Teaching Your Puppy to Love the Groomer

A puppy’s first trip to the groomer is an important milestone in their life. How we go about introducing the pup to this process can have a lifetime affect on theirability to be groomed. Here are some tips for making the first grooming experience easier on you, your pup and the groomer:

1.Practice Grooming At Home

• The first step for a positive grooming experience is to handle your puppy the way a groomer would. Groomers need to be able to touch feet, trim nails, trim faces and tails. Start at home by gently handling their paws, ears, belly and face on a daily basis. By doing this at home, you are showing your puppy that it is OK to be handled. This will result in a stress-free grooming experience and may help with vet visits, too!
• Brushing your puppy, no matter what type of fur is important to keeping their skin and coat healthy and can become a new way to bond with your pup.

2. Exercise Beforehand

• You know what they say, “A tired dog is a happy dog.” A long walk or play session will help burn off some of that puppy energy and help ease your puppy’s anxiety.

3. Lots of Encouragement

• During the “grooming practice” phase, being told they are a good dog and giving lots of treats can go a long way towards helping your puppy feel at ease while at the groomer.

4. Start early

• Your puppy’s first trip to the groomer should happen as soon as 12 weeks old and when they are up to date on with the required vaccinations.
• The sooner they are exposed to the grooming process, the sooner they will have a positive association with the groomer!

5. Start Small

• We know it can be hard for both the owner and the puppy to be apart at first. Try to stay calm. Dogs are in tune with our feelings so if you are nervous, they will be nervous too.
• Try to keep your first visits short to lessen your puppy’s anxiety. With each positive grooming experience, your pup’s confidence will naturally progress. Resulting in a happy dog and a perfect groom!

The groomer can be a scary place for the dogs unaccustomed to it, or a pleasant day at the spa for others. Please consider these simple tips and tricks before scheduling your puppy for their first bath or haircut!