How to Groom a Small, Excited Dog

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How to Groom a Small, Excited Dog

Medium

10 - 30 Minutes

1 Day

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Introduction

Mickey is a very active, excitable, young Jack Russell Terrier. Getting Mickey to stay still while his owners brush and comb out his coat can be challenging. Mickey gets distracted by noises in the house or outside the window, jumps around excitedly, bites at the brush like it’s a toy, wiggles and yaps, turning his head this way and that trying to follow the brush so grooming becomes almost impossible.

Small dogs sometimes have a reputation for being excitable, playful, and wiggly. Getting a small dog to hold still for grooming can be a challenge when it's time for a daily brushing. Even worse, many small dogs are low-shed dogs with wavy coats that need regular brushing, and sometimes clipping and trimming. An excitable dog that won't hold still is in danger of getting nicked when having hair clipped or nails trimmed. Getting your excited dog to be calm and stand quietly for grooming is important so you and your dog don't become frustrated by the grooming process, and so your dog does not get injured during grooming. Several strategies to calm or distract your dog can be useful for grooming your excited pup.

Dog's Perspective

The world is a fascinating place; there are so many interesting things to see, smell and investigate! A bird outside the window, the funny brush running over his coat all can distract your dog’s attention and caused him to move and wriggle about excitedly. A small dog often needs quite a bit of grooming due to their coat types, and because they are inside dogs most owners like to keep them clean, so their furniture stays that way too! Getting your small dog’s excitability under control is necessary to allow a peaceful and productive grooming session.

The Short and Sweet Method

Effective

0 Votes

Slicker Brush

Nail Clipper

Comb

Clipper

Step

Burn off energy

Take your little dog outside if possible, for a long walk or play with him in your yard. If weather doesn't permit outdoor activity, play in a large area of the house. Burn off as much energy as possible to reduce excitable behavior.

Step

Hold and relax

Hold your small dog on your lap and pet him for a while to calm him until he relaxes. Practice some massage techniques like rubbing his shoulder in a circular motion, or gently kneading his neck and back with your fingers.

Step

Incorporate brushing into petting

Have brushes, comb, and other grooming tools at hand. When your excited dog is in a calm mood being petted, pick up a brush and start brushing. Manipulate your pup onto his back, pet first, then pick up a grooming tool and brush his belly, legs, and paws.

Step

Trim a little at a time

Trim hair a little at a time at each grooming session to keep it neat all the time. Point scissors away from your dog, and hold clipper blades parallel to the skin to avoid injury.

Step

Clip nails a little at a time

Gently take each paw and clip nails when necessary. Do just a few at a time each grooming session, instead of all four paws at one session. Be sure to keep track of which paws and nails you have clipped.

The Calm and Safe Method

Effective

0 Votes

Slicker Brush

Nail Clipper

Comb

Clipper

Step

Capture low energy

Exercise your dog to wear him out first, or pick a time of the day when he's more quiet, like late afternoon after your dog has been fed and been let outside.

Step

Choose location

Find a quiet room in the house where you can close the door to eliminate distractions, like a bathroom, laundry room or bedroom.

Step

Contain your dog

Put your small dog on your lap, or on a grooming table with neck restraint and non-slip mats for safety. Get an assistant that your dog is used to, and that won't increase his excitement, to help hold your dog still, and distract him if necessary.

Step

Distract your dog

Give your dog a chew toy to focus on. A rawhide bone, pig ear, or Kong works well. Pet your dog to get him calm and focused on you.

Step

Groom in short sessions

Brush, comb, trim, clip and trim nails as necessary, try to keep sessions short, with tools readily available, and do not do too much at one session, break up tasks into multiple sessions as much as possible.

Caution & Considerations

Hold scissors or blades parallel to your dog, with sharp tips pointed away from your dog, so that if he moves unexpectedly you will not cut him.
Use a Dremel tool or grinder for nails, instead of a nail trimmer, if trimming nails is a challenge for your little dog.
Non-slip mats and neck restraints reduce the chance of injury.
Reduce distractions as much as possible, to reduce excitement and movement while grooming.
Don't leave grooming tools out where an excited dog might treat them as a chew toy and injure themselves.

Conclusion

Excited little dogs are lots of fun to play with. Not so much fun to groom, if they won't stay still. Not only is an excitable dog frustrating and time-consuming to groom, but they can become injured by grooming tools if they slip while the little dog is wiggling. Burning off excess energy before grooming is a good strategy to get control of an excitable pup. Distracting the small dog with a chew toy is another good strategy.

Working to calm your dog with massage and petting until they are in the right frame of mind for grooming may seem time-consuming, but can save time in the long run, and with practice, your excitable dog will learn when it is time to be calm for grooming. If you keep sessions short it won't be too taxing on your little buddy, and he will adapt as he becomes accustomed to grooming and learns to enjoy being still and calm during the process.

How to Groom a Small, Excited Dog

Introduction

Dog's Perspective

The Short and Sweet Method

The Calm and Safe Method

Caution & Considerations

Conclusion

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

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