Willy considers grooming torture. When he first arrived, I was bit many times trying to work with him. Eventually we reached a point where it took 3.5 hot dogs -- broken into small bits -- to work with him. Now, after 2 years, he tolerates it, grumbles now and then and I better STOP what I am doing and move to a different part of the body. Now we go through half of one hot dog, and I haven't been bit at all for the past 3 months (I bathe them every 2 weeks). HUGE improvement.Originally Posted by Alysser
I am not allowed to clip his nails. Nor can I do Tasha's nails. Back in Feb I gave up trying ans I take Willy and Tasha to a groomer every 3 weeks to have nails clipped. We had to go weekly for a short time as I waited and their nails were horribly long. You can not just clip them back, you will hit the quick, that hurts and it bleeds. So she had to do a small amount each time. We also made trips in for her to put them on the table, give them treats, then put them down. Next, she would touch their feet, give them treats, put them down. All this plus once a week she actually trimmed a bit off. And it wasn't till after she had clipped them 4 times that she introduced the Dremel to them. Initially Willy had to be muzzled, but now he tolerates her doing it, no muzzle. I stand at his head and offer bits of hot dog and cheese.
Tasha is still a nervous wreck. It takes 2 groomers, me at her head putting treats in her mouth, and 3 ties to hold her in place. But we never put a muzzle on her, being she is a mill rescue. Tasha grinds her teeth when she is scared, a bad habit left over from her mill days. So I am squeezing in bits of hot dog and cheese to save her teeth! We have seen only slight improvement in her since starting all this in February. Plus now, she won't even walk in the place, I have to carry her in. Poor girl.
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