How to Groom a Fearful Dog

Medium
151 - 30 Minutes
1 Week

Introduction

Even a fearful dog needs to be groomed in order for him or her to maintain a healthy coat. But if timid terrier is afraid of being groomed, this problem can lead to serious injury to either of you during the grooming session. You should start by trying to figure out why he is afraid of being groomed. For some breeds, this type of behavior is relatively normal and is something you will have to work with him to overcome. It could also be that your dog has had a bad experience at the hands of another groomer. You can make things go easier by giving him plenty of time to get used to the tools you plan to use long before you start using them. 

Dog's Perspective

Trying to groom a fearful dog can be a bit like trying to catch a greased pig. The more frightened the poor pooch is, the harder it will be for you to groom her. The more time you take easing her into the grooming process, the easier it will be to groom her on a regular basis. 

The Day One Method

Effective
0 Votes
Slicker Brush
Step
1
Never too young
Even though your pup might be too young to really need grooming when you first bring her home, it's never too early to start getting her used to the idea. Starting with the car ride home, rub her, pat her, and generally give her a good overall massage. Do this as often as you can to get her used to being handled.
Step
2
All worn out
Take your pup out for a nice walk, let her run around and burn off some of that energy she seems to have been storing up.
Step
3
Play with me
Spend a little extra time playing together when you get home. Not only will this help tire her out a bit more, it will help the two of you bond and build a level of trust.
Step
4
On to the grooming room
Go into the room you are planning to use for grooming and call your pup in. Let her approach you and then let her see the tools you plan to use laid out on the floor. Give her all the time she needs to sniff at them and get used to them.
Step
5
At her pace
Now that you have her all calmed down, you should be able to start brushing her in slow short strokes. The idea is to get your dog to think of the brush as nothing more than an extension of your hand, one that feels good. After this, she will start looking forward to being groomed.

The Touch Me, Feel Me, Rub Me Method

Effective
0 Votes
Slicker Brush
Step
1
Create the perfect grooming room
Choose a nice quiet room to groom your dog. Turn on some nice quiet music and lay out all of the tools you plan to use.
Step
2
Add a nice relaxing scent
Since the smell of lavender is known to help calm and relax, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a diffuser and turn it on.
Step
3
Walkies time
Hook your pup to her leash and take her for a nice walk. Since she is afraid, wearing her out can be a good way to burn off some of this anxious energy. It also gives her a chance to go potty.
Step
4
Nothing beats a good massage
This is a great time to give your pup a nice all-over massage. Don’t forget to work on those sensitive areas such as paws, underbelly, genitals, head, and tail. The more time you can spend doing this, the less likely your pup is to fuss when it's time to groom her.
Step
5
Take your time
The more time you can spend doing this, the less likely she is to fuss when it's time to groom her. In time your dog will come to love grooming sessions and see you as her personal attendant.

Caution & Considerations

  • The sooner you start working with your dog, the sooner she will learn to stop being afraid of grooming.
  • No matter whether yours is a short-haired dog or has long hair, you need to groom her no less than once a week. This will help remove shed hair, parasites, dirt, debris, tangles, and mats.
  • Weekly grooming is the perfect time to check your dog over for injuries, fleas, and ticks.
  • If you come across and thick mats, be sure to cut them out with a sharp pair of shears.
  • Use shears with rounded safety tips to reduce the risk of injury.
  • The sooner you start working with your pup, the easier it will be for you to groom her when the time comes. 

Conclusion

While your fearful fuzzball might fuss and struggle a little bit in the early days, by the time she reaches an age where grooming is actually necessary, she should be very comfortable with it. Keep working on getting her used to being touched all over and make the whole process fun. You can also use a few treats as rewards along the way to encourage her to behave. 

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
Sketch of smiling australian shepherd