Feb 2 • Tips & Tools
Working with difficult dogs
I saw on a Facebook group asking about how to work with difficult dogs and at what point do you send them home. I wanted to share my response here in case it helps anyone else.
It really depends on the dog and what they’re doing. If they’re stress pooping or vomiting then I’ll send them home and try to have them come back to finish the haircut another day while they’re still mostly clean. If they’re full flailing I’ll try to see if we can take a minute to have them settle and regulate before doing anything else. If we can’t (very rare) I will send them home and maybe I’m not their groomer, there is always the option to try meds or sedation if it’s critical. Sometimes extra vet input can be really helpful especially if there may be an underlying health concern causing the dog to be in pain (or for one case a Shih Tzu puppy that eventually saw a neurologist and was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus).
I talk to all my dogs and sometimes even talking in a lower calm voice can help. Some dogs that are okay with most of the groom but don’t like their feet or face being done I’ll break it up into small parts and go between something they’re okay with vs something they don’t like rather than trying to force them to hold still while I trim their face at once. Sometimes I can use my clippers or shears and just rub the area I want to trim before I do to show them what I’m about to do (especially in young dogs that don’t know what’s happening). I know my back will hate me later but I’ve also found certain dogs do better if I work closer to the ground vs standing over them or adding a lot of spatial pressure.
Every time I get a new dog I adapt my grooming style and try to work around what they’re having a hard time with. I love taking notes and will include what they struggle with in the notes so I can make a game plan for next time. Sometimes things aren’t always perfect and I’ll talk to the owner on what they’re having struggled with and what I did to try to work with them on it. I love clients that take feedback and are willing to keep their dog on a regular schedule as well as work on handling at home.
I actually kind of like working with difficult dogs because I want to see them improve each visit. Sometimes they’re more difficult because they’re scared, in pain or it’s just their breed or personality that’s going to give them certain traits. Pay attention to sensitivities the dog may have, things like how they’re wearing their nails down between grooms, the condition of their teeth, their age (arthritis), etc. Those things can absolutely make any dog lash out if they’re in pain but also sometimes they can be signs of cancer (never diagnose but if you see something weird recommend they get it checked)
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Working with difficult dogs
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