Some help please! :)

Topics, guidelines and tips for coat and skin care and grooming Chow Chows.

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KathrynH
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Some help please! :)

Post by KathrynH »

So, we have been taking Buddha to the groomer, but it's been hard to get him in, because things have been a little crazy here. The problem is that Buddha literally runs and hides if I bring out a brush to brush him with, and he desperately needs brushing! I have tried giving him treats for the few seconds he lets me groom him, but he doesn't seem to catch on to the fact that if he'll sit still and let me groom him, I'll give him a treat. Has anyone had this problem? And if so, how did you fix it?
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Post by Jeff&Peks »

"Has anyone had this problem?"

Yep for 10 years

"And if so, how did you fix it?"

I haven't, When ever I walk towards her the first thing she does is look at my hands, if there is anything suspicious looking in my hand she heads for the door. Pekoe doesn't play games with treats, she doesn't really like treats and if it is something she likes she knows sooner or later she will get it anyway. Pekoe has never really been into treats or food so bribing will never work with her.
“...There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because conscience tells one that it is right.” MLK

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KathrynH
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Post by KathrynH »

So what do you do? Just take her to a groomer regularly? Buddha likes the groomer, and he doesn't seem to mind being groomed by her. I'm just worried about matts forming and stuff, before I can get him to one.
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Thanks so much sweetpea!!!
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Auddymay
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Post by Auddymay »

I have a bucket of beauty torture devices that are always out. Lily knows if I sit on the floor, the jig is up. So, I grab her before I sit. She doesn't love to be groomed, but she seems to like it after I start. At least, she doesn't fight. She accepts no treats during the process.

I would grab him, then sit down. Have him lay down, and massage before you begin, and on and off during the process. Unless he is aggressive, don't let him dictate what will happen. While it is nice when our babies love grooming, many never do. Try not to over-do it, and try and do a little every day. Eventually, he will resign himself to it, and may learn to even like it. If you wait too long between sessions, you will be at square one every time.
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KathrynH
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Post by KathrynH »

I'll definitely try that...he loves any attention other than grooming LOL So, the massaging thing will probably work really well! Thanks so much! :D
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Layla
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Post by Layla »

I used to leash Millie before I started to make the whole thing easier. She would SCREAM as though we were beating her to start with :shock: Now, she sighs, & goes to sleep on my leg whilst I'm brushing :D

nail clipping.... that's another thing :roll:
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kingalls
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Post by kingalls »

I don't remember how old Buddha is but I took Mr. N to his first ever grooming when he was about 10 months old...well, it was quite the experience for me, the groomer, and Mr. N. :roll: Long story made short - Mr. N has been going to the same groomer for 2 years now - it's a special time :lol: for all of us.
In between the groomer visits (every 5-6 weeks), I try to brush Mr. N - it usually starts with a game of me chasing him around the room and trying to get a brush stroke in while he goes into his play bow. It ends up with him laying down while I brush him slowly and gently...he starts to fall asleep...then he will wake up and bolt away like "ah! you're still here?!"
Karen, Kohana, Takoda, and our Chow Angels Nahkohe and Shiloh
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KathrynH
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Post by KathrynH »

Buddha is about 9 months old. He's been to two seperate groomers. The first lady called me five minutes after I left to come back and help me calm Buddha down (he was perfectly calm and happy when we left him). She couldn't handle him at all. I held him down the entire two hours it took to get him groomed, and then a week later paid a huge vet bill because somehow she got water in his ear (even though I didn't let her wash his head...he HATES that). Needless to say, I was leery about going to her again. The last time I took him, the lady was AWESOME! I offered to stay in case he needed muzzled or held down, and she said, "No, if it's alright, I'll muzzle him if I feel like I need to, and you just relax for a couple hours and come get him." I came back and he was sitting pretty (and CALMLY) in a kennel just waiting for me. It was really weird. He hates kennels too, but she had no problems with him at all. Anyway, I just haven't been able to get him back to her for the last month or so, that's why I was thinking of just trying to get him to let me brush him myself (no such luck).
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kingalls
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Post by kingalls »

oh! the 2nd groomer is worth her weight in gold! I still stay the entire time that Mr. N is being groomed. Actually, for peace of mind (Mr. N's), I do the brushing of his mane and front area at his grooming appointment. Mr. N has never had a bath. He hates water - so it's alot of brushing time. The groomer likes his fur - it has alot of lanolin versus other dog that are bathed so often they don't have any natural oils left.
Shiloh is very "high-strung" and nervous. I took her to the groomer once and won't do it again. It's just not worth the anxiety she goes through. Fortunately, she will allow me to brush her.
Karen, Kohana, Takoda, and our Chow Angels Nahkohe and Shiloh
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KathrynH
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Post by KathrynH »

