Top 10 Tips to Prepare Your Puppy for Professional Grooming
It is an exciting experience filled with joy as you welcome a puppy! As you anticipate life as a puppy parent, it's vitally important to consider every aspect of your new furry friend's overall health and care. This includes preparing your puppy for its inaugural visit to the grooming salon!
Beyond the aesthetic benefits of having a well-groomed puppy, our professionals at Shear Standards of Grooming understand the initial experience at the grooming salon sets the tone for a lifetime of grooming experiences. It's crucial to foster good behavior and set reasonable expectations for your puppy's health and happiness. We have just the advice you need to lay the groundwork for a stress-free and enjoyable professional grooming experience for your puppy.
Why Get Your Puppy Professionally Groomed?
Professional groomers are trained to detect early health issues in puppies, including skin and ear infections. Regular grooming appointments prevent the build-up of mats and tangles in your puppy's fur and allow for thorough inspections, helping to ensure your puppy's overall health is maintained. Proper coat care is very important to each dog breed. Professional groomers are knowledgeable about the needs of each breed and provide appropriate grooming techniques for your puppy's coat type, including trimming, brushing, and de-shedding. Professional grooming is an important aspect of pet care.
When Should I Get My Puppy Groomed for the First Time?
Most puppies typically have their first grooming appointment between 8 and 12 weeks old. This is after their necessary vaccinations have been completed. We always explain to our clients that your puppy's coat type and length are a large determining factor of when a puppy should need their first groom. Some breeds need more frequent grooming than others, especially those with more dense and longer coats. If your puppy's coat looks unkempt and may need maintenance, it's time to bring your puppy in for its first grooming appointment.
When you’re thinking about scheduling your puppy’s first grooming appointment, we encourage you to schedule it sooner than you think! Grooming is something your puppy will experience through its entire life again and again. We want to show them it’s nothing to be scared of and that it is a positive experience for them. Getting your puppy groomed early in life allows them to form trust with their groomer and build a strong bond. Our professionals at Shear Standards of Grooming recommend that puppies come in more often at first to establish the routine and help your puppy build confidence.
If you’re unsure when you should come in, consider scheduling an “Introduction to Grooming” appointment. This service involves our professional groomer giving your puppy a bath, brushing it out, and cleaning it up - without a full haircut. From there, your groomer can provide personalized advice based on your puppy's breed, coat type, and individual requirements. That’s the Shear Standard.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Your Puppy Groomed?
When it comes to your puppy’s groom, as you can expect, the cost varies. Typically, the costs for puppies to get groomed are lower when they are babies because they are smaller and the coat is easier to care for.
As your puppy grows, its grooming needs will change. You can expect the price to increase as your puppy grows to full size and their adult coat comes in. Many breeds require more grooming maintenance, which will also result in higher grooming costs. No dog is the same, so discussing pricing with our grooming professionals is best.
What Should I Expect at My Puppy’s First Grooming?
It’s likely that your puppy will be nervous at its first grooming appointment. It’s also likely that it may be excited to meet new people. It’s possible that it may act like it’s done it 1,000 times! All of these reactions are perfectly normal for a puppy’s first groom. We’ve seen it all!
The best thing you can do is to come to your appointment confident that your puppy is in good hands. Your groomer will talk you through the whole process and discuss your puppy’s grooming goals with you. They will create a custom grooming plan for that specific appointment. During the appointment, they will expose them to all of the sounds and sensations in the grooming salon while providing reassurance and staying focused on building trust with your puppy.
Your groomer will work them through any insecurities throughout the appointment with extreme patience. Please expect your puppy to look different. This can be a big change for some people. Oftentimes, puppies will change colors after their first haircut. Their puppy hairs are trimmed, and the coat underneath is more easily seen. Don’t worry - this is all totally normal.
After the appointment, you will receive a phone call when your puppy is ready to be picked up. You will be given a full report of where your puppy excelled during the appointment and where it was unsure. There may even be homework for you to practice with your puppy between appointments!
How to Prepare Your Puppy for a Professional Grooming
The goal is to start grooming your puppy at an early age to establish a positive grooming routine and ensure they age accustomed to regular grooming sessions. Here are the top ten tips from our team of professionals to help you get your puppy ready for its first grooming appointment.
Test Textures and Vibrations at Home
We always suggest that you introduce your puppy to different textures and sensations by gently touching and stroking their body. Use a variety of surfaces, such as soft fabrics, a spoon, or your hands, to simulate the sensations they will experience during grooming. Another suggestion is to re-create the vibration feelings with an electric toothbrush, back massager on low, or clippers without blades.
