My dog hates brushing. How to make grooming easier and prevent mats?

"Tons of treats" may be needed in the short term, but can usually be phased out once Julie is used to being groomed if you're worried about her weight. Using items such as lean boiled chicken breast that are still high value while providing some nutrition can be used as a treat that is still on the healthy side. You can also adjust her diet as needed on the days you train together by giving her slightly less dinner if she's had a lot of treats that day. Getting used to grooming takes patience and practice. Start slow and gradually build up- which means you may only get her tail brushed the first day, etc. If she likes the zoom groom OK, starting with that first and then working up to other brushes may help. If she accepts petting or brushing with it, you can brush with it for a bit, offer a treat (or if you're adamantly opposed to treats, a favorite toy or bit of catnip instead), and then switch to a different brush and repeat. You may only be able to get a few brushes in at first, and if she becomes too stressed, take a break and try again once she's calmed down. Some cats also get very agitated/playful from being brushed even if they do enjoy it. Having a "decoy" brush that she can chew on or play with while you use another, or switching between two brushes can help distract her some while you get grooming done. (My cat personally likes to have a toy in her mouth when she gets brushed). There are also some scratching-post like items that have brushes built into them to encourage the cat to rub against it and brush themselves. While those may not get out mats, they may help make grooming more "fun" for Julie. If she is getting stressed to the point where she is becoming aggressive, hiding, lashing out, etc and won't let you handle her at all for grooming, then speaking with your vet is always best. They may recommend a medication to help relax her during grooming periods, recommend sedated grooming sessions, or may be able to point you to other ways to help her remain calm while being brushed.

Time and patience! Some cats don't like being groomed, or can become easily overstimulated from the tines of a brush. There are some self-grooming tools out there that may be less overstimulating and more interesting to Florence, such as arches with bristles on them the cat can rub against, or even plastic brushes that attached to wall corners to all your cat to rub up against it. A softer rubber brush such as a Kong brush, or even a grooming glove rather than a deshedding glove may also be gentle enough to avoid irritation while still getting mats out. If Florence is really nervous about the brushes, start slow. You can find a treat or snack she likes (such as a smelly piece of chicken or tuna) and then just brush her ONCE and give the treat. Once she is OK with that, you can move up to brushing a few spots in between treats, and then finally grooming mats or more problematic areas until she is more used to it. If she has some very bad mats that are affecting her health and she won't let you groom her at all, speaking with your vet about sedation so that she can be groomed thoroughly and all mats removed may help until she is more comfortable with being brushed.

First of all, Bentley is way too young for a bath (unless he has gotten into something nasty). It is a good idea to bathe him twice a year, just as the hair starts to clump. As for the equipment: I had a Samoyed for years, and also Siberians--another double-coated breed. Your best bet is to use a rake (made for dogs, not your lawn rake!). Aside from a general going-over to get the loose hair out, the best method for grooming Bentley is to pick up a section of hair., as if you were going to tease it. Do nothing with the section except hold it. Rake what's left underneath (the undercoat). If Bentley's hair is really clumping, you can grab a handful yourself. You might want to use the metal comb to get the hair around his face, but it's not really necessary--nor are all the other products you bought. You can train him to the rake by initially just showing it to him with a treat. Just run the rake gently over his coat and treat/praise when he leaves it alone.

Not all dogs are used to brushing and it may make them nervous. You can try making it a positive experience by giving her high value treats while she is being brushed- have someone feed them to her during brushing, or put peanut butter on a spoon they can hold for her to lick off, or if you are home you can put peanut butter spread on a plate she can lick. I would also consider Adaptil spray placed on a bandana prior to grooming (available online).

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Adorable pictures! My advice is to go slow and not force it. Use positive reinforcement: delicious treats, peanut butter, etc. And only brush for a short period of time until he stops tolerating it. This is called desensitization. I would also ask your Vet for a short acting sedative to take the edge off before you do this each time. Options are: xanax, trazadone or acepromazine. I would hope over time that he will tolerate the brushing once he knows it isn't terrible. Also make sure the brush isn't painful to his skin. I wish you the best!

Some vets can sedate cats and then groom them or even clip them short so that you don’t need to worry about brushing as frequently. You could also try a pheromone diffuser or spray like Feliway if it’s available near you but it may not be quite enough to get the job done.

You can try to make the grooming experience as pleasant as possible for Penelope so that she will be more willing to hold still. I'd try offering her a very highly valued treat (something she loves and only gets when groomed) to distract her while you try grooming her. As long as she does not have a dietary sensitivity Peanut butter or spray cheese can work nicely. Initially you may need a second person to offer treats to distract while you groom, but hopefully Penelope will eventually allow you to groom her without an extra hand. You may want to also try Adaptil spray to help calm her during grooming. If these techniques do not work you will need to take Penelope to a veterinarian who offers grooming services. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!