Just like humans, dogs can find our hectic lifestyles difficult to cope with. We are constantly on the go whether it be moving house, going on holiday, having parties and even loud noises we make for fun like fireworks night. Plus, many dogs spend most of their days alone at home while we are busy with our family obligations and professional lives.
You know if a dog is stressed because of their behaviour, they may be panting, excessively yawning or even become aggressive towards you or other dogs.
Grooming can be a particularly stressful experience for some pets but there are ways to help reduce this stress and make grooming a pleasure.
Start them young!
A puppy’s first experience at the groomers will have a huge impact on how he feels about grooming.
Work with owners to help train their pets so they get used to being handled before he arrives in your salon. Ask owners to start slowly and gently touching some sensitive areas such as ears, feet and muzzle and reward the dog for good behaviour. Why not start on an area that is less sensitive such as the neck and move down towards the muzzle.
Create a Spa In your salon
Why not make subtle changes in your salon to help calm both dogs and owners. Use a calming spray in your salon such as the PPP Aromacare Calming Lavender Spray which is infused with natural essential oils will help calm and soothe dogs. It will also help keep that ‘just groomed’ feeling for longer!
The less noise the better
What makes a lot of dogs so nervous is noise. Whether it's a loud dryer or a loud clipper, noise could be a cause of stress for a dog in the salon. Making sure that you have a quiet running clipper such as the Wahl KM Series could destress a dog. Another thing that could help would be to get a trimmer for delicate areas such as the ears, face and paws. Not only would this give you more control when clipping these areas, but trimmers are also quieter than a clipper.
Happy hoodies are also great for muffling noise for a dog. Since they are absorbent, they also assist with drying the dogs face.
Natural remedies
If you still have anxious dogs, there are a number of natural remedies which can help. The FouFou Fou-Stick Calm can be applied directly to the pet’s skin and will naturally help to relieve stress and anxiety.
Phew! It’s over! Finish with a treat!
It’s always good to reward good behaviour with a treat so why not keep a retail pack of treats in your salon for your customers to purchase at the end of the groom. The new Yakers chews are made from a mix of Yak and Cow’s milk and are smoke-dried for 28 days to give them a unique texture and flavour dogs will love!
Look after yourself!
Finally, stress is something we all feel from time to time. Whether it’s dealing with an unhappy customer, a badly-behaved dog or just the stress of day-to-day life, it’s important to take care of yourself. Renowned US Groomer, Barbara Bird, swears by the Show Season Roll-Ons. These roll-ons contain natural oils which can be applied quickly to allow you to get on with the job! Choose from Energy Lift or Headache Help.
