When I started my business (Organix Canine Wellness Centre) my goal was for every dog to leave the dog spa happy. Unfortunately, it was all too common in the grooming world for dogs to walk in terrified, stressed or aggressively defensive. I didn’t want that to be the norm for my business.
Once I was in control, I quickly realised that many of the issues the dogs were having could have been prevented (or reduced) with a little bit of desensitisation. Dogs who had been groomed regularly or participated in training with their owner had far more confidence in the new environment and generally learned better. They also had less separation anxiety and were happier to work with me and what I was asking of them.
I always did (and do) everything I can to make a dog comfortable, but, at the end of the day the biggest changes were seen with the dogs who had worked on their fears at home. On the odd occasion, there have been dogs that genuinely disliked being groomed, but with the methods below, even these dogs relaxed enough to be nonchalant about the whole thing. Thus making their experience not terrible, at the least.
If you truly want your dog to have a stress-free, happy and fun grooming experience, here are five ways you can help.
1. Brush your dog weekly.
If you’re not regularly brushing your dog, there is a good chance they are quite knotty or even matted when they go to the groomer. This can lead to a negative grooming experience for your dog as the knots and mats are painful when brushed out. Regular brushing prevents knots and matts and one or two knots is far less painful than brushing out an entire dog of knots.
Often dogs become scared of being brushed when every time they are brushed they are hurt. If this has happened to your dog and they are now afraid to be brushed, brush daily and gently. Start with just one leg per day and always reward them after brushing. This way, your dog learns to wait to be brushed to receive their reward.
My dog hates being brushed, though!
This is rarely an open-and-shut case or blanket statement. Psychologically, your dog must have learned that being brushed is negative in some way, not on purpose, of course.
Here are some potential reasons why:
- The brush you’re using is sharp or causes pain
- You brush too aggressively, causing pain
- You don’t lighten your touch around sensitive areas like the legs, causing discomfort
- You position and move your dog past their normal range of movement, causing discomfort
- You haven’t taught your dog to be patient, increasing fidgeting
- You don’t reward your dog during brushing, giving your dog no reason to hang around
Basically, something is going wrong, and since you’re the one doing the brushing, unfortunately, it’s gotta be you. (Don’t hate me!) Just relax, be gentle, start slowly and brush little bits at a time every day.
2. Touch your dog’s legs and paws daily.
Yes, daily, and not while they’re asleep or relaxed on the couch—it doesn’t count. Don’t assume because your dog shakes your hand or lets you lift their paw to put on a harness or jacket that they’re okay with having their paws touched. Your dog has to be aware of what is being asked and (ideally) cooperate or tolerate it for a reward. You should do this daily after their walk so you know there are no prickles, lumps of dirt or cuts on your dog’s paws.
This can be taught and is really important for nail trimming, paw pad checking, leg trimming, and even body trimming, as the legs are often lifted to stretch the skin of the abdomen. You won’t realise how important this skill is for your dog until something goes wrong – or they need a nail trim and no one is able to do it for you. If you need help, contact a dog trainer and ask to learn how to teach your dog to allow full-body palpation for grooming and vet exams.
3. Flip your dog’s ears over and look inside weekly.
A dog’s ears are very sensitive to touch and sensations. This can make it really difficult when they need to be checked or cleaned. Dogs that have chronic ear infections are usually extra sensitive, one – because they may be sore and two – because administering medicated drops often hurts. If this is the situation your dog usually experiences, it’s understandable that they might grow to hate having their ears touched.
Flipping your dog’s ears over to look inside on a regular basis will not only help you understand your dog’s ear flora and what is normal for them, but you’ll also be able to catch ear infections before they get out of hand. This helps to desensitise them when it comes time to clean them or administer medication.
Pro tip: Massage the base of your dog’s ears whenever you’re checking or medicating their ears. This helps any solution to enter the ear canal and takes your dog’s mind off what is happening as they receive a little massage. If you do what most vets recommend – flip the ear over and squirt the medication/cleaner in to fill up the ear canal, then let the dog shake its head, your dog will only grow to hate the experience.
4. Teach them to sit AND stand.
Teaching your dog to sit is pretty common, and I’d argue that most dogs can do it to a greater or lesser extent. But teaching your dog to stand when asked is a lot less common.
I can’t stress enough how helpful it is to work with a dog that will stand when asked. Grooming a dog that won’t stand means their back legs are often less than glamorous 💁♀️ It’s also really tiring to hold a dog up physically when they’re pushing all their weight back down on your arm.
Teaching your dog to stand, or, at the very least, understand that pressure or “tickling” of the belly means to stand up, is a great way to encourage cooperation and reduce stress. A dog that doesn’t understand what is being asked becomes nervous, confused and stressed. No matter where they are or what you’re asking. You can ask them to sit and then lure them forward with a treat, mark them standing with “stand”, and then release the treat. I pair this with belly pressure so that the dog learns both methods at the same time. Eventually, when you slide your hand under the dog’s belly they will stand automatically. Happy days!
5. Shower with your dog.
Not literally, but you can do that, too – no judgement. What I’m talking about is desensitisation. Keeping your dog in the bathroom while you shower allows them to hear the water, maybe get splashed and also listen to the drier. This gives the dog a chance to form a positive or neutral association with the common sounds of grooming.
In my experience, owners who have bathed their dogs and dried them a few times before they are groomed by someone else are much calmer and more likely to tolerate it.
If you’re not comfortable bathing them, just having them in the bathroom with you will do a world of good. I can’t stress this enough because if you’re not sure how to introduce them to bathing positively, you can accidentally scare them, and then they will understandably hate it!
Conclusion
Leaving all the training up to your groomer will no doubt lead to your dog hating grooming. A first groom is so overwhelming for a dog and can quickly turn into a negative experience if they’ve never encountered any part of grooming before.
All groomers want their client’s dogs to love being groomed, and I’m sure most owners want their dogs to enjoy being groomed too. By working together, you and your groomer can teach your dog that grooming isn’t scary, painful or uncomfortable. Grooming can be fun and it can be relaxing, but only if your dog is calm and understands the groomer is trying to help.
Ask your groomer how your dog handles being groomed and if you can do anything at home to help. Your groomer and your dog will be so grateful.
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