A Step in the right direction!

I don´t think you have understood my post at all, John. I have NEVER switched it on near Joshua, and never would. I get it out, he goes and hides in the bathroom, I take it outside with Ferdie and then switch it on. Joshua is nowhere to be seen or heard. Last week he came out into the garden voluntarily and laid himself down about six feet away and watched while I blasted Ferdie´s dead hair. I will say again, Ferdie loves it. This is the whole point: Joshua has decided for himself after all this time to come and investigate, which is what I am so pleased about. There are no quick fixes to any dog behaviour, certainly never for a fear such as this or any other. It is a question of letting the dog decide when he is ready to come closer, which is what I have done. It may be that I will never be able to actually use it to groom him, but that is his choice and will remain so.

Perhaps I misjudged the score then but if you knew the dog was so terrified why even switch it on? If I had gotton out something that had such a drastic reaction I wouldn´t have even tried to switch it on. I would leave it on the floor where the dogs would pass it and give the dog chance to acclimatise himself to seeing it first; then having secured that confience then move on slowly. It would never have a quick fix for such a terror that obvioulsy is so deep rooted in the poor boy. Hopefully with a lesser "in his face" scenario Joshua may get used to the blaster sufficiently.

yeah, sounds like a step in the right direction to me...was wondering what a blaster was myself, lol! When I first moved in with my hubby, George did not like me using my hairdryer/diffuser and hated me dispensing mousse...whenever he saw the mousse and hairdryer come out he´d head for the door sharpish but now he sleeps right through the whole thing...doesn´t even flicker. Now, Millie, is also not much of a grooming (or bathing, ha!) fan so I just do little bits at a time, brushing and treating, brushing and treating, and we get there in the end, so me thinks you just gotta keep doing what you´re doing Margaret.

awah thats really good keep at it x

There would be no way to groom them up for a show, without forcing them into things they hate! I have never wanted to show them so I am not bothered, so long as they are comfortable. Neither of them will stay still to be brushed for long, but Ferdie will sit for ages for the blaster, which is why it would be nice if Joshua wasn´t so scared of it. Still, fingers crossed!

yes ive seen them trimmed at shows they look quite smart, shame they wont keep still

No, Vena, only what I can do myself. A lot of newfie owners I know trim down everything but their backs, which I have tried to do, but I´m afraid they are not keen on being groomed at all so won´t stay still for that. They get clipped under their tums, though, otherwise it would get matted and be dragging on the floor!

Do you have him trimmed Margaret

Got it a blaster is a dog hair dryer - I used to use the hover on my G.S.D, use to run the brush over their bodies they would line up pushing each other out of the way, must say am happier now that all my dogs are short fur lot easier to groom them xxx

It is a sort of doggy hairdryer which groomers use, only theirs is much bigger. Also, if used on dry fur, it blows out all the dead fur and makes it easier to brush. John, I did emphasise that I have NEVER used it on Joshua. When we picked him up from the breeder at the age of 8 weeks, she said that he didn´t like the blaster. I thought no more about that until I bought one, took it out of the box and Joshua went and hid in the cupboard. Most dogs are fine with them and Ferdie, in fact, thinks it is great. I wouldn´t dream of getting it anywhere near Joshua, but the fact that he came that close and watched means that he is not as scared as he was.