The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

Starting to groom Catie for the first time, I got her back alright, she wasn't happy about it, though. She let me hold her while I did her back, but she wasn't letting near her face or head for love or money. I didn't push too hard because I'm convinced Gertie hated being groomed because her first grooming was a nightmare (groomer had her overweight husband pin Gertie down while she trimmed her ears, and I wondered why Gertie hated having anyone touch her ears.) How do you get them used to the clippers around the face? Gertie I had to use scissors for the longest time and could only get her to the point where she'd allow clippers on the top of her head, but nowhere else near her ears or snout. And that took several years of very patient trimming sessions. LOL. Any pointers?

My groomer swaddled Hannah in a towel and then did her face. It made her feel safer to be held and she quieted right down with this. Maybe you can have her done a bit at a time, first face, then ears, etc.

Hi Rose,
It takes a lot of patience and self confidence on your part and a lot of treats and praise for the puppy. Let the puppy sniff the clippers and run them around her body without running them praise and treat when she isn't backing off from them. Do this everyday for about a week. Then run the clippers around her but not clipping her, praise and treat when she's not afraid of them, you may have to turn them on and off several times, do that for about a week, and then finally clipping her,maybe do one side of her face stop, give lots of praise and treat then the other side and stop lots of praise and treat.If you're not feeling confident in clipping her face, she will pick up on that and fight you.
Snicky was pretty good about being clipped, but I had 15 years expeience of grooming my previous cocker,so that made it pretty easy. Snicky didnt like having a bath, soooo... everytime I took my bath I would pick her up and bring her into the bathroom with me,and as I took my bath I gave her treats,it didnt take her long to follow me in as I took my bath, then I would pick her up and put her into an empty tub and treat and then when she had her real bath lots of treats and praise. When we are done with the bath its the comb out and blow dry, again I have lots of treats and praise, thats about a 2 1/2 hour project with long fur and thats asking a lot for a dog. Then she gets a special treat after that, she loves her frisbee,so we play frisbee for about 30 minutes. Snicky didn't like going for rides in the car, again it was the same thing,giving treats and praise near the car, then with an open door, then in the car. Now you can't keep her out of the car LOL. I think you can get the drift of this, best of luck, and looking forward to seeing pictures of your grooming job!