Spring Brush Up

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Getting pretty is not normally a dog's top priority. They don't care if they stink or are dirty because don't our dogs go out of their way to roll in smelly stuff on the ground or run through mud puddles? Spring time, otherwise know as Mud Season, is when we really get after our dog's dirty habits. Just like house cleaning (for me anyways!), grooming our dogs can be a real chore.

So how do I help my dog tolerate brushing when he won't let me near him with a brush? I tell him what is happening and give him a chance to check things out.

Here is a little clip of brushing a dog named Murphy.

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A lot of times, our dogs won't stand still for brushing. In this little demo I keep a leash on Murphy and stand behind him. Starting this way makes it easier to manage his body. On a side note, I am also learning some new things about dogs. One of the keys to success have been telling the dog what I am doing to him. I have begun to Name & Explain. This is taken from a process called SATS from Kayce Cover http://synalia.com/about/. More about this in future posts.

By telling him what I am doing, it doesn't come as a surprise and he is relaxed. You can see that Murphy is pretty good about this but I have it from his owner that he isn't a fan and would rather skip the whole thing.

So get out there and enjoy the weather. Besides, isn't there a saying "Play Hard, Get Dirty"? Now you can because getting clean is a breeze!

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070