We understand that getting your pet used to being groomed is a crucial part of forming a solid bond with your local dog groomer. We want to build on this relationship by creating a positive, stress-free experience for you and your pet. As an animal lover, you can accomplish this by forming a habit when your pet is young.

You can never be too early when training your dog for pet grooming. As soon as their vet has given them the okay, you can bring them to us for a puppy introduction. These tips will allow them to get acclimated to the grooming environment even before bonding with our team members! 

Bathe at Home

Good habits always start at home. Before entrusting them to pet grooming services, teach your pup the importance of cleanliness by bathing them yourself! If you can clean them at home, go ahead! Start them young! Use a puppy shampoo for their sensitive skin, so it becomes a part of their routine.

Brush Them Daily

If your puppy doesn’t like having its fur brushed, it won’t like it when pet grooming services do it. If they bite your brush, they will probably bite ours, too. One way to make sure that we can brush your puppy when they visit us is to reward them for good behavior after brushing their coat.

Caress Their Face

The face hold is a crucial part of pet grooming, as it allows whoever’s cleaning them to brush around their eyes without cutting them. To teach them to hold their face still for grooming, first show them a treat and then ask them to sit. Then, place your hand under their chin, pick up a lock of hair with your other hand, and reward them for holding still. 

After a few repetitions of this exercise, they will be able to hold still for more extended periods. Once they are comfortable holding still while you are stroking their nose and forehead area, you can begin to brush their face with a comb or your fingers while holding their chin with your other hand. 

Then, reward them for staying still. Finally, while still holding their chin, place the corner of the imaginary scissors and their nose and hold it there for 30 seconds on each side. Switching sides every five to ten seconds until they can remain moist for 30 seconds.

Caress Their Feet

When a dog reaches adulthood, it is usually challenging to groom their feet because of how they react to touch. If you start grooming a puppy's feet from the day you get it, it will become accustomed to the process and will have less or no issues with us trimming their feet when they are old.

Minimize Puppy Biting 

Whether it’s play biting or angry biting, any work you can do on your own to reduce their nibbles or chomps is a must. The sooner you can teach them to behave calmly, the better for their personal preening pet grooming services in the future.

Teach Them to Sit

Teaching your puppy to sit makes them much calmer, so you and pet grooming services can get the job done without wiggling away. Train them with the “sit” command from a young age using treats as positive reinforcement, letting them know you are pleased with them. This will last throughout puppyhood and, often, into adulthood!

Good Pet Grooming Starts with You

Your pup’s cleanliness isn’t the responsibility of pet grooming services. They do help, but it always begins with good habits established by you, the owner. Get your pup used to cleaning up regularly, and they’ll have no problem being groomed by others when the time comes.

You’ll find much-needed pet grooming in Long Island, New York, at The Ruff Life! We’re a mobile salon and spa that takes care of all your mobile dog grooming needs right at your home — from nail clipping and filing to bathing, haircuts, de-shedding, and more! Book us now!