Thanx H - it is scarey sometimes, but you have to keep the faith

Well done Ben and well done mum and dad for your perseverence. Reading your story has given me hope that I may be able to resolve a problem I have with my girl.

I have a problem drying and grooming my Roxy (rescue border collie cross) When she came to us 9 weeks ago she growled every time I tried to dry her with a towel. I left her for a few weeks but then, over the last 3 weeks or so I have been using small pieces of towel so that she feels my fingers in her coat (which she seems to enjoy) and we are gradually reducing the growling. Your story makes me feel that maybe, just maybe Roxy will accept that being dried and groomed is not such a bad thing after all.

Well done Gnasher. It's nice to hear success stories.

"a tail and frilly drawers shampoo and condition" ...... Where does one buy this product please?

Thats funny H, i Just had the same problem with Kodibear, he has had a couple of really thick knotted tangles behind his ears. I have tried tugging and pulling with my fingertips to untangle but he gets so fed up and lies down on the floor upside down to make it difficult for me. I then get down on the floor with him and try to hold his head but he gets more grumpy and starts with the soft mouth biting. Anyway about a week ago I decided to cut them out, but was worried about using scissors, so used short nosed electrical cutters. That worked a treat and he is knot free for the moment. I didn't get the kisses though, he just walked off disgusted with me.

Well done Ben and well done you. It just shows how gaining their trust is everything and all done through your gentle perseverance.

O bless her. I am convinced that with rescues like Roxy and my Ben they have been hurt in some way during grooming. Aggression is virtually always founded on a base of fear, and it is just a question of slowly slowly gently feely, holding back when they growl but at the same time let them know that it is unacceptable behaviour which will not result in total cessation of the grooming. I find with Ben if I stop brushing when he has squeaked, growled or lunged, but just stroke the area I was brushing whilst at the same time gently pushing his head away, he will usually relax and lay his head back down again. I think it is very important that their mouths are nowhere near the grooming hand! When Ben does go, I hold my finger up into his face and say a firm No, whilst at the same time stroking where I was brushing so that he knows his aggression is going nowhere.

Every single evening now when I get back from work we have a grooming session. Last night Ben actually came and sat in front of me and asked to be brushed!

Yup, you are right to cut out. It is virtually impossible to tease out the tangles behind the ears, and your hands are far too vulnerable being so close to the mouth. The last thing you want is to get bitten, even if it is only a threat - trust and confident is lost then on both sides. Much better is to cut out with round-ended scissors.

I used my John Frieda volumising shampoo, followed up with my L'oreal conditioner (because He's worth it!). Then a very thorough rinse with gallons of warm water, and a shampoo with Vetzyme flea shampoo

Wow that sounds so good, do you do people too?