Do you think grooming your dog is necessary but not something you enjoy doing and not something fun for you or your dog?
If you have owned dogs for any length of time you have most likely had a dog who is uncomfortable with grooming activities. Shift "your approach" to grooming and you can shift your dog's mindset about grooming as well. This article talks about "husbandry training," specifically for grooming the first step.
Husbandry training is aimed toward making the grooming experience more enjoyable for you and your dog.
Regular dog grooming is necessary for a dog's good health. Husbandry training includes grooming, teeth brushing and nail trimming as well as preparing a dog for standard vet procedures such as drawing blood and necessary vaccinations.
You will see Husbandry Training a lot in zoo settings. Employees use positive reinforcement to teach animals to be active participants in their care. This process involves using cues to assess the animal's health and provide vet care and/or grooming procedures without the need to restrain or sedate. The goal here is to help the dog become an active participant in their grooming at home just the same as in zoo settings for vet care and grooming.
The first step is to get your dog comfortable with your hands touching them. When you bring home a new puppy start handling all parts of their body such as toes, ears and tail. Adult dogs can be taught as well, but the younger the puppy the better. Start touching them slowly in places you know they will allow and are comfortable having you touch them. Pet, praise and give treats. As you progress with touching, go to more sensitive areas on the dog. Keep hand movements calm and fluid. Praise for your dog's calm behavior during these sessions. Keep training sessions short and don't worry about touching all areas of your dog's body in one single session.
Teaching a dog to trim its own nails using sandpaper. Show your dog the sandpaper/scratch board and give lavish praise for any interaction with the board including smelling the board. Now hold the scratch board out to y our dog and say a cue. As soon as the dog's paws hit the board, praise them lavishly and give a treat. Repeat the process by alternating the paw your dog is using to scratch on the board.
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