Amidst the hustle and bustle of Crufts, the sight of all those coiffed and flouncy pooches may have you grabbing your phone to book a grooming sesh for your own furry friend.
However, it can be difficult to get your dog into a regular routine at the groomers, especially if they suffer with nerves, stress and anxiety. This makes it particularly tricky for you to keep their coat, claws and teeth in tip-top condition. If your dog gets panicked during a trip to the beauty parlour, we’ve put together these nifty tricks to calm down your dog for the groomers.
Signs of anxiety in dogs
If your dog’s behaviour suddenly changes at the prospect of a grooming session, you’re not alone - it’s very common in dogs. And these changes can be clear signs of anxiety.
These signs might include:
- Trembling or shaking
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Pacing around as if they’re trying to get away
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Excessive panting and licking their lips
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Some pooches adopt a hunched figure when they know they’re being taken to the groomers, with flattened ears and a tucked in tail.
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They might also whine, bark or avert eye contact when you’re talking to them.
Why is my dog afraid of the groomers?
Lots of dogs get agitated by a groomer’s appointment - and it’s easy to understand their distress.
From the buzzing and clipping sounds, the bodily sensations, having an unfamiliar person in such close proximity, the time spent separated from you; or more likely a mixture of all of that at once!
Lots of us get nervous going to the hairdressers, and this is just like that experience, only amplified. So be patient with your pooch, and try preparing them at home to help them develop a sense of comfort and familiarity with being groomed.
How to prepare your nervous dog for the groomers
To get your dog used to the groomers, try integrating the following tips into their general, day to day training and preparation on the lead up to the appointment.
Training and Exposure
- Get your pooch used to the groomer’s tools at home, like clippers, dog brushes or a hairdryer by just letting your dog see and sniff them and hear the sounds, without actually using them. This way they’ll get used to these items without associating them with a specific event.
- If it’s someone touching that gets them anxious, spend time gently handling their paws, ears, and tail so they get used to being touched in those areas. Give them a healthy dog treat each time they react positively to this.
This can also help when getting them accustomed to other forms of grooming like cleaning their ears and brushing their teeth.
- Keep your dog social; meeting and mingling with other dogs, people and animals on the regular. This means they’ll adapt quickly to being with the groomer and any other dogs that might be around during their appointment.
Being socialised also develops their independence, so they’ll be fine with being away from you for a short while.
- Bathing can be a trigger for a lot of pooches. Introduce water-based activities that are short and positive - spraying them lightly with the hose in the garden, giving them short, shallow baths or bathing their paws in a bowl of warm water. Be sure to praise them a lot for this!
- Finally, take some ‘false’ trips to the groomers (if they have a salon) just to say hello and sniff around the place, without being groomed. This can go a long way to familiarising your pooch with the location and the groomer. This way, they’ll have some positive experiences to link to your groomer that don’t always involve being clipped and coiffed.
On the day of the appointment
- Exercise your pooch. A nice walk or play session can help your pooch burn off any nervous energy, and the feel-good endorphins will relax and soothe them by the time they reach the groomer’s table.
- Pack your dog’s favourite things, like a comfort blanket or soft toy; even a t-shirt that smells like you for extra reassurance. Some calming dog treats are also helpful, for positive reinforcement and a natural relaxant.
- Be positive! Dogs are intuitive to how you feel, so if you stay in good spirits and feel calm yourself, your pooch will absorb your energy.
After the grooming appointment
- Reward your pooch! When they’ve successfully completed their grooming time, pile on the praise and give them healthy treats and belly rubs, so they come to associate their grooming appointment with positivity and nice things.
- Some dogs can feel exhausted by the sensory experience of a grooming session - let them relax for the rest of the day with naps, lots of head scratches and an atmosphere of peace and quiet in the house.
- Keep an eye on them. If they seem extra stressed by their session, or can’t seem to relax, it might be worth adjusting their routine or finding a groomer who has extra experience in grooming nervous pooches.
Choosing the right groomer
Though your dog’s fear of being groomed might have nothing to do with the groomer themselves, it’s worth being vigilant when choosing a groomer to have the maximum likelihood of your pooch relaxing and getting comfortable around them.
Be sure to pick a warm, friendly groomer who knows how to handle all kinds of dogs, and is fine with you hanging out with your pooch for a few minutes at the start of the appointment to help settle them in. If your dog is particularly nervous, choosing a groomer with experience with anxious dogs is extra useful. It may sound obvious, but before you decide on a dog groomer, check reviews online and get recommendations from your friends.
To be courteous, be sure to let your potential groomer know about the temperament of your dog, as well as their nerves so they can prepare before your appointment.
How do groomers handle anxious dogs?
Most groomers will have experience with dogs who are anxious, and will know how to manage your nervous pooch delicately and reduce their stress.
They’ll usually keep a calm, soothing environment in their grooming premises (whether that’s a salon or mobile grooming van); will take things slowly throughout the grooming session, letting your dog see and sniff each tool as it’s introduced.
They'll be very gentle with your pooch when handling their paws, face and the water. Lots of groomers use treats and toys as a positive reinforcement technique, as well as calming methods they will have learned during training.
Should I find a new groomer for my nervous dog?
If you’ve tried to prepare and soothe your pooch in prep for the groomers and you still find that they’re anxious, you could consider trying a different one. However, if your current groomer is friendly and generally well-reviewed, and going to a new person doesn’t help, it may be worth going to a vet to talk about your dog’s anxiety.
FAQs
My dog is scared by the groomer but desperately needs grooming - what do I do?
Lots of dogs get anxious about the groomers - the key to calming your dog before the groomers is to integrate grooming elements into your daily routine. This way, your dog will get familiar with what grooming involves and ideally, not panic when they sense it’s about to happen.
Show your dog grooming tools to see and sniff, even when they aren’t about to be groomed; gently handle their ears, paws and tail so they get used to the sensations of being touched. Go visit your groomer with your dog sometimes, just to say hi. All of these things can lower your dog’s anxiety when they actually do go for a grooming session.
Is it normal for my dog to be nervous about the groomers?
Yes - it’s totally normal for a dog to get anxious before grooming. Some dogs get more nervous than others, but considering all the sensations, sounds and the close proximity to someone who isn’t you, it’s easy to see why they’d find it nerve-wracking!
How often should my dog go to the groomers?
This depends on your particular dog and their coat type, as well as how active your lifestyle is (dogs who work on farms will need to be bathed and groomed a lot more). The general rule is that short-haired dogs (Beagles, Labradors, Boxers etc.) should be groomed every 2-3 months; medium-haired dogs (Golden Retrievers, Spaniels etc.) every 6-8 weeks for trimming and brushing; and for dogs with high-maintenance coats (Huskies, Shih Tzus, Poodles), as much as every 4 weeks so their coat is kept in top condition to prevent matting.
To help keep your dog calm and collected on the groomer’s table, spoil them with Pooch & Mutt calming dog treats, calming dog chews and dental sticks for dogs - made with organic, gut-friendly ingredients and natural relaxants such as chamomile and hemp.
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