Dogs that Hate Grooming
Dogs that Hate Grooming
Dogs that hate grooming. Why do some dogs run into the grooming parlor and greet their groomers with a wagging tail, and others hide their tail between the legs, shake and avoid eye contact, trying to run away from the salon? The first thing that comes to the mind is the possibility that the dog might have been mistreated. The questions is why one dog that is going to the same salon is happy and another one is terrified?
Investigate a Salon first
We will review as many feasible solutions as possible. In order to eliminate the chance of the abuse, it would be wise to visit the potential pet salon and do some research before bringing the pup for a grooming session. Does the salon have a good reputation and reviews? What does the neighbor say about the place? Are the groomers educated and sound knowledgeable? Does the salon have good lighting and ventilation system? Does it have a pleasant clean and fresh smell or fowl order? Is the staff friendly? It would be helpful to stop by at the salon and interact with the team members, observe how they communicate with the dogs, how they approach the pups. Do they seem to care about the dog’s comfort.
Most likely you will be able to tell whether it is a reputable salon or not from just a visit. It will help if you could observe how other dogs react when they come to the shop or while they are at the salon. If out of three dogs two of them feel comfortable, most probably, it is a safe place for your dog as well. Why is it a norm for one dog and a terrifying experience for another one?
Dogs that Hate Grooming – How to acclimate a dog to grooming
One reason dogs that hate grooming act nervous is because he or she was introduced to the grooming too late, or the introduction was not done properly. This causes the dog to develop negative associations. It can be challenging to train a puppy but it is even harder to introduce an older dog to grooming that has never experienced it. It will take a lot of patience and positive reinforcements for the dog to become comfortable with grooming.
Oftentimes pet stylists offer a mini grooming session for the first visit. The dogs can learn about grooming slowly on their own terms. The more comfortable the dog is during the first visit the faster they will get acclimated. However, if you wait too long until the coat is matted, the condition would require full grooming that is more traumatic for the dog than just a trim and bath.
Not only has the dog missed grooming at the puppy stage, but there is a possibility of building negative associations due to the necessity of de-matting or de-shedding. In addition, all the essential steps of training related to the grooming process have been missed. Everything at the new place can be pretty scary. New noises, barking, dryer, bathing tubs, grooming tables, strange people coming and leaving are just a few of the things that can make a dog nervous. New things can be very confusing.
Home alone
If dogs have never been left alone they do not understand why they are at a new place without their owners. Their anxiety and fear makes first time grooming even more terrifying. So, sadly the dogs will associate the salon with all the discomfort they had to go through. The first impression is the strongest one and the hardest one to alter. Therefore, it is not a good idea to wait till the last moment. What will help is bringing the dog to the salon just for a visit, and rewarding them with delicious treats. Even if it is only for a few minutes for a couple of times a week! It will make a difference
Severe Cases
Most commonly, the dogs that hate grooming are those who are matted. If the dogs have to be de-matted every time they come to the salon, it reminds them about the discomfort and pain during the process. Naturally, they will try to avoid it as much as they can. The feelings that they experience are similar to the anxiety a person would have before a dentist appointment. More frequent visits to the groomer will minimize, if not eliminate de-matting, making the visit more tolerable. Eventually, the negative associations will fade and the dogs will feel more comfortable and less stressed.
What is also important is the skills of reading the dogs body language. Dogs do not speak people. They communicate with their body. How we understand their ways of communication is essential. Shaking, not necessarily means fear. It can be a separation anxiety or just an excitement. If the dogs are trained to restrain their feelings they have to release this energy. One of the ways to relieve the energy is shaking. For instance, if the dogs are trained not to jump when they are excited they might start trembling, as a result of fighting their desire to jump.
Each dog is different
Some dogs simply do not like to be with other people, different environment or even dogs. Just like people, dogs have different temperaments and some are more social than others. Dogs who visit dog parks, dog daycares, boarding facilities or visit new places on a regular basis and have positive experience, are most likely to be comfortable at the salon.
Some dogs do not like being crated, others love staying in the crate. It is like their safe house. Sometimes the dogs who love going to the parks and be around other dogs get stressed at the grooming salon, even if it is a cage free environment. Dogs go to the dog park to play and have fun. So, there is a lot of excitement. Grooming is work. Dogs are just like people, they do not really want to work, but happy to party and have fun. What triggers their emotional state is very similar to what sets the atmosphere in the human society. If there is one unhappy camper in the pack, it will affect others.
Dogs that Hate Grooming – One follows the other
Have you noticed that if one child is crying in the daycare the others will start crying too. If the coworker comes with an attitude it affects everyone around. Same thing happens in the salon. If there is one untrained dog, or matted dog that is unhappy, everyone else will be concerned too. As a consequence, they will associate this experience with the salon every time they visit. The best thing to do is to stay as positive as possible, and bring your dog to the salon on a regular basis.
Rescues and Fosters
What if you have a rescued dog? Most likely, the history is unknown. Working closely with the groomer and trainer will help establish positive associations. In the worst case scenario, looking for alternative grooming services might be necessary. If the dogs are overly anxious and stressed being away from home, not social or dog aggressive, considering mobile grooming will be an option.
One on one experience close to home may be more comforting for some dogs. Will it help or aggravate the situation if the pet owners stay with their dogs during the grooming session? It varies from the case to case. The owner’s presence can comfort some dogs. However, in most cases, the dogs act more anxious or excited striving for the owner’s attention, being too wiggly, jumping on the owners, which makes grooming much more difficult and unsafe, as groomers work with sharp objects and the accidents can occur.
Dogs that Hate Grooming Conclusion
Grooming can be stress free but it requires a lot of patience and dedication. It is a process. It takes a teamwork between groomers, pet owners and the dogs to make grooming a comfortable experience. Happiness is essential. Everyone would love to see the dogs pulling to the salon and be happy to see their groomers. It is such a rewarding feeling to have dogs wagging their tails coming to the salon. Happy dogs means happy humans.
Follow us on Facebook, twitter and youtube
