Grooming A Wiggly Piggy!

[rjg]

Hello, hope you're all well?

I am after some advice. I have 2 14 week old Shelties and they have long hair that need a groom and potential mats cut out. But they're so wiggly that I cannot groom them without them jumping, squeaking then managing to get out of my hands. They just won't stand / be still and I am worried that if I just leave them they'll be uncomfortable etc.

They were re-homed at 10 weeks old, so they weren't handled much then. Since being with me I have been trying to handle them every day, they only manage 5 minute slots and even then they're wrapped up in the towel...its hard work!

Any tips / advice would be grateful appreciated!

Thanks
Rebecca

 

[Chief Guinea Pig]

Do you have a lap pad? Or a garden kneeling mat with fleece or towel on?
Cosies like cuddle cups may help to calm them down, or a bit of bribery with some parsley/another veg.
Bringing them out together may make them feel secure.

 

[rjg]

I sit on the floor with a towel in my lap with them on it. What I did this evening was hand feeding them some cucumber then placing the cucumber in front of them to eat while I groomed but they just legged it! Wasn't interested in the cucumber anymore!

While I've got one the other one sits in a big cat cave bed, so they can hear and see each other. But they're not next to each other, so soon as they hear the other one squeaking or munching they wiggle so much that I worry I will hurt them or stress them out if I cling on to them, so I let them go.

How would you handle both on my lap?

Thanks
Rx