Knowing how to choose the right groomer for your dog is easy when you understand what things are important to consider, so here are my top five easy steps that will help you make the right choice for your beloved pooch.
#1 - Understand What Your Dog Needs And Be Your Dog's Advocate
Is your dog on the sensitive side? Does your dog struggle to cope with grooming tasks? Perhaps your dog feels nervous around other dogs or has little-to-no experience at a professional grooming salon. What if your dog has a medical issue that causes him pain?
Understanding your dog's very specific needs is the first step because this will determine what sort of grooming set-up and what kind of groomer you are looking for before you begin enquiring.
Think about your dog's: age, current health, behaviour and experiences because all of this will contribute to what sort of groomer and establishment is needed to ensure the process is as low-stress as possible.
#2 - Request A 'Meet and Treat' Appointment For Your Dog
Every dog should have the opportunity to be carefully and positively introduced to a new environment and person, especially when it comes to grooming.
A Meet and Treat appointment really just gives you and your dog a chance to see the grooming salon, ask the dog groomer questions, discuss the needs of your dog and whether the groomer can accommodate and to devise a bespoke care plan for your dog based on your dog's individual needs.
Some dogs will need more of these 'introductory' sessions before any grooming takes place, especially if they are particularly nervous and will struggle to cope with the high demands of grooming tasks - this is normal!
Introductory sessions are almost always short and informal sessions that may incorporate some desensitisation and positive training exercises to help promote confidence in your dog to new tasks.
For more information on these sessions check out my 'Meet & Treat' masterclass available here.
#3 - Know What Questions To Ask Your Dog Groomer
Making sure to ask the right questions to your dog groomer can really help you to decide whether they are the right fit for your dog.
Here are some questions to get you started on the right paw:
How will my dog be groomed? For example, on a table and attached to a neck noose or using cooperative care methods.
Do you invest in your ongoing CPD including topics around canine behaviour and dog training? Remember, there is more to grooming than simply styling and a reputable dog groomer will invest in other skills too.
Where will my dog be housed/kept between grooming tasks? For example, in stackable crates vs a large pen with constant access to fresh water.
My dog is a little sensitive to grooming, how can you help make the process less-stressful? For example, does the groomer consider splitting up grooming tasks into shorter sessions over a series of days/weeks.
Do you have an official qualification in professional grooming or equivalent evidence to show you have been formally trained to groom dogs? The grooming industry is unregulated which means anyone can open a dog groomer business with or without the relevant training.
Are you Pet First Aid trained and up-to-date with your certification? Pet First Aid should be renewed at least every three years as per legislation - points for ensuring that any training has been provided by a Registered Veterinary Professional who is competent and qualified to conduct training.
What organisations are you a member of/affiliated with? Looking out for ethical and positive-based organisations that require its members to demonstrate an up-to-date approach to animal care such as 'The Dog Welfare Alliance', 'Welfare for Animals', UK Dog Training & Behaviour Charter', 'NICE', 'INTOdogs', 'ICAN' and others.
If my dog struggles, would you be open to allowing me to attend grooming sessions to help assist? There are studies to show that dog carer assistance can help soothe a nervous dog and increase cooperation. If a groomer is open-minded to try having a dog carer present, this shows that they understand more about canine behaviour and emotions.
If a groomer is reluctant or defensive of questions then it might be worthwhile looking elsewhere.
Equally, it is especially important that you are honest about your dog's needs and answer questions that a groomer may ask you.
Be fully prepared for a competent and experienced groomer to ask questions that may not seem relevant to grooming at all. Transparency is key and holistic, low-stress grooming relies on a positive and honest partnership between you and your chosen dog groomer.
#4 - Observe Your Dog Closely During The Initial Appointments.
While you can expect an element of stress from your dog when being introduced to a new environment it is important to observe the relationship between your dog and a dog groomer and expect small improvements over time.
Does your dog look especially afraid/restless?
Is your dog willing to explore the space or does your dog look shut down?
Is your dog willing to approach and/or interact with the groomer at all?
Does the groomer look confident and knowledgable on dog behaviour and communication based on how they are behaving towards your dog?
Does the environment suit your dog's needs?
Does the space have the facilities necessary for cooperative grooming (hydraulic tables and rugs/yoga mats on the floor for example)?
Keep in mind that for more nervous dogs it may take time for a groomer to build up a positive relationship and association to the task but is the groomer willing to work with your dog in a way that plays to his/her strengths?
Sometimes it's an environment that is not suitable for your dog for example, the location, set-up and/or access into the property. It is worthwhile asking if a groomer is willing to come to your home and/or be prepared to accept that it might be better all round to find an alternative groomer instead.
#5 - When It Comes To Your Dog, Learn To Trust Your Gut
I always advise dog carers to trust their gut when it comes to choosing any pet care provider for their dog.
If you don't feel comfortable or confident in a professional's ability to care for your dog it is important that you trust your intuition and respectfully move on to the next name on the list.
It might be that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a prospective groomer other than you just sense they are not the right fit for you and your dog, and that is absolutely ok.
For example, I have seen many dog carers choose a groomer based on their reputation and ability to style a dog amazingly well despite them being openly dominance-based in their approach to handling - don't let your desires cloud your judgement.
Remember that the most important role of a professional groomer is to ensure that your dog is looked after not only physically and aesthetically, but emotionally too. The grooming experience is EVERYTHING.
Further Recommended Resources
The Magic of Holistic Grooming - available to buy worldwide from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones and Dogwise Book Publishers.
A Teacher's Guide to Low-Stress Grooming - available to buy worldwide from Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Waterstones and Dogwise Book Publishers.
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