Any Suggestions for Me?
Once again I find myself writing in this much neglected forum by me ...as Panda really has issues with grooming. Merlin whom I've had since he was a pup and whom I got used to grooming from a tiny age has been no problem. I met a wonderful woman at the dog park last year whom took the time to visit Panda at my home and accompanied me on walks before she attempted to groom him. She was taking a dog grooming course and he became the class project. I had repeatedly warned her about his issues and she assured me he would be fine. OHMY!!! It took six of them to work on him and even then, most refused to get near his face..as my previous docile friendly dog became a frothing lunatic when approached with grooming tools. I had tried to tell her that!! She ended up staying long past the closing time to finish the job and luckily all her fingers were intact. Ahh it's that time again as Panda has once again become a bit dishevled and unkept looking. Still, I feel we are making headway as I can brush his body and I wasn't even able to do that before. His fondness for muddy water and his daily romps in the woods doesn't help to keep him looking like he's well looked after. I often get dirty looks from strangers whom view Merlin's beautiful coat and then Panda...always making me feel like I'm an evil stepmother. 
Panda is the gentlest of my three dogs...good with cats, gentle with small dogs, great with other dogs, greets children and adults with a full body wiggle and generally is just a big love bug. EXCEPT for grooming...then he turns into a Tansmanian devil. To make my life simpler and to prevent the further matts that are developing near his ears...his other BIG issue...as he's had many ear infections in the past and they are quite sensitive. I decided to call my vet and asked what solutions were available. Last time he needed ear cleaning it took three of us , myself , the vet and the assistant to try to restrain him. No luck! They asked me to return for sedation...and then again it took 3 of us to restrain him for the needle. Apologies for my long winded story as here goes my question. On Wed I have an appt with the vet to get Panda sedated to clip his hair. No other choice. As an after thought I thought while he's under sedation might as well get his ears checked and flushed if needed. The next day I called again and said ...better check his hips while you're at it as he often limps slightly if he's been running hard. Sooooo here's my question...is there anything else you guys feel is really important that should be checked while he's under sedation that I may be forgetting. I figure since it's quite costly to have him sedated ..I might as well have things looked at which otherwise may have not been possible. I'll appreciate all the feedback!! Lastly as Panda was a rescue with lots of abuse in his background ...hoses and grooming tools are a big issue with him. It's taken a year to get him to accept my brushing him ..so that's a big step...I'm patient and look forward to the day when I can bathe and groom him someday!! Thanks in advance Marianne |
|
|
| Might as well have nails clipped and teeth given the once over for any impending problems. (Because all you need is another animal with dental problems!)
P.S. Don't forget how well you did with him when the wire incident occured! Besides that, you've made a ton of progress so far, keep up the good work! |
| Hi Max!!
Thanks for responding so quickly! That's a fantastic suggestion...yes nails and teeth! I would be kicking myself for forgetting something as last time I had only mentioned his limping after he came out of sedation. I really don't want to forget anything this time and can notify them in advance of all the things to check for. Yeah shudders, I still can't believe I managed to remove all that tangled wire from his hair recently! Knowing his history you can see why I was astounded I was able to remove it all. Thanks again for the advice and should anyone else think of anything I appreciate your input. Marianne |
| I was going to say teeth also. It sounds like youare doing everything right. I would get the Cesar Milan DVD to see if his techniques will help. |
| Only other thing I can think of is anal glands.......for sure you'd want him under for that!!! Also have the vet give his eyes a good going over.
Have you tried the DAP.......dog appeasing pheromone.....oh him. Perhaps you could adapt him to this so when grooming time comes, he's a bit more mellow. |
| Also, if he must be sedated for this to be done, I would suggest they shave him right down to the skin, within just a couple of days he would have enough hair to protect from the sun, but it would give you much longer with no grooming worries. Are they going to pluck all his ear hair for you while they clean them?
Good luck! He'll wake up groggy but in no time be ready to play and feeling wonderful if he's nekkid and clean!:) |
| O.K. call me stupid, but who actually sedates the dog to groom? I would live to be able to work on Cody feet,nails & teeth myself, however I like my fingers too!!!.. |
| I wish I could sedate them and at the same time give myself something that would deaden any back, hand or should pain I will be experiencing from the grooming.
