Introduce a brush and the nail clipper during some of these sessions and make the brushing feel good. As your dog grows up and it s no longer practical to hold him in your lap, encourage him to lie on his side for his massages. Grooming and nail cutting are much easier on both of you when the dog lies quietly on his side. Your dog will look forward to grooming if you ve shown him since puppyhood how pleasurable it can be. The guardian breeds can be reluctant to meet new people and must be taught to tolerate strangers.
Many puppies enjoy the people they meet and want attention.
It really doesn t matter how your puppy feels about it, though. The most important thing is that he learn to tolerate being handled by strangers because you want him to. Without this training, visits to the vet, the groomer or boarding kennel will always be difficult or even impossible. When a visitor wants to pet your puppy, pick him up and put him in the person s arms. Shy or frightened puppies often do better when picked up than if approached on the ground.