Guide to Introducing your Dog to Grooming 

Part 1 – Start at Home

Grooming a puppy can be stressful for them if they do not know what to expect. Owners can assist and ease their dogs anxiety and the by getting them used to the idea of grooming at home, this can help prevent difficult behaviour in dogs when grooming.

Ways to help desensitize your dog and help prepare them for the grooming process. Do this every day to give your puppy confidence and get them used to being handled:-

  • Run your hands up and down your dog’s legs

  • Handle your dog’s ears, mouth and face especially near the eyes, (you can use a teaspoon around this around area to get them used to something shiny being in front of them)

  •  Brush your dog all over, including there legs, body and face with the correct brush for there coat.

  • Wiggle and massage your dog’s toenails and get them used to having there paws touched

  • If you have an electric toothbrush, you can also turn it on and put it near your puppy to get them acclimated to the noises they are likely to hear during his there grooming session.

  • Get your puppy used to the noise of your hair dryer, by having it on in the background

Part 2 – Early and often is recommend for puppy grooming 

To many owners make the mistake of waiting too long for their puppy’s first grooming appointment.  Our recommendation is 2 weeks after second vaccination.  Puppies ideally should not be older than 16 weeks when they are first groomed.  Please bear in mind depending on the breed of puppy, if left to long before grooming can lead to matting in your pups fur, which is most cases results in the puppy needing to be shaved for welfare reasons.

At Karen’s K-9 Grooming, we offer a puppy package, which focus on building confidence, introducing every aspect of grooming slowly over the four or five sessions.

Part 3 – Continue the Grooming Process at Home 

After your puppy has been is groomed, it is typically 6-8 weeks until there next appointment, depending on breed.  Here are a few helpful steps where you can take help make the next grooming appointment less stressful:-

 Brushing

No matter the breed of your puppy, brushing your dog daily/couple of times a week helps to build a bond between owner and dog, prevent matting and reduce shedding. By doing this should prevent in de-matting charges and any shave offs. 

Nail Clipping

Getting your dog used to having their paws and nails touched will assist with nail clipping. Long claws can lead to medical issues and cause your dog pain and suffering.  Regular walks on concrete can assist with this. Remember some breeds have rear dew claws as well, so check all claws on a regular basis. 

Grooming in the Right Way

These simple stages can help prepare your puppy, help to establish a trusting, lifelong relationship with their groomer, which will ensure their long-term health and happiness and your peace of mind for years to come.