Bathing and treating your dog all on your own is not very easy, especially when the dog is feeling wiggly. Bathing or trimming the nails becomes more challenging when your dog is restless. But, it is possible to offer advice on making your furry friend accept grooming at home. With little pushing, nudging, and encouragement, you can soon have your dog all laid back during grooming.
Prepare the Environment
Preparing the area well for your dog is essential, so you must also ensure that the conditions for grooming are comfortable for your dog. Avoid noisy surroundings such as loud television or loud music near the place. You may also prefer to shut doors and windows to avoid letting in outside disturbances or even pedestrians, making your dog agitated. In all the sessions, try to keep them calm and peaceful.
Avoid small confined space like bathrooms and opt for a large flat area like the living room floor. Position refreshment, slip lead, and grooming equipment so you will not need to get off your position regularly. For the most part, your dog will be fine with this method as long as it is on a firm surface that doesn’t slide. In the tub, remember to put a non-slip bath mat or rubber-backed rug on the bottom.
Engage in a secure but comfortable posture
Sometimes, when grooming your dog, it’s possible to use the position you place your dog in to help them be calm and remain still. Small dogs can comfortably be placed on an elevated, non-slip surface, such as a cushioned dog grooming table.
Large dogs, especially, should be groomed while lying on the floor. Afterward, have them leave the leash on and assume the standby position on a dog bed or blanket. Put a slip lead around the dog’s neck so it sits loosely on his neck as an anchor but not so tight that his head cannot move around. Blowing or placing your hand over a large dog’s face will only cause further struggle due to the dog constantly struggling back onto its paws.
Apply Gentle Restraint
Furthermore, with grooming aids such as ties and elevation, you may sometimes have to physically restrain your dog at the beginning of the grooming process to accustom them to being touched during grooming. Stand close to them and lock your hands behind their back, gently cupping one hand on their shoulder to prevent shuffling.
As your dog starts to ease up, you can then decide to reduce your touching and observe whether the dog will continue to calm down. Calm behavior should be rewarded with treats and praise at several times during the performance. Gradually, your dog will understand that staying in one place is beneficial because good things follow it!
Use Sensory Calming Aids
Objects such as weighted vests are designed to exert pressure that most dogs consider comforting. The kind of wraps such as Thundershirts encompass the torso and thus give a feeling of being hugged.
ES has demonstrated that such synthetic pheromones have soothing properties. Another way to make grooming easier is through use of soft music, this is important when dealing with high strung dogs since music will help them to calm down for grooming.
Break Up Long Sessions
You don’t want to brush, bath and trim your dog’s nails all at once, thinking that it will make your work easier. When introducing your pet to grooming you should be advised to spend little time over it; it could take up to 5 minutes of gentle handling or brushing. Over the sessions, become sensitive to your dog’s tolerance and then gradually increase the length of handling. Always make sure to bring your interaction with the dog to a happy ending – and it should always involve treats and cuddles.
It helps one ensure that their dog is not overwhelmed by taking plenty of breaks. Then pause also give a chance for the dog to throw and shake and even reposition itself by tossing treats and given praises. subtle things such as lip licking, yawning or stiffening of the body should signal that the dog is stressed out. Take short sessions concentrating on one or two tasks and end before your dog becomes bored.
Always have the tasty squishy treats handy to reward the animal for staying still or allowing you to touch their most sensitive areas such as paws or ears. Say “Good dog!” to verbal reinforcement to be quiet cooperation.
Do not correct wiggly behavior, as it will only worsen the anxiety level present in dogs. If your dog shows signs of discomfort or tries to escape, gently steer him/her to a more comfortable position and reward the animal as soon as he relents. This is the reason you do not want grooming time connected with such feelings as fear or frustration. Take your time – with repeated positive reinforcement during brief daily sessions you will soon see you dog more at ease being groomed.
Conclusion
Convincing a noncooperative dog to sit right still for grooming is definitely patience-testing. Though some basics can be accomplished at home, almost all dogs can be trained to stay calm during grooming. The keys are choosing a safe, unobtrusive place where they’ll work and selecting a low-stress location for the business. If necessary, use physical prompting along with gentle restraint followed by sensory support. Minimize session time, provide many reinforcers for desirable behavior, and practice handling time in multiple successive positives. In time and with practice, grooming the squirmiest of dogs in your house becomes pretty easy.
