Tuesday's Tip #17

Today's tip is short, and most likely most groomers already have used this trick while grooming.

I know that every groomer out there has experienced the dogs that try to hide their front legs underneath them when you are trying to brush, comb, or scissor their legs.

This little lady can not stand for you work on her front legs.

She acts like I have fire in my fingers when I try to brush, comb, or scissor her front legs.

She also likes to fold her leg up as tight to her body as possible.

So, how in the world do I manage to scissor her legs?

I hold up the opposite leg.

This way she has no choice but to put down the leg that I want to work on.

 This method works most of the time.

It always works on this little lady, but there have been some dogs that will actually pick up their leg even though I am holding up the other leg.

The the next thing you know they are standing on their hind legs looking at you asking; 'how did this happen.'

When that happens, I just keep holding up the opposite leg and wait until they slowly come back down and stand on the leg I need to work on.

Then praise, praise, praise while you are combing, brushing ,or scissoring.

Sometimes you only have to hold up the opposite leg for a little while, until the dog leaves it's leg down.

It works for a little while with this dog, but then she realizes that I am touching her front leg and not holding the other leg up.

Back up the leg goes.

Once again I have to hold up the opposite leg.  :)

*Note: When scissoring the hind legs, I will hold up the opposite leg of the one I am scissoring, in order to scissor the inside of the back leg.

I hope this helped someone. :-)

Happy Grooming, MFF