Why Does My Puppy Need Grooming Introductions?
WHY DOES MY PUPPY NEED GROOMING INTRODUCTIONS?
A full explanation of why we recommend puppy introductions for our grooming salon and how these sessions work.
Your Puppy’s Introduction Sessions |
What happens during an introduction session?
During the introduction session we take things nice and slow so as to not spook your puppy. All of the sensations they experience in the salon will be heightened as they are now in a new and foreign environment.
We will pop them in the bath, bathe them, towel and blow dry them. If they are scared of our driers we will reduce the drying to a minimum and depending on the puppy’s preference, either cradle them in our arms and/or distract them with treats.
Once dry (or mostly dry on their first visit), we will brush them from head to tail with the same tools you should be using at home. We firstly use a slicker brush, then a comb as shown below which can both be purchased here. If we come across any matts (knots that cannot be brushed out) we will cut these out to avoid them spreading.
What next?
We will then see how they react to having clippers brushed over them without actually cutting any hair on their body while distracting them with treats and praise. Once they are comfortable with this, we will trim the hair between their paw pads which will avoid any matting occurring between their pads, reduce the amount of mud they bring into the house, and can also stop them slipping on hard floors. It is important that you wash between your puppy’s paw pads after muddy walks to avoid matts forming as it can be quite painful to remove them.
We then, use scissors to trim around their feet and between their toes if needed. While we are working on the feet and if the puppy is cooperating we will trim their nails.
In the final part of the introduction session...
We will then tidy their sanitary areas (as best we can on the first visit) which are prone to matting and getting dirty. You may find that if they had any dry faeces on their rear that they might scoot a little after their visit, this is completely normal, they are simply getting used to the new sensation of having a clean behind!
The hair between their thighs is an area that often gets missed off during home grooming, so this area is often taken short as it is a sensitive area for us to brush out.
Last but not least we will clear your puppy’s vision. To do this we will ask your puppy to sit still, we will hold their face under their chin and cut the hair around their eyes. Please keep an eye out for our video guide coming soon on how to desensitise your dog to face holding.
Once we have finished the groom, we will pop them onto the salon floor for some pawsitive play and treat them with rewards so that they remember the experience as a fun one!
Tips and Advice on How to Brush Your Dog EverydayClaire and Pablo talk you through how to brush, then comb, your high maintenance breed dog everyday in our tutorial below. |
We've had super feedback regarding these intros and we really believe they can make the difference between a happy dog and a nervous dog when it comes to grooming in the salon.
These sessions aren't exclusive to puppies, we can offer them to adult dogs who have had a bad experience in another salon too, to help reset their associations with grooming. However, we recommend these the earlier the better in your dog's life to help create a healthy relationship with your dog and grooming.
How often should I bring in my puppy for grooming? |
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The ideal pattern would be for them to come in every 4 weeks for a puppy introduction until they are mentally ready and their coats are in need of a full groom. This depends on the puppy’s coat condition, but usually takes place at about 6 months old. Once they have had their first groom you will need to book them in every 6 to 8 weeks for a groom. The longer you would like to keep the coat, the more often they will need to come in for grooming. |
Don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions grooming@doghouse.co.uk.
