How to train a puppy for grooming

In the first months of life, grooming a puppy is more of an educational, familiarization character. If a pet learns from an early age that there is nothing wrong with the sound of scissors and grooming machines, trimming claws, washing, in adulthood these manipulations will not cause stress in the dog. By six months, grooming procedures should be perfectly familiar to the pet. By the year your ward will be groomed for you, he will not be naughty during trips to the dog groomer.

The first grooming of a puppy is not an easy experience for a small pet. Dogs that are not familiar with grooming procedures may be afraid, break out, and show aggression towards the groomer. This is either a fear of unfamiliar procedures, or the pet’s unwillingness to be dominated. Grooming is always a manifestation of dominant behavior. We make the dog hold out its paw to us to trim its claws. We make it turn this way and that way in the process of cutting. When it comes to grooming a puppy, there is no goal to create a masterpiece haircut, it is much more important to create a comfortable environment for the pet, educate your ward, accustom to the procedures.

Teach even a smooth-haired pet to care for hair, claws, ears. The educational moment is extremely important if you have acquired a large breed dog. With timely proper education, an adult large dog will stretch out its paw for cutting its claws on command. But an adult dog unaccustomed to procedures is a difficult test for groomers, who have to not only put the pet in order, but also carry out serious educational work. 

In particularly difficult cases, dog breeders have to first take the pet to a trainer, a behavior correction specialist, and then to a groomer.

To make the grooming procedures as comfortable as possible for the puppy, you should follow a few basic rules.

• It is better to fix the puppy on the grooming table with a ring. The length of the ring should be such that it cannot reach the edge and fall off the table.
• A rubberized mat will help your pet not slide on the table surface, such a safety net will not be superfluous. According to safety rules, a pet should not be left alone on the table. You need to leave – first lower the pet to the floor.
• If your puppy is still in quarantine or has not had all the vaccinations, but he simply needs professional care, warn the master in advance about your situation and invite him to your house.
• If the pet is nervous on the grooming table, try to calm him down at this moment – repeat a couple of basic commands with the puppy, praise and give a treat. Treats and praise will also be appropriate when the pet has steadfastly withstood the whole stage of care – cutting the nails or washing and drying.
• When you go to the groomer, take treats from home for your pet, a bottle of water, because the groomer does not know what your ward can eat and what not.
• Warn the groomer in advance if you plan to represent your pet at shows. The type of grooming depends on this: pet or show.
• The pet needs to be washed only with special cosmetics for dogs: both shampoo and conditioner are needed. The temperature of the water for washing should be about 38 degrees. It is important not to pour water from the shower hose directly into the muzzle, water should not get into the nose, ears of the dog.
• To dry the puppy after washing at home, a regular professional hair dryer is suitable. If you have a powerful hair dryer at home that you use to dry your hair, most likely it will work for your pet too.
• We turn on the hair dryer and clipper away from the puppy, and then gradually bring it closer to the pet. If the pet is afraid of the hair dryer, temporarily reduce the power, give the puppy time to get used to it.
• If the pet is interested in a comb, slicker, clipper, show the tool to the puppy, let it examine, sniff, but do not let it bite.
• If there are tangles on the pet’s fur, do not tear them with a comb, but carefully unravel them with a slicker using special tools.

No matter how highly qualified your groomer may be, every pet owner must master the basics of grooming in order to bring the pet in order if necessary. These skills will be very useful if your pet moves to a village or country house for the summer. But you never know what circumstances may arise! In 2020, all grooming salons were temporarily closed when the pandemic began. Therefore, it is better to have a set of grooming tools and cosmetics for dogs at home. And also watch a few video tutorials where groomers show and tell how to care for a dog.

Ask your stylist to teach you basic hygiene procedures during your next visit to the salon.

If during the grooming procedures the pet protests, it is important not to give in. Fix the position of the puppy, hold it with your hand. When the puppy has passed the next wave of indignation, continue trimming nails, cleaning ears, and so on. Let the pet understand that he will have to wait for the end of the procedures. If the pet learns that you are afraid of his whims and stop the procedure at the first dissatisfaction, over time it will become increasingly difficult for you to accustom him to grooming and get along with him in general. Knowledge about the psychology of dogs will also be very useful to you!

It is important to learn basic information about the anatomy of dogs. Understand what movements are physiological for them, so as not to inadvertently injure their ward. With proper skill, you can handle grooming almost as well as a professional, because no one knows your four-legged friend as well as you yourself.

Grooming is a guarantee of hygiene, health and beauty of your pet. We wish that trips to the groomer and self-care at home will always be pleasant chores for you and your four-legged friend.