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September 2nd
Dogs are man’s best friend. Well, most of the time. Your precious puppy can turn into a terror as soon as you break out a brush or nail clippers.
Fortunately, there are a few easy steps you can take to keep your dog calm during grooming. Here’s how you can make grooming anxiety free for both you and your puppy.
It can take a while for puppies to get used to the grooming process. That’s why it’s important that you get them started early.
If you start grooming your dog while they’re young, they’ll be much more likely to tolerate the process, making both your lives easier.
Puppies can be quite sensitive, and many won’t like it when you touch their paws or try to brush their fur. Start by holding their paws in your hand without trimming their nails.
One of the best ways of keeping your dog calm throughout grooming is to let them burn off some energy beforehand.
Take your dog outside to play before you start grooming so that they don’t have a ton of pent up energy. A long walk is another great way to relax your dog.
You may be tempted to rush the grooming process to get it over as quickly as possible. But trying to speed your way through can make your dog much more anxious.
Take your time as you groom, whether clipping nails or brushing their fur. If your dog starts to get anxious, give them a short break and let them relax for a while. Once your dog has calmed down, you can start grooming again.
Grooming can frustrate a lot of dogs, and sometimes they’ll just be fed up with you. If you notice that your dog is at the end of their rope, stop grooming for the day and let them run around to blow off some steam.
There’s pretty much nothing that a treat can’t do. As you groom your dog, keep plenty of their favorite treats on hand.
By praising and rewarding your dog, you’ll make them feel less anxious as you groom. They’ll also learn that sitting still and being a good boy is a great way to get a few treats.
You can use other clever tricks to keep your dog occupied as you groom them. Distract them with some peanut butter during a bath, or give them one of their favorite toys to chew as you trim their nails.
Grooming is often easier if you have another person to give you a helping hand. The other person can hold your dog still, as well as praise them and give them treats to calm them down.
When trimming your dog’s nails, have another person stand in front of them and restrain them so that they can’t move their paws as you trim.
When you’re grooming your dog, the worst thing that you can do is get frustrated. Your anger and irritation quickly rubs off on your dog, which only stresses them out more.
If your dog is giving you a hard time as you groom them, try to keep a level head and be patient. When they get really stressed out, stop grooming and let them relax for a while.
Dogs have a good memory, and they’ll remember anytime grooming goes wrong. If you try to rush through nail trimming and cause a bleed, your dog will give you a hard time in the future.
Grooming will be a whole lot easier if you invest in some decent grooming tools. Pick out a high quality slicker brush that will bust mattes and tangles in your dog’s fur. You should also get a comb to help get tough tangles out of their fur.
When trimming their nails, invest in a decent pair of clippers. You should not use your own nail clippers on your dog, as they are more likely to cause bleeds and crack nails.
If you’re still having issues with grooming your dog, you can consider taking them to a professional groomer.
A groomer can help keep your dog calm, while also getting better results than you would if you handled the job yourself.
Many groomers will also come to you, saving the hassle of having to load your dog into the car.
In some extreme cases, dogs may not be able to handle the grooming process. Some may even try to bite you as you brush their fur or trim their nails.
If you cannot safely groom your dog, speak to your vet. They may recommend medication that takes the edge off as you groom.
You can also ask your vet to trim your dog’s nails for your whenever they’re in the office. If they need to, they can mildly sedate your dog so that they tolerate having their paws touched.
CBD Oil For Anxiety
CBD oil can help take the edge off as you groom your dog, making them less anxious. It can also reduce pain, in case you cause a bleed.
Speak to your vet if you plan on giving your CBD oil, as dosage will vary depending on the breed and size of the dog.
Other Medications
In some cases, your vet may recommend other medication to help with your dog’s anxiety. These drugs can sedate your dog throughout grooming, making it less likely that they’ll feel pain or get anxious.
Still haven’t found the puppy of your dreams? Then head over to our puppy finder. At Uptown Puppies, we connect you to some of the best breeders and companies around.
We only work with people who follow strict ethical and breeding standards when raising their puppies. That means you’ll never get a dog from a backyard breeder or puppy mill.
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