Brushing Grumpy Long-haired Sow

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Jen H

Jen H

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Hi- does anyone have any advice on the best way to brush and trim underneath the body please? I have a grumpy, quite dominant sow who squeaks and makes as if to nip when I brush her or try to trim off tangles. She doesn't like to be held up either. She likes veg but scoffs it really quickly so she can carry on bossing us about. This makes her sound awful but she's a proper character!
Thanks.
 
I try to keep my three ninja perus' bums and side hairs pretty short, so I don't have to groom them daily. Try to do it in a room where she is a bit out of her comfort zone, so she will be a bit quieter.
 
Wiebke said:
I try to keep my three ninja perus' bums and side hairs pretty short, so I don't have to groom them daily. Try to do it in a room where she is a bit out of her comfort zone, so she will be a bit quieter.
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Thanks Wiebke, I'll try that. Any tips on how to best hold her? She seems to sense when the scissors are near. Love 'ninja' haha! That's what it's like!
 
I trim my medium-long haired pigs fur when it looks a bit long too so I don't have to try and comb her as frequently. She really doesn't like me combing near her rear end and I get a lot of squeaks in protest!
I have to have another person hold her still and distract her with food while I do the trim though.
 
Jen H said:
Thanks Wiebke, I'll try that. Any tips on how to best hold her? She seems to sense when the scissors are near. Love 'ninja' haha! That's what it's like!
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It is generally easier of you have some body else to hold and distract her with some grass. Mine absolutely hate being touched at the back. They came into rescue totally matted, so it must have really pulled on the skin and hurt to remove it all! :(

If you do it alone, it can be a bit of a piggy wrestling session... My trio is generally getting somewhat better behaved these days, but not quite always! :(
 
My long-haired Bonnie really hates having her bum brushed, combed and trimmed. I keep the hair there cut short to help keep it clean and tangle-free. When I am trying to brush her bum she keeps turning around. I put her on my lap, sitting on a thick towel as she is a prolific wee-er, and hold her against my belly to stop her running off and/or turning around. I put my left hand under her tummy and lift her back feet off the towel to see underneath better. To trim between the back legs, I hold her back against my belly and lift her front feet off the towel so that her back feet are sticking up in the air. I let her have a rest every few minutes and give her something to eat. It can take quite a while as she protests so much!
 

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All great advice, thank you so much. I'll definitely have someone distract her and try holding her back against my belly.

The things we have to do! Brushing bums and wrestling piggies ha ha! Pedro knows I'm plotting something - she's glaring at me through the bars of the run (while munching some poop!).
 
7squeakers. said:
My long-haired Bonnie really hates having her bum brushed, combed and trimmed. I keep the hair there cut short to help keep it clean and tangle-free. When I am trying to brush her bum she keeps turning around. I put her on my lap, sitting on a thick towel as she is a prolific wee-er, and hold her against my belly to stop her running off and/or turning around. I put my left hand under her tummy and lift her back feet off the towel to see underneath better. To trim between the back legs, I hold her back against my belly and lift her front feet off the towel so that her back feet are sticking up in the air. I let her have a rest every few minutes and give her something to eat. It can take quite a while as she protests so much!
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P.s. Bonnie is gorgeous! Lovely glossy fur.
 
I saw this thread and thought 'Is someone else writing about Bernadette?' I have a VERY grumpy long-haired Lunky sow who is the biggest diva when being brushed - she will only let me cut her hair if I don't actually touch her half the time! I either have to get my fiancé to hold her so I can brush her bum, or hold her up at one end so the other end can't run!
 
Haha- I can just picture her little paws running in the air but her not going anywhere! Love the name Bernadette.
 
She's so gorgeous! Her fur looks like my Caramel's. Caramel also hates being held, butt trimmed, or having his nails clipped, though he doesn't particularly mind being combed/brushed. Anyhow, to keep him from squirming I go in the garden and pick a giant handful of fresh grass (100% free from pesticides and fertilisers) and give it to him while I groom him. It calms him right down and he lets me do whatever I want as long as he is eating the grass!

This is Caramel, I keep the fur by his bottom short so it stays clean and tangle-free:

 
Thank you! Yes her fur IS like Caramel's isn't it! Caramel looks really cute munching away, love the neatly parted hairdo too!
Hadn't thought of distracting her with grass- I can give her loads to keep her occupied. I tried giving her pepper but she scoffed it in a second then whipped her head round and caught me red- handed with the scissors.
 
I feel that I need to point out that my daughter named her Pedro! Pedro Jamaica, to give her her full title. Crazy child!
 
Thank you! :)

I have to rely on grass to distract Caramel from anything. He doesn't like pepper. When I clip his nails he doesn't let me drag his leg out so I have to hold him with his tummy in the air and clip that way. He squirms if he has no grass, but if he does then he happily munches as if he hasn't noticed anything different!

Yes Pedro Jamaica is a very crazy name. Fitting for a crazy guinea pig! :D
 
Jen H said:
Hi- does anyone have any advice on the best way to brush and trim underneath the body please? I have a grumpy, quite dominant sow who squeaks and makes as if to nip when I brush her or try to trim off tangles. She doesn't like to be held up either. She likes veg but scoffs it really quickly so she can carry on bossing us about. This makes her sound awful but she's a proper character!
Thanks.
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Love her, sounds like a right character !
Fudge is long coated, but he is only young, and is submissive to treacle. So he lets me do anything to him, I still trim his bum and keep it short.
 
Treacle said:
Love her, sounds like a right character !
Fudge is long coated, but he is only young, and is submissive to treacle. So he lets me do anything to him, I still trim his bum and keep it short.
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Aww that's really sweet. Lucky that your long haired is cuddly! My Flo is easier to handle but doesn't need trimming.
 
image.webp I brushed Rambo today and she screamed bloody murder got nipped on the hands a couple time and when I gave her a few minutes to rest she nipped my chin....

She looks a lot better now... Not looking forward to when I have to do it again... As she gets bigger her fur gets longer, don't get me started with nail clipping..
 
Hahaha! I LOVE Rambo! Crazy hair, proper 'tude and brilliant fleece (where's that from please?)! Is she named after the film?
 
Jen H said:
Hahaha! I LOVE Rambo! Crazy hair, proper 'tude and brilliant fleece (where's that from please?)! Is she named after the film?
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My OH named her as she's adventurous, crazy and wild. It suits her :) she's not a violent killer or anything. Just plain mental.
Got the fleece from a place called Cavy Couture. Custom made as I wanted a mega lap blanket. Did it at a reasonable price too :)
 
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