Not all pets need to be groomed, but for those who do, it is important to make your pet feel as comfortable as possible visiting the groomer, which also makes the groomer’s job smoother.
While the grooming industry is full of gifted, professional groomers, they enjoy when their job is made a little bit easier by the pet being cooperative. Some pets are sensitive to things like the sound of clippers, being placed on a grooming table, having their paws held for nail trimmings, and other things that come along with a visit to the groomers.
Here are some tips to help ease your pet’s anxiety of visiting the groomers:
- Make it a routine. Schedule grooming appointments a set number of weeks apart so your pet can normalize the routine of visiting the groomer.
- Be on time for grooming appointments. No one enjoys being late, the same applies to your pet. There is a lot of unnecessary stress on you, the groomer, and your pet when you are frantic and rushing because you are running late to your pet’s grooming appointment. Mark appointments on your calendar and set yourself a reminder so that you have plenty of time to prepare for a grooming appointment.
- For pets with longer hair, brush them often. Brushing your pet often reduces the knots that accumulate over time, which causes the groomer to have to tug on your pet’s fur, making the pet uncomfortable.
- Reward your pet’s calm behavior with treats. When doing small grooming tasks at home, praise your pet for remaining calm while being groomed with their favorite treats.
- Normalize paw touching. A lot of pets don’t enjoy their paws being touched, much less held. By touching and handling your pet’s paws at home, it makes them more comfortable with the groomer holding their paw for nail trimming and other grooming tasks. You can also incorporate treats.
- Consider calming products. There are several calming products available for purchase that are completely safe for your pet. Some of these products can include herbal treats, CBD infused treats/oils, and pheromone sprays.