How to Groom a Courageous Dog

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How to Groom a Courageous Dog

Medium

10 - 60 Minutes

1 Week

First Walk Free * Book Free Walk *

Introduction

There is nothing quite like having a brave dog, one that is willing to give his all to protect his family. These dogs tend to have very strong personalities, which can actually make grooming time a little on the challenging side. You might find it funny that such a courageous dog would be to fidgety to be still for grooming or even scared by the tools you use to groom him such as the brushes, clippers, and shears. But, in reality, many dogs become very anxious when it comes time for grooming. It is your job to teach your courageous canine to feel comfortable enough to be groomed on a regular basis.

Dog's Perspective

Courageous dogs tend to be quite firm in their convictions. They know what they do like and what they don't. Like most dogs, they really don't like the idea of being groomed. It's the being touched all over, especially in the sensitive areas, the noise of the clippers, even just the sight of the shears. Taking your time and starting from the moment you bring him home with touching him all over will help him become more accustomed to the whole process.

The Bath First Method

Effective

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Slicker Brush

Shampoo

Scissors

Pin Brush

Nail Clipper

Flea Comb

Deshedder

Dematter

Comb

Clipper

Nail File

Towel

Step

Choose your spot

Start out by choosing the room you plan to use as a grooming station. Choose one that has an easy to clean floor and a radio or television in it. (Yup, Jack likes music and probably even has his own favorite television show)

Step

A nice warm bath

A clean dog is much easier to groom than one whose coat is full of dirt, tangles, and mats. A nice warm bath is not only a good way to clean Jack up before grooming, it will also help him to calm down and relax.

Step

Bring him to the barber's chair

Or in this case, the room you have selected for grooming. Turn on some soft music and let him take a good look at the various tools you plan to use for grooming. Give him plenty of time to look at them, sniff them, even lick them if he feels like it.

Step

Let him hear the clippers run

Since it's the noise of the clippers that makes Jack nervous, turn them on and then slowly move them closer in small steps. This will get him used to sound of them long before you plan to actually use them to cut his hair.

Step

Start grooming

From here you can brush him, trim his coat, trim his nails, and take a good look at his entire body for injuries, parasites, and mats. Even if your pup has short hair, you should still groom him on a weekly basis so that you can inspect him for problems.

The Calm State Method

Effective

0 Votes

Slicker Brush

Scissors

Pin Brush

Nail Clipper

Flea Comb

Deshedder

Dematter

Comb

Clipper

Step

Prepare the stage

Choose the room you plan to use for grooming, preferably one with a hardwood, tile, or linoleum, this way cleaning up any trimmed hair will be easy. Add some nice soft music and place everything you need within arm's reach.

Step

Add a relaxing aroma

Set a diffuser up with a few drops of lavender essential oil and turn it on.

Step

Go for a hike

Take Jack out for a nice long hike (base the distance on the size of your pup) and let him go potty. The idea is to tire him out, which will make him far less likely to fuss and struggle.

Step

Just a touch, a touch too much

Most dogs have a problem with being held and touched. While they might like to be cuddled, they don't like having their paws, tail, underbelly, around their genitals, and their head and face being touched. The best way to overcome this is to spend as much time as you can rubbing, massaging, and touching Jack. The more you do this, the more you desensitize him, making grooming a lot easier.

Step

Get acquainted

Now is the time to take him in the grooming room and let him see the tools you have previously laid out for use. Let him sniff them, see them, get used to them in his own time. Once he has satisfied his curiosity and is nice and calm, you should have no problem moving on to grooming him and making him look his best.

Caution & Considerations

Depending on your dog's breed, trying to groom him when he is anxious about it can lead to injury.
It is your job to train your pup to remain calm before and during the grooming process, it's not a natural experience for him.
Use the same grooming spot in your home, as continuity is a very important part of getting your dog used to being groomed.
While taking your dog for a nice long walk will help calm him down, do not go so far that he is overtired, as you could injure him.
Give the pup plenty of time to get used to the tools you plan to use. The more time you can give him the easier the grooming process will go.
You should groom your dog every week to help him get used to being groomed and to give you the chance to look him over for any signs of injury, infection, or infestation.

Conclusion

There is nothing better than a courageous dog who will protect your family without a thought for himself. Yet, when it comes to grooming, he seems a bit terrified. By choosing one grooming method and sticking with, you are doing your dog a huge favor by making grooming easier and more enjoyable for both of you.

How to Groom a Courageous Dog

Introduction

Dog's Perspective

The Bath First Method

The Calm State Method

Caution & Considerations

Conclusion

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

More Dog Grooming Guides