How to Groom a Large, Excited Dog

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How to Groom a Large, Excited Dog

Medium

15 - 30 Minutes

1 Week

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Introduction

If you think grooming a large dog is hard, when you have a large excited dog to deal with, the whole process gets that much harder. Having an excited pup can be a lot of fun, they have so much life. The hard part is when you can't get him to settle down long enough to do things like give him his weekly grooming. Putting a lid on all that energy may only be possible in short bursts as "Flash" may simply not be able to contain himself for long periods of time. All you have to do is learn to work your way around this energy and put it to work for you instead of against you.

Dog's Perspective

The only problem with Flash is that his world is simply too busy for him to settle down and focus on one thing at a time. Maybe he thinks it should be play time or he wants to go out for a walk. You may never know, but it is up to you to figure out how to keep him calmed down long enough for you to groom him.

The Keep Occupied Method

Effective

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Slicker Brush

Pin Brush

Step

Grab your supplies

Before you get started teaching your dog to settle down for grooming, you need a few supplies: treats, toys, a leash, and a grooming table if you have a small breed of dog.

Step

Walking down the road

Take your pup for a nice long walk to stretch his legs, let him go potty, and tire him out. The more you can burn off his excess energy, the better. It will make him much easier to deal with.

Step

Turn the grooming room into a relaxing space

There are many ways to create a little relaxing atmosphere in the grooming room. Start with a little lavender oil in a diffuser and then add some soothing music. Place the tools and toys on the table or floor so your dog can see and sniff at them.

Step

File in

Bring your dog into the room and give him time to get used to everything. The more time you can give him, the more of the essential oil he will inhale, helping to calm and relax him. If the toys and tools are on the floor, let him explore them. If they are on a grooming table, put him on the table and attach the restraint so he can't fall off. Either way, give him heaps of time to get used to them.

Step

Grooming time

Now that he is settled down and ready, start grooming your dog from head to toe. The best place to start is his head as once this is done, he can chew on a toy or a treat while you work on the rest of his body. Be sure to take short treat breaks as you work to help redirect his attention to the toys or a bone.

The End of the Day Method

Effective

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Slicker Brush

Shampoo

Pin Brush

Step

Workout time

Grooming day should always start out the same way, with a nice long, tiring walk. Plus, it gives him time to go to the bathroom, if he needs to.

Step

Run a warm bath

Run a nice warm bath (baby bath temperature) and put your pup in it. Give him time to soak and then using a vet-approved shampoo, give him a thorough scrubbing. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of dirt, debris, bugs, and parasites from his coat and skin. Give him time to air dry.

Step

To the floor (or table)

Place some of Flash's favorite toys on the floor to keep him occupied and it's time to get to work.

Step

Brushing 101

The best place to start grooming your dog is his head as this is likely to be the most distracting area and the one he likes least having fussed with. Brush in the direction his hair is growing and go over his back, sides, rump, and tail. This is a good time to take a break and give him a treat.

Step

Brushing 102

Have him lay down on one side and relax. Brush his belly, legs, and paws. You have now groomed your first overly excited pooch by teaching him how to chill out and enjoy the moment.

Caution & Considerations

Put all of your dog's excitement to use making it much easier for you to groom him and easier for him to enjoy it.
Make sure the walk you take Flash on is long enough to thoroughly tire him out, but so long that it completely exhausts him. This can be bad for his health.
The earlier you start training Flash to be groomed the easier it will be for him to learn how to obey.
You can take short play breaks as you groom him, this will help keep him calmed down.
Once you have mastered getting your pup calmed down for brushing you can move on to trimming his coat and nails.
Use plenty of treats to reward him for good behavior.
Have plenty of fun toys on hand to keep your dog occupied.

Conclusion

To an excited dog like Flash, there simply isn't enough time to see or do everything. He just can't seem to keep still, no matter what. It is up to you how you get him calmed down enough to groom. Once you have been grooming him for a while, he will actually start to enjoy it and look forward to grooming day.

How to Groom a Large, Excited Dog

Introduction

Dog's Perspective

The Keep Occupied Method

The End of the Day Method

Caution & Considerations

Conclusion

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

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