# pawing at face and new photos



## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

Haven't posted in a while, so thought I'd give you some current Shama photos. Her hair on the top of her head is SLOWLY growing back after so much of it got pulled out when removing rubber (latex-free, actually) bands. I couldn't resist having the groomer give her another topknot at her most recent appointment. Of course some hair later came out even as we were ever-so-carefully cutting out the band . . . Now she's back to au naturel. Anyway, one photo of her just looking cute, and one photo of her "sitting pretty."

Part of the reason we're taking a break from the topknot struggle is that she started pawing at her face whenever I groomed her head, and if I kept going, she would start to tremble, almost as if she was having a seizure. Today, we had a trainer friend come over to observe Shama's reaction to being groomed, and she pointed out that DH and I give Shama A LOT of attention whenever she paws at her face. She suggested we not give her "facial contact" when she's doing that and only turn our faces to her when she's not pawing at her face. It was interesting, because I'd never really thought about facial contact as opposed to eye contact. She said you can peek out of the corner of your eye to check things out but that dogs consider full-on facial contact to be a reward, so they'll repeat the behavior that gets that. We'll give it a try.

We want Shama to one day be a therapy dog, so we want to break this pawing at her face habit (which has evolved into something she does whenever she wants to be put down instead of being held . . .)

The vet said she could have a mild allergy resulting in itchy eyes, but we don't think she has any respiratory issues. She checked her eyes to see if they were particularly teary, but they weren't. She has a tear-stain supplement with her food, so it would seem that tear staining issues are not related to the pawing. The vet checked for ingrown eyelashes and found none. If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to share. Thanks!


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## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

I have no idea re face pawing, but I'm posting to say that she's just a stunningly gorgeous, tiny thing.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

She is absolutely adorable! Since Panda's eye staining is so much worse, I've got nothing to offer ther! (However, Panda doesn't act like her eyes bother her at all, and she doesn't paw at them)


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

She's really pretty. Can't help with the face pawing though.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Have no ideas about the pawing, but Shama is a little beauty!


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## katscleancutdogs (May 18, 2016)

Kati rubs her face on everything especially when she gets really excited. I read from someone else here that noticed their Hav did the same and they didn't have tear staining or hair issues. I think your trainer is on the right track if it's behavioral... which if she is 'transferring' the behavior to other situations than it probably is, but it can't hurt to have her eyes checked by the vet periodically just in case 


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