Training Tips: Grooming at Home

Bathing 101:

For dogs, start by putting towels or a grippy mat in the tub so they can’t slip. Bathe small animals in a sink instead of the tub.

Fill the bath a few inches before bringing your pet into the bathroom. Some pets may be startled by the sound of the running water, making the bath a scary experience for them. Make sure to test the water temperature — it should be lukewarm.

When you’re ready for your pet to enter the bathroom, let them take their time and talk to them in a soothing tone. Praise them throughout and give them lots of treats to make the experience enjoyable!  

Once they are in the shallow water of the tub, use a cup to fully wet your pet. Use dog shampoo (not human shampoo) to cleanse their fur, avoiding their eyes, nose, mouth and inner ears. For dogs, use ear cleaner to dry out water from the inner ear and prevent infection after baths and swimming.

Make sure you rinse well to remove all of the soap — shampoo left in the coat can cause itchiness and irritation. Once they are clean, gently dry them with a towel and enjoy the post-bath zoomies!

A few additional tips:

• If you can avoid it, don’t bathe your pet outside with the hose unless you have warm water. 
• Don’t let them drink the dirty bath water. 
• Don’t let them outside right after the bath. Wait until they are dry. Many animals don't like the "clean" smell, so they will try to roll in something stinky or dirty after a bath.

Setting up for success:

It’s important to set your pet up for success, so try to groom them on an uneventful day when your pet is calm and relaxed. Don’t try to groom them if they are stressed or trigger-stacked. Trigger stacking occurs when your pet experiences several stressful or exciting events in a short period of time. For example, if on any given day your pet has interacted with guests who visited the home, had an exciting day at the dog park, visited the vet or had a negative interaction with a neighbor’s dog, they could be trigger stacked, and they may be on edge and less tolerant.

Do the grooming in a quiet part of the home where there are minimal distractions, and make sure you go at their pace.

Let them choose to participate (or not):

Rather than forcefully grabbing them, wait for them to come to you. Rather than placing them in the bath, allow them to jump in themselves (if they can do so safely). Allow your pet to opt out at any time if they are feeling overwhelmed. Rather than continuing to grab their paw even though they keep pulling away, try waiting and offering them treats. Once they've calmed down a bit, try reaching for the paw again.

Giving them the option to choose will prevent them from feeling like they need to protect themselves and build trust.

Go slow and make it a positive experience:

Every pet is unique and has a different tolerance and comfort level. Some pets may need time to get comfortable with you touching their paws, ears or body or become familiar with the grooming tools (nail clippers, ear cleaner bottle, hair clippers, bathtub, etc.). Other pets may be more confident with the grooming tools and may allow you to handle them easily. Follow their lead, and when in doubt, go slowly!

Throughout the process, use a calm voice, praise and plenty of treats to help them feel more comfortable and positive about the situation. You can also try using longer-lasting treats, like something your pet has to lick or work at. Smear peanut butter, wet food or liquid cat treats on a lick mat, wooden spoon or puzzle feeder. Or use cream cheese packets (for dogs) or squeezable cat treat packets (for cats), allowing them to lick a tiny bit at a time.

If your pet is too stressed to eat treats, take a break. Once your pet starts eating the treats, try again. Watch this video for an example of restraint-free handling using treats: Cooperative Care: Topical Flea Medication Application.

Be mindful of body language:

During the grooming process, be aware of both your and your pet’s body language. Avoid reaching over them or putting your face too close to their face, and try to maintain a calm demeanor throughout the interaction. Monitor their body language and respect their boundaries if they give you signs of fear or anxiety.

If they stiffen, slow down. If they growl or seem frozen in fear, stop. If they pull away, let them. If we ignore their subtle forms of communication, they will begin to escalate their behavior to make you stop, which can lead to snapping and biting.

Stop while you’re ahead:

For dogs, stop and reassess if you are unable to complete a grooming task after three tries, and for cats, stop after two tries. Ask yourself: How can I change my approach? What was not working? What was working? Take a break and try again later once your pet has had time to decompress. 

If your pet seems comfortable with the grooming tasks and you’ve successfully been able to clip some of their fur or cut a few nails, great! It’s time to end the session.

You always want to end a grooming session on a good note while they are still calm. Reward them with a treat “jackpot” (four to eight small treats) and allow them quiet time alone to decompress.

If you push your pet too far, too quickly, it can cause them to be fearful of grooming, making the process more difficult next time. While you are first introducing grooming, keep the sessions short to avoid causing your pet unnecessary stress and damaging the trust between you. 

Use caution and keep equipment in good condition:

When cutting out mats from your pet’s fur, slide a comb between the mat and your pet’s skin so you don’t accidentally cut them. You can also use clippers to shave off mats. Clean clippers, blades and scissors after each use, and occasionally have them professionally sharpened so that they don’t become dull or rusty.

When clipping nails, look for the "nail quick" (the pink part of the inside of the nail where the tissue, nerves and blood vessels are located) and avoid trimming too close to it. When clipping cats' nails, lightly squeeze their paw to cause their claws to extend, only clipping the very end of each claw. Ideally, only trim a tiny bit to avoid hurting your pet, especially if you cannot see the "nail quick" due to dark nails or furry paws. For more tips on clipping nails, read our article here.

Don’t get discouraged: 

Every grooming session is an opportunity to learn. Your pet does not choose to be "uncooperative," stubborn" or "difficult."  If you are having a hard time, it's because your pet is having a hard time. Be patient. Progress happens slowly. The hair always grows back. And there's always next time to improve your skills.