You need to trim
around your pet’s eyes, nose, and ears, but how do you get them to hold
still? Here are some tips:
Click-click-clicker train!
If
you teach your pet that the click means ‘treat’, you can pinpoint behavior that
you like, such as standing very still.
Make them tired
Groom after a
brisk walk or game of ball. Exercise
that relaxes your pet will help reduce its need to act like a jack-in-a-box.
Clean it up
Make sure the
hair is clean and tangle-free before clipping. A gentle bath is one stress-free way to clean them up.
Think in seconds
Some pets have really short attention spans. Start out where they can succeed and reward
them for that. Then start extending the time spent being still.
Hold it shut
If
your pet is okay with it, you can reward them for letting you hold their muzzle
shut for an instant. Eventually work up
to a few seconds of holding. Never force
the muzzle shut.
Get in their face
Take
your scissors/clippers and wave them in front of your pet’s face. Then reward!
Every time they see the scissors/clippers, make sure that something good
is coming.
Practice elsewhere
To
get your pet used to the sound and feel of cutting and trimming tools, snip
some pieces of fur on another part of the body.
Lavishly reward them.
Keep it short
Keep the stress
low for both you and your pet by not insisting on doing everything at once, but
rather doing what you can in a short time.
Less is more
A short daily
grooming is much better than a Herculean task every couple of weeks.
Tiny Trim it
Don’t use big
scissors to do small jobs; pick a small set of scissors to work around noses
and eyes.