How to Brush a Puppy's Face

Your puppy is soft, cuddly, maybe even fluffy, and very high-energy and excited. This could potentially mean getting him to stay still long enough to brush his face might become a challenge. Brushing your puppy's face can be simple to do but might require some patience as your puppy sniffs and gets to know the brush and the routine of brushing his face along with the rest of his body. 

When you brush your puppy's face, whether he has short hair or a long beard, it's a good idea to give him a tasty treat at the beginning of your grooming session and while you work. This will help give your puppy something to do and focus on instead of being distracted during his facial.

Your puppy is discovering his entire world. Sitting still while you brush his face is never going to be top on his list of things he wants to do. You will need to keep him in a place free of distractions and reward him for giving you his attention while you're brushing his face. Your puppy might also be a bit nervous about having something like a brush so close to his eyes or mouth. Give him some time to get used to it and reward him with some treats.

• Your puppy is learning all kinds of new things. Knowing how to be handled and how to sit during a grooming session will be important for his entire life.
• Never hesitate to get your puppy's attention by using a treat. He does not need large treats, he will work pretty hard for a tiny morsel of food.
• If you need your puppy to be still while brushing his face, you can hide a larger treat or a larger piece of meat or cheese in your hand and only let him get to a portion of it. Keeping the rest hidden beneath your fingers with a little bit poking out of your hand will give him access to try to get to the treat while you focus your attention on brushing his face.
• If your puppy has a beard or long fur on his face, consider brushing his face at the end of every day. You can wait until he's sleepy and do it at bedtime. Definitely, do this after meals.
• Using a wet washcloth for a puppy with long fur might help remove any food or debris from his fur before brushing.
• Your puppy might be more relaxed lying down than sitting up. If he's anxious, change positions.

Your puppy is going to spend a lot of his time being handled throughout his entire life. Whether he needs to know how to be handled for dental care, ear cleaning, or for just general grooming, starting with brushing and touching your puppy's face will help him to understand what your expectations are for his behavior during grooming sessions in the years to come. Never hesitate to pamper your pooch early in his life.