Adopting Your First Pet: Tips for Families

Confident Clipping - Teaching Your Dog To Enjoy His Haircut!

30 September 2015

Micheal Silva

Some breeds of dog require regular clipping in order to keep their coats manageable and in good condition.  Your local mobile dog grooming company, such as Foxy's Mobile Dog Washing & Grooming Service, will be suitably experienced and proficient in the art of canine coiffeur, but if your dog has never been clipped before, there's some preparation you can do to make his first haircut a safe and happy one.  Read on to find out more.

Before you begin

If your dog has never been clipped before, he'll probably be fearful of the experience.  It's very important that your pet is happy and confident in being handled by his owner whom he trusts before a stranger tries to work on him.  Take your time, be patient and never punish your dog if he's afraid.  Have a supply of treats to hand so that he associates grooming and clipping with something nice.

You'll need a set of battery operated small animal trimmers for your preparatory work sessions.  You can purchase these inexpensively from good pet stores.  Alternatively, if you don't want to buy trimmers, you could use an old electric razor with the cutting blades removed.  You're not actually going to clip your dog, just familiarise him with the sound and feel of the clippers around his body.

Preparing your dog

1. If your dog is young or inclined to be full of energy, take him out for a long walk before you begin.  Working with him will be much easier if he's relaxed and tired.  
2. Begin by showing your dog the electric trimmer/razor.  Make sure that the blades are removed and don't switch the gadget on; just let your pet sniff it.  Move the trimmer across your dog's fur all around his body until he happily tolerates it.  Praise and reward him.  
3. Now it's time to turn on the trimmers.  Allow the gadget to run and hold it so that your dog can investigate without the trimmers actually touching him.  Praise him and talk soothingly too him until he loses interest in the trimmers and accepts the noise.  
4. Finally, run the trimmers all over your dog.  Begin at his shoulder and gradually work your way all over him.  The trimmers will emit a small amount of vibration, which your dog may find ticklish, so avoid sensitive areas like his tummy to begin with.  If your dog becomes distressed or overexcited, you may need go back one step and resume the following day.  Keep practising with the dummy trimmers until your pet is completely confident and happy.

In conclusion

If your dog is not familiar with being clipped, it's important that you take the time to prepare him for the experience.  This makes life much less stressful for all parties concerned.  In the event that your pet becomes very distressed or aggressive, seek veterinary advice as you may need to use a light sedative for the groomer's visit.

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