Grooming for Nervous and Difficult Dogs
Some dogs find grooming harder than others.
They may be nervous, overwhelmed by particular sensations or frightened because of previous experiences. Others simply have very strong opinions about certain parts of the grooming process!
At Short Bark & Sides, we believe difficult behaviour deserves patience and understanding.
A Calm and Reassuring Approach
Our first priority is to remain calm ourselves.
Tracey has undertaken Reiki training and uses some of the grounding techniques she learned when working with particularly anxious dogs. Gentle head and neck massage can also help some dogs settle.
Tracey has also had the opportunity to undertake handling training with respected animal behaviour and training specialist Chirag Patel, which has influenced the team's thoughtful approach to dogs who find handling challenging.
No technique works for every dog, so we respond to what the individual dog is telling us.
Extra Support When It's Needed
One advantage of being a team rather than a lone groomer is that another experienced groomer can assist when appropriate.
For elderly dogs, we can use yoga mats so they can lie comfortably when needed, and grooming cradles can provide additional support for jobs such as pads and nails.
We also carefully manage appointments so nervous dogs aren't unnecessarily placed alongside dogs likely to overwhelm them.
One dog.
More than one pair of experienced hands.
What About Dogs That May Bite?
Safety has to come first for your dog, our groomers and everybody else in the salon.
We will consider dogs with a known bite risk on an individual basis. In some circumstances, grooming may require an appropriate muzzle and we may ask the owner to remain nearby in the background.
We will always discuss this with you first. There may also be situations where we decide that continuing a groom isn't safe or in the dog's best interests.
If your dog has previously been refused by another groomer, you're welcome to speak to us honestly about what happened. We won't make promises until we understand your dog, but we're happy to have the conversation.
Tell us about your dog
If your dog is nervous, or grooming elsewhere hasn't gone well, get in touch and tell us what happened. We'll be honest about what we can offer.