How to Groom a Fearful Dog

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. 

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 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. 
  

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.