How to Calm a Caucasian Ovcharka Before Grooming
Need regular grooming services?
Introduction
By description, the Caucasian Ovcharka is a very intelligent, spirited, and strong-willed dog that can be a fiercely loyal family pet. However, they are very powerful and require an owner whose own strong will and sense of leadership is sufficient to assume the Alpha role. However, in the case of grooming, this may not be enough. You need to find a way to calm your big fella down first. One thing to keep in mind is that the younger you start grooming your Caucasian Ovcharka, the easier it will be to get him used to it and the less fuss he is likely to put up.Â
Dog's Perspective
Around his family, your pup should be relatively laid back and relaxed, but around grooming tools he may be more than a bit nervous. The best thing you can do for this, is to start "grooming" him the day you bring him home from the breeder. This will start him out being groomed by you, which should help him remain calm as he gets older and reaches a point where he actually needs to be groomed.Â
The Get Used to Being Touched Method
The Spend Time Method
Caution & Considerations
- First and foremost, these methods may not work for all dogs.
- If, no matter what you try, you cannot calm your pup down to be groomed, you may want to talk to your vet about options for sedation.
- Your Caucasian Ovcharka's coat needs to be groomed no less than once every two weeks or it will become so tangled you may need to take him to a professional groomer.
- If your pup becomes aggressive and tries to bite you, you may need to use a muzzle and assistant to get through grooming.
- The younger you start getting your pup used to being groomed, the easier it will be for him to get comfortable with being touched.Â
Conclusion
Given that an adult Caucasian Ovcharka can reach up to 200 lbs in weight and up to 30 inches tall, you need to train him to remain calm for grooming from the outset. The last thing you or the groomer wants is to have to fight a dog this big just to groom him. Despite the fact they are very intelligent, they are also very stubborn, so reaching this point is going to take a lot of time and patience.Â