I don't suggest sedation, but in Panda's case, it will be necessary. Poor guy has come so far, but not over this problem. |
| Hi Again,
I love all the suggestions everyone gave - thanks so much for that! I've written a list so as not to forget anything. I'm going to keep trying to work on the grooming..and yes it's true, it is kinda unusual to have them sedated for a mere clip. Panda is my fourth OES and the only one I've had problems with grooming. He's never attempted to bite me but his body language tells me a lot...he sort of hunkers down (to appear small) and his top lip will quiver frantically. He's probably a fear biter but I've never given him the opportunity to try it out as I immediately stop whatever grooming I was doing..but each session last longer each time. This is the only quirk in his personality to an otherwise very loving and gentle boy. Still I'm hopeful as if I can remember correctly, Shaggy whom first arrived in my home years ago was really "itchy" - (I dropped the b)..ha ha when she was getting groomed and was a rescue as well. Eventually over time she enjoyed the sessions and looked forward to them. I've had Panda just over a year now and from day one touched his body..pats ...then stopped after a few mins...so that he now allows me to touch him everywhere including his sensitive ears but I can't clean them. I've even managed to clip a mat or two without too much stress on his part. The mat that's developing behind his ears...oh I can forget that. My vet did tell me they have done it once before and ironically it was an OES as well. 
Might as well go for the works...ears plucked, flushed , hair clipped short, nails clipped, anal glands , hips and teeth. Whew! I had his eyes checked previously as he seemed to have some sort of depth perception but they told me they checked out okay. I'll get the herbal stuff and DVD mentioned for the upcoming year - thanks! Marianne and the boys Good thing we may only have to go through this perhaps once a year! |
| Marianne; Tasker can also be tough to groom, although not as much trouble as it sounds like you have. On thing I do in the summer is to have a pair of clippers and once he has been clipped down by the groomer I do frequent small "touch ups". THis has helped to expose him to the clipper in frequent small periods when the grooming is easy and you aren't fighting with a mass of hair. It has REALLY helped. Trim one foot one day, his chin the next, his butt etc..... Lots of treats and praise!!!
Tasker also has a bad ear that requires frequent cleaning. I have him stand facing me and tuck his nose into my armpit and hold his head in place with my arm to clean. At the Vets that helps because when the Vet is looking at his ears, Tasker thinks it is me and is less likely to try to nip. |
| Hi Taskers Mom,
Those are great suggestions and yes I will definately follow suit. I should have continued to brush him even the last time he had a short clip which I think was my mistake. I'll keep it up this time!! When he arrived at my home last year he had a large hematoma on his ear and it was probably caused from his stratching due to an long ongoing ear infection. He finally allowed me to flip his ear up occasionally which he hadn't done before. For every step forward it's one backward. Thanks a lot for the invaluable tidbit as I liked your suggestions. Marianne |
| Don't know if this suggestion will be helpful or not, since it is kind of opposite of what you're trying to accomplish in the behavior arena.
They make these gloves that have combs built into them, so as you are sitting and petting your dog, you are actually combing the hair. The trick here is to never let yuor dog know this is really a comb. In your case, I think you're trying to desensitize to the equipment and to the experience, but if you ever give up in that quest, the glove/brush might be helpful. |
Ron, the gloves are great and would be very helpful toher. The only problem I have had is that they are great with a short coat but once the coat gets thick not so great. But it would certainly be a good way to get him to accept being groomed, might make it easier to transition to the brush later!! And who says you are just a computer geek  |
Tasker's Mom wrote: who says you are just a computer geek My wife, my brother and sister, my dad, TheGuru, everyone who knows me, perfect stracngers, imperfect strangers, dogs (well, smart ones), former employers...
Shall I continue? The list is quite extensive... |
| Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you may be that but you are soooooo much more OH WISE ONE!!!! |
| Hi,
Ron I really like that idea, thanks for the suggestion! I had thought of the very same thing ironically but hadn't realized they actually marketed them. He loves belly rubs and pats and the gloves would work when he has his short clip tomorrow. To desensitize him to scissors (the humming sound of clippers drives him into a frenzy- so haven't even gone there yet). I have them in one hand and pat him with the other. Although this doesn't sound like much - this is a huge accomplishment!!! Before even having them in my hand would make him run for the hills! I've even managed to pat him a few times with the scissors in the same hand but he never takes his eyes off me while doing it! PHOTOS!!!! I mentioned Panda recieved a hospitality call from a dog rescue person from Hong Kong...and he took photos of Panda and I!! You'll be able to view his scruffy look for yourself..he doesn't look that bad!! No mats on his body other than behind his ears and his muzzle is looking pretty scruffy. Strangely enough, Panda has a slight curl to his hair unlike Merlin's..but no matter he looks cute. They are in OES photos under Random files at the moment. Marianne |
Great photos, Marianne! He really doesn't look that bad. I think his original owner will be very happy to see how good he looks, how pampered and loved he is, and how well he has adjusted. You've come a long way!  |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|