Practice Touching Its Face, Ears, and Paws
It’s important to start handling your puppy's paws and gently touching their face from a young age. Touching and playing with your puppy’s ears so they are used to the touch and feeling is very important to prepare for professional ear cleaning. If you incorporate this into your regular bonding and handling sessions, it makes it a natural part of their routine. Consistency and patience are key to helping your puppy adjust to grooming.
Brush Regularly
Begin with short, gentle brushing sessions to gradually build up their tolerance. Approach brushing sessions with patience and a calm demeanor. If your puppy becomes anxious or resistant, take a break and try again later. This is a common part of grooming and is very important to get your puppy comfortable with. Keep in mind that various coats require a variety of brushes. Please consult with us regarding the best tool for your specific pet.
Safely Test Noises
As you can expect, it’s common that there will be loud noises, like dryers and clippers. Puppies have sensitive hearing and can easily become frightened or stressed by loud or sudden noises, which may have the opposite effect of what you intend. We recommend that you introduce puppies to grooming-related sounds gradually and at a low volume. Start with quieter sounds, such as a vacuum running in the next room. It’s a good idea to reward your puppy with treats or positive reinforcement when the puppy is calm and ignoring the sounds. You can gradually move the noise closer until the noise originates in the same room as the puppy, and they have little to no reaction.
Encourage Good Dental Hygiene
To help your puppy keep its teeth healthy, you can give it the appropriate chews (no rawhides or hard bones!). This keeps its teeth strong and reduces tartar buildup. You can also practice brushing its teeth regularly. Additionally, you can opt for a water additive to help with tartar buildup and plan for regular dental cleanings with your veterinarian.
Desensitize Your Puppy with Nail Trimming Tools
We encourage you to introduce your puppy to nail-trimming tools, such as clippers or a grinder. Start by letting them sniff and inspect the tools, then gradually introduce them to their paws and nails for short periods of time. You do not need to do this at home yourself if you do not own or are uncomfortable with the tools. Our groomers will work with your puppy to get them comfortable during the grooming process.
Car Rides To and From the Groomer
Some puppies quickly learn that car rides are fun, and some find them terrifying. It’s unlikely that you live close enough to the grooming salon to walk. It is natural to practice taking your pet to/from the groomer—even without an appointment. If this doesn’t work for your schedule, consider taking your puppy on short car rides around the block! The more exposure to car rides not related to going to the groomer or vet, the better! This leads to a positive experience for your puppy. This is also a good opportunity to learn if your puppy has any sort of car sickness or travel anxiety.
If your puppy is especially anxious, it’s crucial that you remain calm and reassure it with positive reinforcement tools like a happy voice, treats, and lots of pets.
Give Your Puppy Extra Exercise Before the Visit
Reducing a puppy's energy level before coming to the grooming salon can help them feel more calm and relaxed during their grooming session. This includes both mental and physical exercise! A brisk walk, play session, or interactive game of fetch can help burn off excess energy and promote relaxation during the visit. Mentally stimulating your puppy, like training sessions, puzzle toys, or interactive games, can also help tire your puppy out and calm their mind before their visit.
Utilize Training Commands
Teaching your puppy basic obedience commands, like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” “come,” and “wait,” is incredibly valuable inside and outside of the grooming salon! For example, use the command "stay" while gently holding your puppy's paw, then reward them with treats and praise for staying calm and still. By utilizing training commands effectively, you can help your puppy feel more confident, cooperative, and comfortable during grooming salon visits!
Get Comfortable with Your Routine
Consistency in daily activities can help reduce stress and anxiety for your puppy. We encourage you to stick to a regular routine leading up to the grooming appointment to help your puppy feel more secure and comfortable when leaving the house and heading to the salon.
PRO TIP: If kenneling is part of your routine at home, this will be helpful for your puppy’s visit to the groomer. While your puppy isn’t kenneled for a long period of time, it is helpful to make sure they are comfortable being crated and alone. This is also helpful for visits to the vet. If it’s not currently part of your routine, just practice!
Plan Ahead for Your Puppy’s Professional Dog Groom
By planning ahead and introducing your puppy to positive grooming experiences early on, you have set yourself up for success as you venture into its lifetime of grooming. The time you take to start grooming routines at home, introduce your puppy to grooming tools and procedures, and help them feel that the grooming salon is a positive environment can make all the difference in your puppy's long-term happiness and good health. We encourage all pet owners, especially puppy owners, to maintain open communication with your groomer and schedule regular appointments to keep your puppy looking and feeling their best. With patience, consistency, and a little preparation, you can set your furry friend up for success and make their grooming salon visits enjoyable for both of you.