I think I spend more on my dog’s grooming appointments than my own,
and I go pretty regularly to get my hair done.
If you have a doodle, or a poodle, or pretty much any dog with longer hair,
you can expect to set aside anywhere from $ 45
to well over a $100 plus tips for the groomer every 6-8 weeks.
These guys are all pretty high maintenance when it comes to their fur!
I can relate!. Oh are we talking about dogs?
Yeah, I can relate to high maintenance there too.
The cost for grooming will vary depending on size of dog, coat quality, how frequently you go,
and your dog’s temperament while at the appointment.
If you’ve put aside a small fortune to spend on dog grooming each year, this video is for you.
This is one of the most overlooked costs of owning a dog.
Your pup is going to spend a lot of time there so you’ll want it to be the best experience possible.
Think about when you go to the salon.
If you’re like me, you look forward to it! It’s relaxing,
you leave looking great and someone else does all the work!
Well, the same is probably not so true for your puppy.
So let’s go over some things that you can do to help your
puppy love - or at least tolerate - the groomer.
MIchele here with HTTADD…
First I want to start with a little mindset check.
I want you to think about the grooming appointments or even the process to prepare
your dog for the groomer like the Olympics.
The Olympics is a time for those athletes to show
all of the hard work they’ve been putting in during practice.
The grooming appointment is not the time for practice,
it’s the time to show off all the hard work you
and your puppy have been doing to prepare for it back at home.
So you definitely want to start as early as possible.
It’s never too early to start preparing for the groomer.
If you’ve already taken your pup to the groomer - and maybe it didn’t
go so well - it’s no problem to start this practice now.
You might need to take it a little slower to re-build up the pup’s confidence, though.
If you aren’t quite ready for the grooming
experience but are looking for tips on how to bathe your puppy at home…
Well, check out another one of my great videos after you finish with this one.
When preparing the puppy for the groomer you want to think of all the things that will be happening,
so you can properly pre train for their use.
Your puppy is going to experience:
Bathing Drying
Trimmers Scissors
Nail clippers Body handling
Grooming table Safety equipment
And probably a happy hoodie to cover ears during drying
To prepare for these tools you’ll want to work on a desensitization process. That means
creating a 1:1 association between those tools and something positive.
Did you see a recent video where I talked about positive reinforcement?
It’s this one. You can watch that one next for even more great tips.
In it, I described how humans find the sound of an ice cream truck creates a positive emotion.
That’s because it’s been associated with something positive!
We’re going to do that with your puppy.
Create a positive association with the grooming tools by introducing them
at the same time as something positive - such as high-value treats.
Now, once humans understand this concept,
they are typically really enthusiastic about working on it with their puppy.
But their #1 mistake they make…? Going too fast.
It’s so easy to speed through this process because it’s easy for the human
and it SEEMS like it’s going well for the dog.
But this is a case where I’m going to ask you to slow down
and be very very observant of your dog’s body language.
If you’re not sure of what stress or fear or anxiety looks like in a dog,
it’s time to study up on that before you begin this process.
Look for ears going back or eyes looking away while your dog’s head is facing forward.
Look for a tail being tucked or a rigid jaw.
These are all signs of stress and they mean that you are working against yourself on this training.
Go at your dog’s pace and get those tools
closer or touching the dog only when she is telling you that she’s ready.
Typically this is when she looks for the treats instead of at the scary tool.
That means pup is saying “Oh boy, these trimmers mean something good
is going to happen! I’m ready!”. Ok I humanized that but you get the idea!
Let’s go over some examples of this because if there is any one thing I
want you to learn from this video, it’s how to take training at the right pace.
Here I’m starting to associate the trimmers to
something positive. I start with the trimmers in an off position.
I show the trimmers, offer the treat. I take the trimmers away, the treats go away.
The sequence of that has to be exactly that.
You don't want to show the food first. That could
backfire and start to associate the food with something scary!
I need to talk about the treats for just one minute.
What are the best treats to use for this exercise..? The ones that your dog likes!
If your dog has a previous fear of this tool,
you’ll likely need to use really high-value
treats. Think of something smelly and slimy like a hot dog or cheese
Usually the more moist it is, the better it tastes to your dog.
This treat has to be so positive that it overcomes any previous
negative experience with the trimmers.
You might also have to start from further away depending on your dog’s fear level.
Next we are going to add in the second level of training,
which is the sound.
You’ll want to do sound training too, not just visual training with the tools.
