Dog Grooming for Caregivers

The Hidden Risks of Lick Mats & Slow Feeders in the Grooming Room

Lick mats and slow feeders have become a go-to tool in more holistic and cooperative salons around the world – I personally have recommended, and used, them over the years to help calm dogs and create positive associations to stressful grooming tasks. But, my experience with Nala – my late Tibetan Mastiff – also highlighted a risk that many groomers don’t think to consider when deciding how best to form positive associations, which is something I feel we need to talk more about.

When To Start Grooming A Puppy and How To Do It Right

There’s mixed opinions on when to start grooming a puppy, with most puppy carers thinking grooming is only necessary when the coat starts to get messy. By this point, you’re already late to the party! I can’t count the number of times I have received an enquiry about getting a puppy into the salon for their first puppy groom, only to be told they are 6-months-old…

Age, Welfare & Special Needs in Holistic Dog Grooming

When you work holistically, you’re not grooming “a breed” or simply performing “a haircut” – you’re grooming an animal with a nervous system, a life history, and a body that changes over time. In HGA Philosophy, the student learns how age, development, welfare history, and health influence grooming tolerance and needs, so they can confidently build a bespoke care plan that caters to a dog’s individual needs.

7 Common Questions Dog Owners Ask About Dog Grooming Services

Over the years I have came across some recurring questions from the dog carer community, specifically when it comes to how dog grooming services are priced, how they are provided, and what to expect. Many of these questions relate to expectations, when to tip, how much you should expect to pay and other business-related queries – because if we strip grooming all the way back, it’s a business and those in the business need to earn a living.

Why Time Restraints Risk Safety In Grooming Environments

One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing a Facebook post flag up that says something along the lines...

The Risks of Essential Oils for Dogs in the Grooming Salon

Essential oils are everywhere these days, and marketed as a natural solution for stress, sleep, and even pet wellness. Yet whilst these fragrant products may seem harmless, scientific research paints a far more complex (and sometimes worrying) picture, especially when it comes to our hairy companions. As responsible caregivers and professionals, it’s critical to understand both the risks and the right way to use (or avoid) essential oils around pets.

Identifying and Understanding Dog Stress Signals During Grooming

You’ve just started clipping when you notice some strange gestures: a lip lick, the white’s of the dog’s eyes, a paw lift, and maybe even raised hackles. Are these just random behaviours, or is your canine client trying to tell you something important?

If you’re a professional groomer or pet carer attempting at-home grooming, understanding what stress signals are isn’t just helpful, it’s essential for ethical, welfare-focused care, and safety. Yet surprisingly, many of these subtle signs go misinterpreted and/or ignored until a dog escalates to more severe stress behaviours like growling, lunging and/or snapping. In many cases, the dog may be blamed for being “naughty”, unhinged even, when the reality is that they have been pushed to the point they have no other option but to respond more severely.

Beyond the Lick: What Your Dog Is Really Trying to Tell You

Your dog approaches and begins licking your hand, face, or arm, and the immediate assumption is,...

Stop De-matting Dogs – Choosing Welfare Over Vanity

As professional groomers, we’re often faced with a difficult decision: should we attempt to de-matt a matted coat, or should we recommend clipping it off? Whilst the temptation to “save” the coat can be strong, especially when faced with an insistent carer, the reality is that de-matting can cause significant harm to dogs. It’s time we had an honest conversation about why welfare must always triumph over vanity.

Why Does My Dog Stink? The Science (and Solutions) Behind Canine Odour

I'd put money on every canine caregiver requesting and expecting their dog to come out of a...

How To Set Up Your Home For Low-Stress Grooming Success

Not long ago, I worked with a lovely rescue spaniel called Daisy who used to panic at the very sight of a brush. As per HGA protocol, I devised a bespoke care plan incorporating desensitisation exercises into the salon environment, meanwhile her carer was tasked to try the same methods at home in between.

After a couple of weeks Daisy was making great progress in the salon and I was able to brush almost every area of her body without signs of unreasonable stress yet according to her carer, things weren’t improving during their home bonding sessions whatsoever.

Her carer seemed to be doing everything right but even still, Daisy would try everything to avoid being brushed at home.

I decided to visit Daisy in her home environment to see what was happening myself, and as explained, as soon as the brush came out she was hiding under tables and chairs to avoid the session. I looked at the space around us.

Dogs Are Like Onions: Understanding the Layers of Canine Wellbeing

You might remember the famously funny scene from ‘Shrek’ where the world’s most grossly misunderstood ogre explains to Donkey, ‘Ogres are like onions… we have layers.’ Well, as it turns out, dogs are remarkably similar. Dogs, just like onions (and ogres!), are often grossly misunderstood beings composed of multiple intricate layers (or ecosystems) that rely on one another in order to thrive fully. And today, I want to spend some time peeling back those layers to show you just how significant they are in ensuring that dogs live a long and prosperous life.