Hi - how do you best your pup to sit still for grooming? i have to wait until archie is really really sleepy, get him on my lap and then alternate hand strokes with brush strokes to trick him into keeping still, otherwise he wiggles, bucks, does everything he can to either eat the brush or escape!

I have 2 brushes - 1 is a puppy brush (very soft nylon bristles) which the groomer at pets at home said is great for bonding but not for proper grooming - archie is fine with this and totally ignores it. The other is a slicker brush which again, the groomer at PAH said is the only brush they use and the only one she would recommend - he hates it! - my question is is this the right brush to use on him (mini long-haired dachs, 10wks)? the groomer said the slicker is the only brush they use on all breeds but is there something else i could use on him/something specific for long hair?

the other question is a bit silly but it's very difficult being a new puppy mum and wanting to do everything right! We have set mealtimes for the pup (morning - 7.30, lunch 1.30, supper 7.30 - this is supplemented by treats during the day - am v careful not to over do the treats..) richard does lunch, but, he says that archie is usually asleep and he doesn't know whether or not to wake him for lunch so sometimes he has his lunch quite late. i personally think he should wake the pup and feed him (very unlikely that archie would turn his nose up at food no matter how sleepy!) so what is the correct thing to do - should we wake him or feed him when he wakes?

thanks everyone and good luck to you all with your babies!

Hi, I have a 6month old mini schnauzer, and so he takes alot of grooming. I too have a soft puppy brush for delicate areas i.e. ears, beard, eye brows etc and a slicker brush for everywhere else - and they are priceless!

I would highly recommend you perservere (spelling??) with the slicker
as no other brush quite brings out the shine (and knots, bits, crumbs :-)
However if I am completley honest I have never been able to get Rufus to stand still whilst I groom so we have always let him mouth
on the puppy brush whilst we use the slicker - and he will let us brush
him in every position for hours!! The way I look at it, we won't be showing him so as long as he gets a full groom every day thats fine by us.

With regard to feeding, I personally would not wake him, he is unlikely to want food straight away anyway. I soon learnt that if they miss the odd meal - it is not the end of the world. Rufus used to miss them reguarly and he is still a little roly poly!!
Rufus was on 2 meals by about 14 weeks, and the vet said this was
fine as long as he was healthy and not losing weight. Don't worry to much about manufacturers guidelines, go with your puppy.
Rufus is still only 6½ month old, and is already down to one meal a day (something I never really wanted to do), but he simply isn't a greedy
dog and didn't want a breakfast.

Hope this helps, Louise x

Good luck with your little one :-)

I think the trick is to make him realise the grooming is a special part of the day which is fun but where no fiddle faddling is allowed. If you have him in your lap he will not associate it with grooming but rather with cuddling and he is more likely to muck up/wriggle.

If you can formalise the grooming i,e put him on a bench or table then he will know what you want from him and will eventually stand still. I say "groom groom!!" really excitedly to my dog [corgi] and his ears go up in the same way as when I say "walkies!!" It means the following to him:

1. He goes up on the draining board next to our utility sink and stands still
2. he gets brushed and spoken to nicely - I do it every day to avoid having to confront the birds' nests in his fur/tail
3. he gets special smelly treats
4. he enjoys it

Re the brush - I use a slicker which is ok for most dogs but I realise your dog might find it annoying given his long hair type . If you get your pup used to the concept of grooming as above then it should become easier to use the slicker - but no reason why you shouldn't use the easy brush in the initial stages.

Hope that helps
Cissy

I would second the advice to put your pup on a proper/makeshift grooming table. I don't think grooming on your lap is a good idea, and give him a few treats if he behaves himself. Be firm but not confrontational (easier said than done), and give him a reward at the end of the grooming process. It takes a while but they do come to accept it eventually and may even get to enjoy it (not that my mini schnauzer does...he hates his front legs being brushed).

Can't advise about the feeding I'm afarid, but I know my mini is very greedy and was quite surprised to read that little Louise's Rufus was only into one meal a day. I thought greediness was a mini trait. Iif my whippet doesn't finish his food, it's gone in a second if Stan gets hold of it, and I have to practically rugby tackle him to get to the bowl first!!

Hi Nicola,

Must add however that he can be greedy when he wants to...
if someones making a cheese sandwich- he is anyones! :-)

I think alot of it is to do with him being a big dafty - and far too
nosey for his own good!!

I buy him parsley, mint and eucyliptus (spelling??) biscuits which
he adores and carrys in his mouth for ages...but if we are
having a brew and a ginger nut...well you can guess the rest!

He is scared to death of missing out on anything!!!

I Absolutley adore him and thats perhaps why I am too darn soft!
Louise :-)