How to Calm a Gull Dong Before Grooming

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How to Calm a Gull Dong Before Grooming

Medium

10 - 60 Minutes

1 Week

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Introduction

The Gull Dong originates from Pakistan, where they were once used for bear baiting as they can be quite ferocious if trained properly. On the other side of the picture, these strong, muscular dogs are known for being extremely loyal to their family. However, they are very wary of strangers and protective of the families. While very intelligent, they are also very strong-willed. Training at a young age is recommended and be sure your dog knows his place in the pecking order in order for him to remain calmer.

Dog's Perspective

Since the Gull Dong has very short hair, your pup won't need much in the way of serious grooming. You should, however, brush his coat once a week to remove dirt, dust, and any parasites. Bathe him when you think he needs it or talk to your vet about how often he should be bathed.

The Love and Affection Method

Effective

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Slicker Brush

Step

A happy dog is a calm dog

When your pup is happy, he tends to be much calmer. You can start out by tiring your dog out with a good walk. He will love the chance to stretch his legs, go potty, and hang out with his "human."

Step

Keep up the good work

Going for a walk is just the beginning. Since these guys tend to have a lot of energy, when you get back from the walk and before you go in the house, spend some time playing with your pup. The more time you spend doing things like this, the stronger your bond will be. In turn, this will build a level of trust that will help your pup remain calmer at grooming time.

Step

Trust my touch

Once inside, it's time for your pup to get used to being handled. Most dogs don’t mind being touched on their bodies, but when it comes to their paws, head, tail, and private areas, they tend not to be happy. One way to get them past this is to spend a lot of time cuddling your pup and touching him everywhere. This will help him to become very comfortable with your touch.

Step

Play it low-key

The entire time you are cuddling and playing with your pup, keep talking to him in a calm, reassuring voice, praise him for being a good boy. You can give him a few treats so that he associates being calm with getting a reward.

Step

Introduce your pup to his new grooming tools

Lay out the grooming tools you plan to use, in this case a nice boar bristle brush should do the trick, and let your pup take a good look at it, give him time to give it a good sniff. Once he realizes it won't hurt him, he won't be worried about you using it to brush his coat.

The Exercise First Method

Effective

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Slicker Brush

Step

Walk off the excitement

In reality, your pup is simply happy to be alive and with a good family. This means any time you get ready to do something like grooming him, you need to calm him down with plenty of exercise first. Start out by taking your pup for a nice walk in the fresh air.

Step

Stage two

A walk is only half the picture. When you get home, you need to grab his toy ball and play around in the yard to finish tiring him out. You want your fuzzball to be tired enough that what he really wants is a nap.

Step

Stage three

This is the hard part, you need to scoop your pup up and spend some time touching and rubbing him all over. This will help him get over his displeasure and nervousness at being handled.

Step

Stage four

At this point your pooch should be used to your light touch, so now let's dig a little deeper and give your four-legged friend an all over body massage. This should relax his muscles and put him in the mood to be groomed.

Step

Final stage

Pick up the brush and hold it up at his nose level. Let him see it, sniff it, and if the urge strikes lick it. Once he sees there is nothing to worry about, it won't bother him when you move on to grooming him with it.

Step

Let the grooming begin

With your dog properly chilled out and relaxed with your grooming tools, start gently brushing. If he's still a bit anxious, take it slow. Keep brushing to just a few minutes, gradually extending the time at each grooming session until you can cover your whole pup in one shot.

Caution & Considerations

If your Gull Dong is just a puppy when you start this training, instead of going for a walk, you can tire him out simply playing with him.
Be sure to praise your pup and use plenty of treats to reward him for being good.
Take your time, give your pup several days of walking/playing to get used to the idea of being calm.
Playtime is not only a good way to tire your dog out, it is a great way for the two of you to bond. With this bond comes trust and with trust comes a state of calm that will make grooming much easier.
Be gentle with the brush on your pup's skin, his coat is so short that being rough can injure his skin.
While you are brushing your pup, check him over for fleas, ticks, and any signs of injury.

Conclusion

If you train your pup from an early age, he will know his place in the pack and learn to remain calm. These dogs make great companions as long as you are willing to put in the time needed to train them and always make sure your pup knows who the Alpha in the pack is.

How to Calm a Gull Dong Before Grooming

Introduction

Dog's Perspective

The Love and Affection Method

The Exercise First Method

Caution & Considerations

Conclusion

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

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