Yeah, the second groomer was amazing, and we're definitely going back to her. And Buddha took to her right away (which always surprises me LOL). The first groomer, he liked, but one of the other groomers came up behind him to help hold him down, and when everything had settled down and he realized she was holding him, he started snapping and growling at her...it was amazing...but I kind of thought it was her fault seeing as how she didn't even introduce herself to Buddha. I wouldn't do that to ANY dog I had never met before.
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Post by Chow Chow Mama »

I am one of the lucky ones who has a Chowling who loves to be brushed. He also lets me shave him and he usually likes getting a bath. He tolerates nail clippings but takes off the first chance he gets.

He is a pretty good boy except for when Mommy says it's time to come inside and he doesn't think he's been out long enough. :?
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What has worked for me when they don't like the brush...

Post by Craigger »

We took in an old guy that had really had it rough. He had been in a puppy mill most of his life in California, ended up in a Chow rescue in Utah, spent just over a year with someone who loved him but over fed him and shaved him every year. After all he had been through, he was an incredible sweetheart (we lost him to a stroke two months ago-best guess he was at least 13 and 78lbs!). He hated the brush, though.

Bear was terrified of vet visits, and at first reacted similarly to baths and brushing. His shaved coat grew back with the under-coat first-solid black and very thick.

OK, long story short, it was time, patience, gentle respect, and a short grooming table (he was a big guy) was the key. Once he could be sure that once he was on the table we would not hurt him, and would stop when he got tired, he did very well. We would often start brushing with a big stiff-bristle brush meant for horses-just made sure not to let it get deep enough to scratch. The big brush would smooth out the split-ends and bare, grippy hairs without pulling; mainly because it was big and couldn't go deep.
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Post by OZZY13849 »

I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF USING MY CAT AS A TOOL!!!!
THEY ARE SO JELOUS OF EACH OTHER THAT I USED IT TO MY ADVANTAGE. MY CAT LOVES TO BE BRUSHED HE REALLY GETS INTO IT ...IF I WERE TO JUST SET THE BRUSH ON HIS HEAD HE WOULD RUB AGAINST IT AND ALMOST BRUSH HIMSELF! WHEN I STARTED BRUSHING OZZY HE DIDNT LIKE IT SO.....HERE KITTY KITTY!!! AND ALL OF A SUDDEN OZZY WANTS THE BRUSH. IT IS SO CUTE HE DOES THE SAME THING WITH RUBBING HIMSELF AGAINST THE BRUSH COPYING THE MOVES OF MY CAT....IT IS HILARIOUS BUT IT WORKED!
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Post by Mia »

OK, I am going to ask a question here.

I took Mia to a groomer and he was pretty wet when he came out and it was chilly. I wasn't too happy.

So, I decided to do my own baths and grooming. I can do a little grooming every other day. She doesn't sit still, but I have tried to train her from the beginning that this is a routine. And, as for the nails, it's a fight. And, I am doing a little dremel and a little brushing every day with Chutney to get him used to it.

Anyway, would it be so bad if I did it myself? I really don't love the idea of them being in a groomers place. I don't think that most groomers would care as much as me and I know my house is cleaner for them.

I would take them once or twice in the winter, but I would really rather do it myself.

Is that so bad?
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Post by chow fancier »

It is amazing what competition for the human's undivided attention will do. When Cinder joined the family Tasha was still with us and would lie down and let me brush her every night (I had been doing it since she was 10 weeks old). So Cinder would do the same, letting me brush her for an hour at a time if I was so inclined. A week after Tasha passed, Cinder started "needing" to go outside every time I picked up the brush, or running off to the 2nd floor, or trying to get DH to hide her under his legs.

Silly me, I had thought she liked to be brushed up to that point!
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