Hair Brushing
Grooming & Handling · 35 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to enjoy being brushed starting with a soft brush, and then a standard brush for Your Dog's fur type.
**Puppies:** Getting your puppy happy about being brushed is wonderful socialization during the puppy window (around 4 to 16 weeks), when puppies learn what is safe and normal in their world. Because a young puppy usually has no fear to undo and soaks up new experiences fast, you can often run this plan in **proof mode** (proof levels 1 and 2, the harder review steps) so your puppy breezes through it faster than an adult dog might need. Keep every rep positive and let your puppy set the pace.
Training steps
Pair the sight of the soft hair brush with treats at a distance
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, show them the hair brush from a distance, then toss a generous handful of tasty treats so Your Dog does not have to move toward the brush to eat them.
Success: Your Dog eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Pair the sight of the soft hair brush with treats
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, show them the hair brush, then surprise them with a generous handful of tasty treats. Stay where you are and let Your Dog come to you, choosing to approach the brush on their own terms. Between reps, sit with Your Dog without feeding them and keep the brush hidden. This contrast will have Your Dog thinking, "Where is that brush? I want to see it again because great things happen when it appears!"
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Put the soft hair brush on the floor and sprinkle treats around it
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, put the hair brush on the floor, sprinkle a generous handful of tasty treats around it, and back away so Your Dog can approach and find the treats without any social pressure.
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch the soft hair brush to hips for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
After touching, quickly feed a treat from the other hand.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush hips with 1 stroke, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush hips with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush back with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush thigh with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush back leg with 1 stroke, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush back leg with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush side with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush shoulder with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Do 3 strokes per rep, feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush front leg with 1 stroke, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush front leg with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush back neck with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush front neck with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush ears with 1 stroke, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush ears with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush face with 1 stroke, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush face with 3 strokes if needed, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after. The mouth handling plan can help prepare dogs with a lot of fur on their face.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush tail with 1 stroke, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush tail with 3 strokes, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush pants with 1 stroke, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush pants with 3 strokes, if needed, soft brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Pair the sight of the standard hair brush with treats
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, show them the hair brush, then surprise them with a generous handful of tasty treats. Stay where you are and let Your Dog come to you, choosing to approach the brush on their own terms. Between reps, sit with Your Dog without feeding them and keep the brush hidden. This contrast will have Your Dog thinking, "Where is that brush? I want to see it again because great things happen when it appears!"
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush hips with 1 stroke, standard brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Switch to using the standard brush on hips
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Do 3 strokes per rep, feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush back with 3 strokes, standard brush
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush for 10 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Brush anywhere needed with whichever brush you prefer, and feed a treat after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush for 15 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Brush anywhere needed with whichever brush you prefer, and feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush for 30 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Brush anywhere needed with whichever brush you prefer, and feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush for 45 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Brush anywhere needed with whichever brush you prefer, and feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush for 1 minute
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Brush anywhere needed with whichever brush you prefer, and feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush for 1 and a half minutes
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Brush anywhere needed with whichever brush you prefer, and feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Brush for 2 minutes
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Brush anywhere needed with whichever brush you prefer, and feed a treat after every rep. This step uses a "variable interval" schedule where you mix shorter durations (blue) in among the longer target durations (green) to keep your rate of reinforcement strong and unpredictable. You will complete more than 5 reps per step but only the target durations will be counted toward the tally. Regardless, give Your Dog a treat for every rep, even if it is only 1 second long. Start the timer and follow the duration prompts.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during brushing.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Congratulations! You now have a dog who loves to have their fur brushed.
Keep the positive association strong by giving Your Dog some high-value treats every time you brush their fur.
If Your Dog starts avoiding having their fur brushed, that's completely okay! Simply Drop back to a step they're comfortable with and work through the plan again or restart the plan with proof steps. Go at Your Dog's pace and do as much training as they need.