Grooming is an important part of dog care, but not all pets are ready for this process right away. This especially applies to animals taken from war zones or shelters. In this article, you will learn why you should wait with grooming, and how to properly prepare your dog for this procedure.
Features of dogs that affect visits to the grooming salon
Unstable emotional state. Dogs that have been through traumatic experiences often have specific behaviors. They can be frightened, aggressive or overly cautious. It is difficult for them to trust people or to get used to new conditions. Therefore, if you sign the dog up for grooming right away, he may perceive new people and objects as a threat. And the noise of a hair dryer, a car or the shine of lamps in general can cause panic.
Problems with socialization. Dogs from shelters or war zones quite often do not have normal socialization. They may be afraid of people or other animals. And if the dog is frightened or aggressive, it can create a tense atmosphere in the cabin, which will affect other animals. This, in turn, will complicate the work of the staff and increase the duration of grooming.
Physical condition. All dogs need regular veterinary check-ups, but dogs from war zones and shelters need it the most. They can have physical injuries, parasites, suffer from dehydration, malnutrition or even serious diseases. And in this case, grooming is not the first necessary destination. The point is that a dog can simply feel severe pain and discomfort, which requires attention and treatment prescribed by a veterinarian. He may not have strong immunity and the necessary vaccinations to ensure a healthy stay at the groomer, which poses a threat to other animals and the staff themselves. Therefore, an appointment with a veterinarian should be the owner’s first step on the way to adapting the animal. The doctor will perform a complete examination, perform a blood test to check the general state of health, administer vaccinations, treat for parasites and provide the necessary recommendations for care and treatment as needed.
What should be done before grooming?
As you have already understood, grooming before bringing a dog into the family nest is a bad idea.
The first days in a new home are the time when a dog needs peace and quiet the most. Therefore, you should limit contact with a large number of people or animals and allocate a separate place for the dog where he will feel safe. Avoid loud noises and sudden movements by yourself and talk it over with the whole family. Don’t force your pet to interact with you if they don’t want to. Better just spend your time next to him, giving him the opportunity to choose the moment for communication. Do not forbid him to get to know the house, if such a desire arises. Dogs generally feel more confident when their lives are predictable, so try to stick to a feeding and walking schedule.
When the pet has adapted a little, you can start gradual socialization, visiting different places during walks and getting to know new animals. Pay special attention to recognizing your dog’s body language in order to prevent a conflict situation when getting animals used to a common company. It’s important to note that punishment has the most negative effect on dogs with traumatic experiences, so always encourage correct behavior with praise and treats to reinforce the cause-and-effect relationship.
Taking into account all the above actions, this is already a large piece of work done, but it is still not enough to visit a grooming salon. The dog must be able to behave calmly around animals and people, as well as allow the groomer to do all the procedures. For this, the owner must responsibly approach the issue of getting used to grooming at home. That is, the dog, being in a safe environment, gets acquainted with the basic care procedures: bathing, combing the coat, trimming the claws, cleaning the ears and drying the coat with the help of the owner, who is trusted. The biggest problem can be the drying itself due to the sound of the hair dryer and the power of the air. Therefore, it is worth turning on the hair dryer at a low speed next to the dog, gradually directing the flow of air to some part of the pet’s body. Having made progress in the matter of home grooming, you can start preparing for professional grooming. It is worth visiting the grooming salon several times to familiarize the dog with the smells and the room, talk with the groomer and do not forget to treat the dog with treats to reinforce the positive association.
Cooperation with a dog trainer
Dogs from war zones or shelters may have experienced traumatic experiences, lost trust in humans, or even learned to defend themselves with aggression. In such cases, the sooner the owner contacts a dog trainer, the easier it will be to correct behavioral problems in the pet. For this, the specialist develops an individual program that includes work with the main teams, teaching patient behavior in new situations (walking in a crowd, visits to the vet and groomer), socialization with other dogs and people. If the dog has specific triggers (loud sounds, strangers, touching certain parts of the body), the dog trainer determines which of them cause fear or aggression, gradually introduces the dog to these stimuli in controlled conditions and teaches him to react calmly using positive reinforcement. However, this is not the entire list of issues with which a dog trainer can help. The lion’s share of the correct behavior of a dog depends on the owner and his ability to behave with his pet. Therefore, after fruitful work with a specialist, the owner will know how to communicate with the dog so that he understands him, how to respond to his fears or aggression, and how to maintain the results of training in everyday life.
If you have problems with the behavior of your pet or want to understand it better, working with a dog trainer will bring a lot of fruits.
Tips for owners to help make grooming a positive experience
- Choose grooming salons that have the ability to conduct procedures in a calm environment (without other animals or loud noise).
- Work through the triggers that can affect your stay at the grooming salon with your dog trainer.
- Accustom your pet to basic procedures at home.
- Always check the dog’s health before grooming. Wounds, injuries, diseases can cause pain during the procedures, which will not contribute to the animal’s further desire to cross the threshold of the salon.
- Before grooming, arrange an active walk with your pet to reduce energy during the procedures and add hormones of happiness before them.
- Warn the groomer about the dog’s past experience, sensitive areas, behavioral characteristics.
- Leave your pet for grooming only when he fully trusts the new environment.
- If the dog feels calmer next to you, discuss the possibility of staying in the cabin during the procedure during the appointment.
- After the procedure, be sure to encourage the dog: give treats or spend time together in a calm environment.
- Visit the grooming salon regularly to reduce stress and improve the condition of the coat and skin.
Conclusion
Dogs from shelters or war zones are heroes who have survived difficult circumstances. They need time for adaptation, trust in the new owner and gradual getting used to hygiene procedures. Grooming should not only be a means of achieving beauty, but also a positive experience for your pet and care for its health. Therefore, make sure that the dog has been examined by a veterinarian and that his health is not a cause for concern, that he has adapted to a new environment, feels calm at home, shows trust in new people and is not afraid of contact, calmly allows all procedures to be performed. In this case, everyone, from workers to animals, will feel relaxed and safe in the grooming salon.
