There’s more to grooming your dog than simply grooming your dog…
If you intend on making grooming sessions a relaxing experience for your dog you have to think outside the box.
While the majority of dogs will instantly find home grooming sessions less stressful than attending a professional grooming appointment, there are still many aspects of home grooming which can lead to high levels of stress that you should think about.
There are various reasons why dogs find grooming sessions stressful at home, and for the purposes of this blog post we are going to concentrate on the three key areas where dogs struggle the most.
Remove Distractions
First of all, it all depends on what your dog finds distracting.
For example, some dogs love to gaze out the window while others are triggered by everything that moves outside.
Distractions can be ANYTHING!
- a bright LED light
- a specific reflection off of a mirror
- a noisy environment (children running in and out of the room)
- a specific smell
Understanding your dog’s individual triggers is key to establishing where there’s something in their environment that is preventing your dog from relaxing.
Make It Comfortable
It’s important the space you choose to groom your dog is comfortable for your dog. This is not the same as allowing your dog to rest in his bed during grooming sessions which can result in them developing a negative association to their ‘safe place’ – so avoid this at all costs.
Instead, it’s ideal to introduce a specific zone/area in your home that you intend to use primarily for handling activities such as grooming and routine health checking, and think about, first, introducing this space positively to your dog before any physical grooming takes place.
Other things to consider when it comes to comfort include:
- slip and trip hazards
- reflections that may irritate
- temperature control
- handling tools (if any are used)
- clutter
- noise
- even colour scheme
- surfaces – are they padded?
Remember to consider your dog’s individual needs when thinking about comfort, keeping in mind that most dogs are unable to stand for extended periods of time.
Prepare Yourself
Another huge aspect of low-stress grooming philosophy is understanding how your energy influences your dog’s behaviour and experience to grooming.
If you are stressed, overly tired and/or apprehensive of grooming your dog, your dog will definitely sense it.
There have been various studies around the connection between human and dog, specifically, mirroring and energy transference, with many concluding that dogs are master interpretators who lead by their emotions.
Only enter a grooming session when you feel motivated and confident about it, and if you are lacking confidence due to high coat demands, it’s worthwhile investing in learning how to groom your dog competently by an experienced (ideally, holistic) groomer.
Understanding how to:
- handle your dog consensually and cooperatively
- choose the right skin care products and tools
- use them safely
- bath your dog
- brush your dog
- remove minor tangles and knots
- and, dry your dog
Are all skills worth knowing.
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