Should you plan to have your pet professionally groomed when she grows up, you must also present her what to anticipate at her first grooming appointment. Until you might have a wash-and-wear canine who can get by with simply an occasional bathtub—and you might be prepared to be the one to offer it—you’ll possible need to use the providers of a skilled groomer. That is very true in case your pet has lengthy hair that must be styled and clipped. Nevertheless, your pet should wait till she’s at the very least 16 weeks outdated to go to a groomer since most salons require canines to have all their vaccinations earlier than their first session. Within the meantime, you can begin getting ready your pet for her first grooming appointment. Doing so will assist her really feel extra snug whereas she’s being groomed, and can make the groomer’s job simpler.
Begin at Dwelling
To assist your pet, you’ll want to start out grooming her first at dwelling the place she feels secure. Purchase a soft-bristled brush for canines and a guillotine-style nail trimmer for pets. In case your pup has lengthy, silky hair, purchase a wide-toothed comb. Should you’re ready, you may additionally need to get your pet was being bathed, so purchase a high quality canine shampoo and conditioner. Final, have pair of hair-cutting scissors readily available and a few towels.
Start by instructing your pet to be touched the best way a groomer would contact her. Begin by dealing with her paws, lifting every one and gently massaging it together with your hand. Reward her for cooperating with reward or a deal with. Do that day by day, to all 4 paws. As soon as she pet is snug with having her paws dealt with, you’ll be able to start trimming her nails. Use the nail trimmer you got, and gently snip off only a tiny portion of 1 nail. Don’t minimize a lot. Proper now, you simply need your pet to get used to the feeling of the nail trimmer. Give her a deal with after you make a small snip, after which transfer on to the subsequent nail.
Don’t ask your pet to tolerate having all of the nails on all 4 paws snipped in a single sitting. Simply do a couple of nails to start out, after which return to do a couple of others the subsequent day. You don’t need to overwhelm your pet with this new expertise. A couple of snips and a deal with in every session will depart her with a optimistic expertise of manicure. In case your pet has loads of hair, you may additionally need to gently clip among the hair on her ft utilizing the hair-cutting scissors. Trim a little bit bit off one foot, after which reward with a deal with. The subsequent day, do the identical with one other foot. You need her to steadily be taught to just accept having the hair on her ft trimmed.
Subsequent, get your pet used to being brushed. Even shorthaired canines can profit from common brushing, and longhaired canines completely require it. Ensure you are armed with a handful of treats, and begin gently brushing her again and sides. In case your pet stands quietly whilst you do that, give her treats together with your free hand to reward her. If she’s like most puppies, she’s going to scoot out from beneath the comb and attempt to chew it, considering it’s a sport. If she does this, gently maintain her by the collar and provides her a couple of strokes with the comb, then a deal with. Ultimately, she’s going to be taught that standing nonetheless and getting brushed not solely feels good, it leads to a meals reward.
Electrical clippers will be one of many scariest issues about getting groomed for a pet, so it’s a good suggestion to get her used to the sound and sensation of clippers earlier than her first grooming appointment. You may steadily accustom her to the vibration of clippers by utilizing a beard trimmer or an electrical toothbrush, rubbing the underside of it round her ft and face. You’ll most likely must let your pet get used to the sound of the trimmer or electrical toothbrush earlier than you even contact her with it. Do that by turning it on after which giving her treats whereas the “clippers” hum alongside within the background. Progressively carry it nearer and nearer, rewarding her every time she accepts the sound. When she appears snug with the trimmer or toothbrush, contact it to her physique, praising her on the identical time.
Bathtub Time
Each go to to the groomer comes with a shower, so it’s a good suggestion to get your pet used to being washed earlier than somebody she doesn’t recognized does it—and in an odd place, too. Fill your bathtub (or sink, in case your pet is a small breed, picture proper) with a couple of inches of lukewarm water. Place your pet within the water, utilizing a contented voice to let her know this can be a good factor. Utilizing a cup, pour water on her physique. Avoiding wetting her face at this level; you need to steadily get her used to the thought, and wetting her face the primary day trip would possibly upset her. As soon as her coat is moist, therapeutic massage her with shampoo, persevering with to speak to her in a contented, upbeat voice. Comply with with an intensive rinsing of fresh, lukewarm water by utilizing the cup.
Chances are you’ll need to give treats all through this course of to assist your pet affiliate being bathed with one thing optimistic. Preserve treats close to the bathtub or sink, and provide her one each jiffy throughout the course of. When you’ve rinsed out your pet’s coat, take away her from the water and towel her dry. Discuss to her to the entire time, telling her she’s lady.
Even when your pet is a longhaired breed, she most likely nonetheless has a brief pet coat that may be dried with a towel or two. However when she grows up and goes to the groomer, her coat will possible have to be dried with a blower. Chances are you’ll need to begin getting her used to the blow dryer now so she isn’t freaked out by the sound and feeling of it the primary time she goes to the groomer.
Start by turning in your hair dryer whereas your pet is within the room so she will get used to the noise. You are able to do this by having your pet close by whilst you dry your individual hair. Ultimately, begin bringing the dryer nearer to her whereas it’s on, providing her treats. You may even strive letting it blow on her whereas on the low setting for just some seconds, after which praising her and giving her treats as a reward. As soon as she appears okay with having the dryer blowing on her, you need to use it to complete drying her off after a shower.
The effort and time you spend getting ready your pet for her first grooming appointment will repay for you, your canine and your groomer. Your pet can have much less anxiousness every time she goes to the grooming store, and your groomer will actually love engaged on her.
In regards to the Writer: Audrey Pavia is an award-winning freelance author and writer of “The Labrador Retriever Handbook.” She is a former employees editor of Canine Fancy, Canine World and The AKC Gazette magazines. To be taught extra about her work, go to www.audreypavia.com.
