Prep Your Puppy For Its First Groom!

Is your puppy ready for his or her first trip to the groomer? Some puppy grooming anxiety is common when being groomed for the first time, so it’s best for you (and your pup) to be as prepared as possible. A happy, relaxed puppy is a lot easier to groom than an anxious one!

Nikki Budaj, a professional groomer and the owner of Scrubbers pet grooming salons, shares some of her expertise with these simple tips for getting your puppy ready for its first groom. According to Nikki, if you follow these guidelines, your groomer will love you forever!

1st Puppy Grooming Prep:

1. Brush Them In Advance

When something is new and different it can be daunting for anyone — especially a puppy. So getting them used to the feeling of the brush on their fur before their first encounter with a groomer is a great idea.

2. Touch Their Paws a Lot

Just like with brushing, the more your puppy is familiar with people touching their feet, the less of a shock it’ll be when the groomer trims their nails.

3. Expose Them to the Sound of Scissors

Grab some scissors and without actually touching your dog, gently clip the scissors around their fur to get them used to the sound. This will help prepare them for the real thing!

4. Get Them Acclimated to Water

Make sure your puppy is used to how the water feels and sounds by giving him or her a quick bath in shallow water before your grooming appointment so it’s less of a shock when the groomer bathes them.

More Tips and Tricks for Puppy Grooming

In addition to its paws, touching your puppy often on the tail and ears will also help him or her become acclimated to this kind of contact.

Remember, always ease your puppy into anything new. When brushing them for the first time, let them smell the brush and give them treats so they make a positive association with being brushed.

The same goes for the groomer you pick — you don’t want them to just jump right in and overwhelm your puppy. Make sure you explain to them that it’s your puppy’s first groom so they can ease them in gently and give them treats along the way.

Before you know it, your puppy will be barking for a second visit to the groomer and your groomer will love you for making sure your puppy is well prepared. For more dog grooming tips and tricks, be sure to check out our blog page!