to putting him on a lead and tying him to something sturdy. It doesn't help that much but it stops him running away and prolonging the process any longer than necessary.

First of all, check you are using appropriate grooming tools - some dogs can be very sensitive and hate prickly brushes or having their knots untangled! As can we!

I solved this problem in my young BSd with getting her hooked on to a toy and tying her just to where she could see the toy. I got excited and told her the toy was for her, and this got her focussed on it. I then gently brushed her once and then we had a game. Back on the lead, more brush strokes, another game. I also would give her food rewards but she was far keener on the toy (food rewards would work well with a dog that had little interest in toys).

It's a case of gradually building up the grooming time, and always rewarding and praising for good behaviour. After a while, my youngster would stand still even when there was no toy, and I would often surprise her and take one out of my pocket, or go into the kitchen after a grooming session and we would have a game. It may take  a few weeks/months to build up to being confident about this.

Also ensure the dog is given appropriate control and release words such as, "stand" and "OK" or "free" - never just allow the dog to grab the toy without permission.

It's about making the grooming session pleasurable in the sense that, even if it's not so great, what comes after is doggie heaven :P

Hth
Lindsay
x

Hi I trained by newf to be groomed using treats and a clicker at a really young age with the help of the hubby, when she laid down quietly he clicked and gave treat whilst I was brushing, granted we used loads of treats in the beginning as we never gave her chance to get up so she was basically getting click and a treat as soon as she had eaten the last one. As she got more used to it you could extend the time between the treats, we started doing this for 2 or 3 minutes a few times a day and it has really worked. We can now groom without treats if necessary but she always gets some and is quite happy for us to roll her upside down and any way we want to get at the bits its hard to reach.

Always do the chest last though cos it gets covered in spit.:)

Edited to say make it a really happy event and get someone else to help you so you can really concentrate on grooming, it may take a while but in a few months she will look forward to the brush coming out.........mine runs onto the rug when she sees the brush and goes into the down position without me asking.:)

I've recently bought some 'leave-in conditioner' for her, so I'll try that along with tying her to something stable!  She's also 10 times worse when she is due into season i've noticed!

I use one of those combs with the revolving pins, am extremely gentle and hold the hair near the root so it doesn't pull. I think he's just a big jessie - he-he! He's smashing with the rest of his body and even enjoys his ears being brushed.

My Samoyed thought grooming was for poofs and didn't tolerate it until about two days before he died.  I used to just keep following him around the house to let him know that playing with the brush, pretend-biting and getting up and walking away weren't going to deter me.  In his later years, he went to a groomer.  I don't like to think how she managed to get him groomed, but she did!  And very nice he looked too!  With a Newfie, I would probably try to tie the dog up and then brush and use lots of "good girl, beautiful girl" words in a slow, soothing down-octave voice.  Once she realises she can't get away, she will fight a bit and then have no choice but to settle.  After a few goes, you should be able to untie her.  If you don't like to tie her, get someone to hold her on the lead and talk to her all the time.  I find cat biscuits help - they're little and one at a time won't hurt.

I don't like to think how she managed to get him groomed, but she did!
Exactly!!  If you've allowed a certain time to groom a dog and you've another coming in, then you just have to get on with it!! ;) 
Dogs respond well to positive and confident handling.  Restrain you dog by tying the lead to a door handle and you sit on the floor, or if you have space on a worktop, use a mat to avoid the dog slipping and tie to a window handle etc. Start at the back and work confidently and don't stop if the dog wriggles.  Talk in a positive and up beat tone, and do it!! :)

I do think tho it also helps if you can put the dog on a table or similar,( even if its a low one in the case of a large dog ;)  ) and have somewhere to secure it.  It seems like a signal to the dog that there's no point in fighting it ;) :) and they seem to allow grooming far more easily :D