Dog Grooming Tips

Why Words Matter More Than Their Literal Meaning When Working With Dogs

Why Words Matter More Than Their Literal Meaning When Working With Dogs

“But dogs can’t consent, and grooming can never be truly consensual anyway”. In one sense I can agree with this all-too-common statement that I’ve read various times during the popular “consensual grooming” debate. Because dogs do not understand the human word “consent”. They don’t sit weighing up the long-term benefits of grooming before making conscious, verbal decisions on how they wish to proceed. They don’t sign waiver contracts, or provide informed consent in the legal or philosophical sense.

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3 Easy Steps To Start Achieving Low-Stress Grooming Sessions at Home

3 Easy Steps To Start Achieving Low-Stress Grooming Sessions at Home

There’s more to grooming than the grooming itself. If you intend on making grooming sessions a relaxing experience for your dog, it’s not enough to solely think about the process – your external environment also influences how grooming sessions will go. While typically, you can expect your dog to be more relaxed at home for grooming tasks, than a professional grooming salon, there are always exceptions to this. There are certainly things dog carers can think about that can help prevent a build up of stress, whether for their own bonding sessions or in preparation for a groomer visiting them for their dog’s routine session.

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Why Some Dogs Suddenly “Hate” Grooming

Why Some Dogs Suddenly “Hate” Grooming

Many dogs do not suddenly “hate” grooming — their behaviour is often the result of accumulated stress, fear, pain, or overwhelming experiences that went unnoticed over time. This article explores why grooming aversion develops, how flooding and overstimulation affect dogs emotionally, and why recognising early stress signals matters.

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What Dogs Learn At Their First Professional Grooming Appointment

What Dogs Learn At Their First Professional Grooming Appointment

Your dog’s first professional grooming appointment is about far more than a haircut or bath — it is a powerful learning experience that can shape their future relationship with grooming, handling, and trust. This article explores how traditional grooming approaches can unintentionally create fear, overstimulation, and negative associations, and why emotionally safe, consent-aware grooming matters for long-term canine wellbeing.

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Aggression in Dogs – What You’re Really Seeing in the Grooming Room

Aggression in Dogs – What You’re Really Seeing in the Grooming Room

Most “aggressive” dogs are not really aggressive at all. Aggression is not a personality, it’s a label that many people use to try and explain a series of behaviours a dog is expressing. In a grooming context, we can come across various examples of where a dog might be called “aggressive”, when the reality is much less dramatic. In most cases I have witnessed over the last 8 years, the underlying cause of “aggressive” behaviours in dogs has been the result of unrelieved fear and/or pain. The behaviours many groomers are so quick to judge, are merely the emotional reflection of an underlying need desperate to be identified and resolved.

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

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.

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

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…

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Age, Welfare & Special Needs in Holistic Dog Grooming

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.

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How to “Child Proof” Your Grooming Environment for Dogs

How to “Child Proof” Your Grooming Environment for Dogs

When I found out I was expecting my first child I remember the steps my husband and I took to child-proofing our home – there wasn’t a stone left uncovered. In fact, my husband began calling me “risk-assessment Stephanie” because I had this remarkable ability to forsee every potential disaster before my son was even born!

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The Risks of Music in Grooming Settings

The Risks of Music in Grooming Settings

So when I discovered that certain genres of music had similar benefits to dogs, you can imagine how elated I was that I could combine my love of music with my passion for dogs. But recently, I came across a conflicting piece of research that was carried out in 2022, showing that music might not always be as calming as we originally thought, and that there are very specific factors, we as groomers, ought to first think about first.

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Beyond Breed Stereotypes

Beyond Breed Stereotypes

Have you ever came across those “Guess the Breed?” social media posts that attempt to kickstart a conversation on typical dog breeds to bite in the grooming salon? I have, and make no mistake – they aren’t educational tools that can help you evade potential bite incidents in your salon. These posts will only instil fear, reinforce dangerous stereotypes, ridicule certain breeds, and encourage you to judge dogs based on their appearance before ever meeting them as individual.

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Identifying and Understanding Dog Stress Signals During Grooming

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.

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How Conventional Grooming Contributes to Pain and Stress in Dogs: A Deep Dive and Roadmap to Recovery

How Conventional Grooming Contributes to Pain and Stress in Dogs: A Deep Dive and Roadmap to Recovery

Grooming is often regarded as a routine part of canine care, yet beneath the surface of many conventional practices lies a cycle of escalating stress, tension, and ultimately pain for countless dogs. As the pet care industry evolves, it’s time to challenge outdated approach and embrace a welfare-first one instead – one that recognises complex interplay between behaviour, physical health, and emotional well-being.

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Stop De-matting Dogs – Choosing Welfare Over Vanity

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.

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5 Simple Exercises to Keep Your Body Strong During Dog Grooming Appointments

5 Simple Exercises to Keep Your Body Strong During Dog Grooming Appointments

Let’s be honest, grooming isn’t for the faint-hearted. Whether you’re kneeling on the floor, perched at awkward angles, or standing at a grooming table for prolonged periods of time, your body takes a beating. And whilst we’re all passionate about giving our best to every dog, it’s far too easy to neglect our own wellbeing until aches, pains, or even injuries force us to finally take notice. The truth? Your body is your most valuable grooming tool. Unlike another tool that may be replaced if it becomes broken, you cannot be replaced. In this post I want to unpack the science behind repetitive strain, share practical exercises you can do between appointments (or even during short breaks), and explore both traditional and holistic therapies to keep you strong, supported, and thriving in your career for many years to come.

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