Grooming Isn’t Just About Looking Nice

A dog in a tangle is a dog in discomfort. And a dog in discomfort will tell you - usually in ways that get labelled as behaviour problems rather than the very reasonable communication they are.

I’ve seen dogs described as ‘snappy’, ‘difficult to handle’ and ‘doesn’t like being touched’ who, when you actually look at them, have matted fur pulling at their skin, ear hair that’s never been dealt with, nails so long they’ve altered the way they walk and therefore the way they feel. Discomfort changes behaviour, it lowers the threshold for reaction, and it erodes trust.

A few things worth checking regularly:

COAT - breeds that mat need brushing through to the skin, not just over the top. A surface that looks fine can be hiding solid knots underneath that pull constantly with every movement. If you’re not sure, run your fingers right through rather than over. We struggled with this constantly in the little dogs - because they love water, mud, brambles and all that stuff, twice a day. Now we clip them short because we are honest enough with ourselves to know our schedule is tight and out budget isn't endless - monthly grooms are not on the cards! A short clip means that we have relatively tidy dogs for longer.

EARS - some breeds grow hair inside the ear canal which, if left, contributes to wax build-up, infection and chronic irritation. A dog that’s shaking its head, scratching its ears or showing sensitivity around its face may be telling you something worth investigating. These hairs come away very easily with no tugging usually - so you don't necessarily need to rush to a specialist, a gentle clean and wipe often brings hair with it.

NAILS - overgrown nails push the toes back and alter posture, which over time affects joints and creates the kind of low-level chronic discomfort that shows up as grumpiness, reluctance to exercise or sensitivity to handling the feet. If you can hear the nails clicking on hard floors, they’re too long. The dew claws don't contact the ground so clip little slices of regularly - or they grow around and stick into the leg, this is very uncomfortable!

PAWS - hair between the pads can mat, collect debris and become uncomfortable, particularly on wet spring walks. It also causes slipping on hard flooring - and this can impact joints all the way up the leg - especially dangerous for old dogs, arthritic dogs and any dog with a predisposition to joint problems or cruciate issues. Worth keeping trimmed or asking your groomer to do so.

A Training Opportunity! 

Building positive associations with handling from early on makes all of this easier - for the dog, for the groomer, and for the vet. A dog that tolerates being touched, examined and handled calmly is a dog whose welfare is much easier to manage throughout its life. Start early, go slowly, make it worth their while. 🐾