My 2 year old husky decided all of a sudden that he doesn't like to be brushed anymore. He's always been fine before this and would usually sit (more or less) still for brushings but since he started blowing his coat this time around he won't let us near him with the brush. You literally have to wrestle him to the ground and then as soon as he gets a chance he runs off and hides under the bed for up to an hour. We've tried making it "fun" for him, involving treats, toys, and play time. We've also tried different brushes and different locations, etc. Does anyone out there have any ideas as to why all of a sudden he's so anti-brushing or, more importantly, how to get him over this? (my vaccum can't take much more husky hair).

Thanks a million!!!

Poor thing.

Have you checked his skin? Is it dry, flaky, itchy. Sometimes skin irritations can make it sensitive to brushing. I noticed that ever since Frankie had nasty hot spots, his skin is a little more dry and sensitive. I give supplements and treat his skin which has helped and now he tolerates brushing again. He doesn't love being brished, but will tolerate it whereas before he didn't mind it at all.

He's 2 years old which equals PITA (pain in the ass) teenager time. More rebellion to come for the next year.

Here4thePics wrote:

He's 2 years old which equals PITA (pain in the ass) teenager time. More rebellion to come for the next year.

Ditio.... we got jack at just over a yr and he is about 4 now, about 6months ago he started letting us brush him with out a fight. Hand in there, also dee had some good points on the skin

I usually only brush Kale when he's really sleepy or just about to fall asleep, when he's active and awake he tends to want to walk away or mouth the brush...and then tell me off.

I don't usually brush mine much more than removing clumps. But they have no choice when I decide to. I use treats and a muzzle to force the issue if needed (like when the clumps are dense enough to pull the skin causing a reaction). There is no way I would wait more than six months to get comfortable brushing a dog. They get it real fast and learn to like the sight of the brush too. The key is keeping the encounters random and positive. So don't try and brush at the same time every day in the same place. Mix it up. And mix up the time you spend actually trying to brush the dog.

There might be a period of 'teenage' rebellion, but even this can be quelled by consistent use of random brush encounters. It's for their own good dammit!

The older Mylo got the more he loved being brushed. Adobo (6yrs) seems to becoming like that too.
Biko (2yrs) he's the PITA one at this time but will learn to accept it.

Hahaha thanks guys. I definately think it's just the whole PITA phase. Hopefully he'll grow out of it soonish.

O goodness! Kale's almost 2! I hope he doesn't start getting a tude! lol

Mukaluck is gorgeous! Wishing you all the best in the anti-brushing phase he is going through! I'm sure he'll snap outta it

Ours went through an 'I don't want to be brushed' phase when he was younger. I wasn't having it and would force the issue when I had to and he learned back then I wasn't backing down and I was going to be victorious. And yep, I had several wrestling him to the ground instances too. Haven't ever had an issue again.

We also had similar struggles over nail clippings that pretty much went down the same way. He still gives me a hard time (not as bad) about nail clippings occasionally but overall he's pretty good...he's learned that whether we do it the easy way or the hard way it's going to happen.

My Zoe (8 years old) has never enjoyed being brushed. She's a wooly too, so when she blows her coat it is a nightmare. It usually takes about 3 people to bathe and groom her once a year when she starts, and even then she's very hind quarters shy, so getting her back legs and rump is next to impossible.