# How do I train my puppy to lie on his side?



## Holli (Mar 31, 2008)

I have been reading that it's ideal to have the dog lie on its side when brushing and combing his/her coat. I have trained Zippy to know the down and down-stay comands, but none of these lying down positions are on his side; they're all lying down on his belly.

Right now I groom Zippy on a table, waist-high to me, and am able to get him to stay still by bribing him with freeze-dried chicken strips. (I keep them in the freezer, making them last longer.) But once the chicken is gone, Zippy wants nothing more to do with the grooming activities. So it's a race to see how much brushing and combing I can get through before the 90 seconds are up (which is the time it takes him to polish off 2 chicken strips)!

Can anyone tell me how to get Zippy to lie on his side (they didn't cover that command in Puppy Kindergarten), and how I can get him to really love the grooming experience?


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

While Zippy is standing on the table, gently reach around him and grab his back leg and foreleg that are farthest from you and hug him close to your body, and gently lay him on his side while saying "Side". He will fight you at first, but firmly press him down with one hand, and rub him with the other. You can gradually increase the time, and reward and treat. Do not try to remove mats for a while because you want this to be a pleasurable position.

For what it's worth, I've never gotten mine to lay on their side by command, but they all know the word and don't resist when I put them on their side. They will lay there for hours if I wanted them to, and allow me to fully groom, remove mats, shave feet, etc. 

To get them to the other side, I say "Side" again and roll them from the one side, over on their back to the other.


----------



## Holli (Mar 31, 2008)

Thanks - I'll give it a try.


----------



## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Holli another trick some of us use that do not show our dogs but love the full coat look (cry Ry is getting cut down) is to shave the belly and underarms down to about 1" or less. These are such tender areas to remove mats, it will make your life and his so much easier.


----------



## Holli (Mar 31, 2008)

Great idea. Since I never intended to show him (he's already neutered), I'll tell the groomer to extend the hygene-shave when I take him in again (next month).


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

How old is Zippy now? Removing the armpit hair helps a lot when they are blowing their puppy coat.


----------



## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Hi Holli,

When Lincoln was a puppy, he didn't like lying on his side on a hard table. You could try putting a folded towel on top so it is a little softer. I do my grooming on my bed - it is very comfy and my boys will often doze off. I can put them easily on their sides, backs, etc. And they won't try to escape because it is too high up. Good luck!


----------



## jevans708 (Dec 8, 2007)

Both our pups get combed laying on their side. We started by grooming at bedtime when they are not really awake but not yet asleep. We start at one rear leg, work up the side to the front leg, roll them on their back to do under the neck and chest, roll them to the other side and start at the rear leg, up the side to the front leg, roll them on their belly and finish from tail to the head. After they got used to the routine we can comb them anywhere. If you do it the same way every time they learn what to expect and will stay until your finished. If you don't get through the first time let them get comfy and start again. We start at the back leg because it creates less hair pulling.

We also found this time of day to be the best time to introduce nail clipping, trimming the feet, cleaning the ears, etc.

Good luckhttp://www.havaneseforum.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Smile


----------



## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Jane, unless MeMe was on the top bunk bed, she'd find a way off. That's amazing the boys don't try and jump off the bed. Kimberly, I'll try your technique to teach MeMe this command as she's a master at twisting around and especially at hiding those front legs. She'll let me groom her on her back on my lap, but will not lie on her side at all.


----------



## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Me&2Girls said:


> Jane, unless MeMe was on the top bunk bed, she'd find a way off. That's amazing the boys don't try and jump off the bed. Kimberly, I'll try your technique to teach MeMe this command as she's a master at twisting around and especially at hiding those front legs. She'll let me groom her on her back on my lap, but will not lie on her side at all.


Maybe they don't jump off the bed because I have them lie in between my legs - kind of like a barrier. MeMe is quite a peppy gal though - I remember how she barreled down the kiddie slide at my house, over and over and over again!

Lincoln has leaped off the grooming table while I was drying him with the hair dryer once. Ack!


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Jane & Jevan's comments reminded me that when they are tired is best. I prefer to do grooming on younger dogs after they've been out running, or right before naptime or bedtime. The element of being tired works in your favor.


----------



## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Thanks for this post Holli. Lola will not hold still for grooming - by me. She wants to bite the brush or comb, twists and turns. I groom her on a section of the kitchen counter. I can get through most of her coat - puppy cut helps - while she is standing. So I smear a long, wide, thin swath of cream cheese on the table, and in the time it takes her to clear it off, we have one side done. I literally have to groom her legs while she is standing on the other 3. 

Even when she is exhausted from doggie play care, and can hardly lift her head, she will bite at the grooming tools. So the table, cream cheese and having her clipped/shaved under the arms where the mats are the worst, seems to do the trick. Now she loves the promise of the grooming bag coming out and she tries to jump up on the counter. Until Lola grows up and mellows out some more, this is the best I can do.


----------



## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Anne - the cream cheese is a pretty clever idea. Will Lola bother with the combs and brushes when you aren't using them?


----------



## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Lola just treats the combs and brushes as chew toys. Since day one. She's starting to understand that good girls dont chew them and good girls get cream cheese.


----------



## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Argh, Lisa, you reminded me. When Lincoln was a puppy, he chewed up the handle of my brand new Chris Christensen pin brush when I wasn't looking. It still really bugs me - what once was a nice smooth handle is all pitted and rough now! :frusty:


----------



## Holli (Mar 31, 2008)

fantastic idea about the thread of cream cheese - I will certainly try that one. I'm hoping that it takes Zippy longer to lick up the cream cheese then to eat the freeze dried chicken or duck strips.


----------