We are going to create a positive association with the sound of these tools, like trimmers.
I’d suggest you start with the sound of something similar, but not exactly trimmers
I usually suggest using an electric toothbrush first before touching real trimmers to a dog.
It has a similar sound but might allow your dog to get used to it a little more slowly.
Notice how I did not start by touching the trimmers to the dog.
I start simply by showing the trimmers.
Over time, as Pickles was more comfortable, I got the tool closer and closer to him
until I was finally able to touch the trimmers to him because his reaction showed no signs of stress
In fact, his reaction was excitement because he knew the treats were coming!
The process of getting the puppy comfortable with the dryer is similar.
You start with the dryer in the off position, associate it with something positive.
When that is going well,
you add in sound training from a distance to create a positive association with the noise.
As the dog tolerates it, you move it closer.
Did you notice in this video how I was working on this from the tail?
We don't start with these tools from the front.
This can be more scary for the dog and much louder because of the ears.
Keep in mind that as you get closer to the ears and the head
you may need to go slower and offer more treats with smaller steps.
Some parts of the dog’s body are more sensitive than others.
I have a great video all about body handling that can tell you more about that.
That video will be a perfect one to watch as well.
I think you get the idea about going slowly,
offering high value treats and paying attention to body language.
Now let’s talk about how to move this process to the groomers.
It will be worth your time to do some research to find the right groomer.
There is a “fear free” certification that is a great indicator that the groomer has been
through additional training to make sure the experience is a good one for the dog.
If you can find one of those, that would be a perfect place to start.
The website is https://fearfreepets.com/
Keep in mind that you will likely pay extra for the groomer to go slow and at your pup’s pace.
It won’t always be like this but if you can let your groomer know that it’s OK
if they take it slower
it will likely pay off in spades in the lifetime of the dog.
Try to find a groomer that understands canine body language.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched videos of groomers on tik tok or Instagram
who are showing their work.
I cringe because most of those dogs are often so stressed out.
In my opinion it looks bad for the groomer!
I’d never use a groomer who is ignoring my dog’s stress signals.
You’ll want to find a groomer who takes time to work through training
techniques you’ve worked on at home with your puppy.
Find one who goes at pup’s pace and gives dogs breaks when they need a rest.
You’re looking for a groomer that prioritizes humanity over vanity.
This means they are ok if the job doesn’t get done all in one session.
Once you’ve found a groomer, there are a few more things you can do to help the experience go well.
Have you heard of victory visits?
These are visits to potentially scary places - like vets or groomers - that
are simply to check them out and get used to them.
The first one or two visits are not going to result in any procedure or grooming.
Maybe the first one is just going to the parking
lot to hang out and smell things from the car window.
The second time might be a walk in the parking lot and a brief visit
inside to get a cookie from the staff.
When the dog gets to know these places without the scary experience,
she is in a better position when the time comes that she has the procedure or grooming.
Always check with your groomer to see if
this is an option before just showing up at their facility.
Interruptions during the grooming process that aren’t planned can not
only be dangerous for the dog on the table but for the groomer who is caught off guard.
Be sure the groomer has given you the go-ahead for you to just show up unexpectedly.
If you can, try to arrange for a simple introduction to the equipment
on the first visit before starting grooming services on the 2nd visit.
You might be thinking “Michele, who has time for all of this?”
Well, this is where I want to use this common phrase:
“Put in the time at the beginning and reap the benefits at the end”.
You won’t always have to do this with grooming tools.
If you do it right, and take it slow, these desensitization
techniques will allow your dog a lifetime of positive experiences at the groomer.
Your dog can’t do this for herself so it’s up to you, the human,
to help make this experience a good one for her - every time.
I worked with a family and their Shi Tzu a few years back who absolutely
hated going to the groomers.
He would bite and growl anytime the groomer went anywhere near his face with hands or a tool.
We started to work on counterconditioning exercises outside of the grooming appointments
and the dog built up a comfort level for being handled but it took lots and lots of practice.
Changing your dog’s mindset about the grooming process can be done
but it takes time and we take cues from the dog to let us know
when they are ready to advance to the next step
or when we need to go back down a level again.
If you found this video helpful, that means it's time to give me a thumbs up and a subscribe,
so you can learn even more about puppy raising in my next video.
In the comments below, tell me the breed of your dog, and if you’ve been to the groomer yet.
Even if you have, these great tips can set you up for future successful visits.