can anyone advise on training a pup not to fight /play / destroy a towel when getting dried?

[Missanneshirley]

We have a 10 week old lab pup - not our 1st but our 1st in 14 years...the horrors are slowly coming back to me!
He's doing really well with toilet training and obviously we are spending a lot of time in our muddy back garden. When I try to dry him, this seems to be a trigger for the very worst level of puppy madness, nipping, growling, grabbing etc - it really seems to wind him up - any advice?he's really been very good so far and I know it's all normal puppy stuff, but I can't find any advice online about how to discourage it.

[Missanneshirley]

Sorry, that wasn't very clear, I am meaning when I am trying to give him a rub dry / clean when we get back in the house

[Wolfiefan]

Give him a toy to hold?

[suz1rr]

I'd have someone else distract him with a really tasty treat whilst you dry him off, no Labrador can resist food! Maybe try putting it in a Kong toy or similar to make it last longer :)

[Wolfiefan]

Sorry. I meant the toy to distract whilst you dry.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Doggy hair dryer? (I have a blaster but it would probably be overkill for lab length hair). Mine falls asleep when I'm doing her. Would probably only take two minutes given his size & the shortness of his coat.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

To add I was going to say a toy but as it had already been said I thought I'd throw that idea in

[Springermum1350]

Mine did that at that age... nightmare.....but then the summer kicked in and I didn't have to and then winter came around and I tried to rub him down and he just let me. It's a puppy thing I think .... jumping after anything that moves. He no longer jumps and tries to grab things anymore now he is older...I can fold the washing in peace lol. Basically I think they are it as a game that they grow out of as they grow up.

[Missanneshirley]

Thanks all! Yes I'm hoping he'll just grow out of it- just conscious of not wanting to build the towel = wrestling fun connection! We live near the beach, so towelling down whether it's mud or sand is pretty much a year round occurrence!

[Missanneshirley]

What is a blaster?!!

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

www.rakuten.co.uk/shop/aosom/product/PetVac/?sku=D1-0040&sclid=a_pla_uk_broad&_$ja=tsid:71873|cid:296630916|agid:21232163316|tid:pla-135302751396|crid:73323265236|nw:g|rnd:11028510694494586357|dvc:m|adp:1o7&gclid=CIPnuN2S4MoCFQ-3GwodcjMHEA

I love mine, I managed to get it for £40 from amazon a while back. My girls likes playing in the rain so it's been used a lot this winter!

[Springermum1350]

I also would imagine he is very hyped up from the walk? Mine was. Maybe do some simple training to calm him down before you start rubbing him down ?

[LimeJellyHead]

Let him dry himself in a drying coat

www.dfordog.co.uk/dog-drying-coat.html

[Missanneshirley]

Thank you again. I've had some success by almost swaddling him- towel right over him, scoop him up and pop him on my knee belly up, if that makes sense. Seems to calm him. But obv there will be a size/time limit for how long this method will work !

[WeAllHaveWings]

At our puppy training classes we started by introducing a folded up tea towel so there were no flappy bits and calmly stroking with it and treating.

Gradually over a few days unfold towel bit by bit continuing to treat and keeping it calm.

[AcrossthePond55]

Ah Labs. They are truly a joy. I still miss ours terribly.

When she would do the towel 'thing' (or blankets or rugs or jackets or paper or dropped food) we'd suddenly freeze and say 'Eh-eh, drop it' in a loud kind of grunty, throaty way. Seemed to startle her a bit and she'd 'freeze' too. Then we'd take the 'whatever' out of her mouth repeating 'drop it' and replace it with a toy or praise. Eventually 'drop it' became a command and she'd drop whatever it was she had in her mouth.

It isn't working with our Dachshund though, little shit.

[FuzzyFairy]

I used to hold a treat in front of his nose (which would result in instant focus) then move the towel over him a few times saying "towel" then he'd get the treat. Repeat for longer and longer lengths of time and it didn't take him long to understand "the game"

[Roseberrry]

I tell mine sit, then give him a treat like and apple or carrot cube (so it takes a while to chew) while I do his paws. Gradually winding down the treats now and still having success so far.

[Helgathehairy]

TBH my almost 4 year old goldie still likes to do this occasionally. 90% of the time he's fine but once in a blue moon he thinks he's a puppy again. The other day he opened the door and nicked the towel and took off with it! He was delighted with himself!