Source: https://animalwellnessmagazine.com/
It’s never too early to introduce grooming to your pet as it can save you a lifetime of struggle. This is vital so that the dog can be accustomed to grooming and avoid the anxiety that comes with the exercise. Whether a dog is used to grooming, it can be a challenge as a number of factors can influence the mood of the pet or its owner. Therefore, it is significant to learn the basics of grooming to avoid these struggling moments that can make you neglect your dog and make it susceptible to diseases and bad appearances. Among the best-recommended steps to deal with this behavior while grooming include:
Explore ways to make your dog at ease
Dogs are intelligent animals and can read the mood of the groomer. If you come out as aggressive or generally in a bad mood, then your dog also will be agitated making the exercise of grooming unattainable. Before starting the cleaning, stroke the dog gently while praising them with phrases they are familiar with to make them at ease and stress-free.
Let them play with the grooming brush at first
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Pets usually are afraid of things that are strange to them. The grooming brush can be scary to the pets making them bark or run away from them. So before starting the grooming process, it is important to introduce the brush in front of them and letting them play with it to make them know they have nothing to fear. During the process of introducing the dog shedding brush, make the experience as enjoyable as possible so that they can always look ahead to the exercise.
Mimic the process of grooming
You can take a piece of clothing with fur and mimic the process of grooming. This shows the pet that it has nothing to fear and it is a fairly normal thing. First, use the side without clippers to run gently on the back of the puppy until it is used to it. Then to the side with clippers and run it smoothly in the puppy’s fur. If it does not exhibit any strange movement, know you can turn on the vibration without running through the fur. After it is used to vibrations and comfortable with it, then finally you can start the brushing or clipping and the pet will not struggle.
Groom when they are completely at ease
Never brush or trim your pet when it is agitated or playing. Only groom them slowly taking care not to disturb them when they are relaxed or resting.
Stop if the pet gets agitated
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Do not continue brushing or trimming if they get agitated. This will only reinforce the belief that grooming is bad. Even if you are not done, wait for them to relax and then resume the grooming.
Reward them
Keep treats handy so that you can reward them when they are calm and still. Keep increasing the rewards while increasing the grooming period. The dog will associate the treats with being calm and still making it a rewarding experience.
Overall, make sure to make grooming of your pet a positive experience where you are calm and stress-free yourself. Your dog can sense your frustrations, therefore, keep them away during the process. Following the above tips will make the process of grooming struggle free leading to clean, disease-free, and good looking pets.
