3 Tips for Preparing New Puppies for the Groomer

Grooming your dog every so often enables you to take care of his health and appearance.

Preparing your puppy for grooming will help him look and feel his best. It can also prevent any fear of the process from setting in. With a new puppy comes a lot of responsibility. But you can make grooming easier on your pup and yourself with these three tips for getting him ready for the groomer.

Before you schedule your pet’s first grooming appointment, there are some things you should do at home to ensure a pleasant experience. Get your puppy used to grooming by going through a few exercises at home. Exposing & handling him in similar conditions and situations, he will feel more comfortable by the time of your appointment.

Try to practice every day for a few weeks up till to the appointment time.

• Run your hands up and down your dog's legs.

• Handle your dog's front paws, ears and face. Brush your dog all over, including his legs, body and face.

• Wiggle and massage your dog's back paws.

To get your dog used to the noises he'll likely hear during a grooming session, you can introduce him to clippers, electric toothbrushes and blow dryers.

It’s important to schedule your puppy’s first grooming appointment early and often.

Puppies are easier to train when they’re young, so it’s best to get your puppy groomed at 16 weeks or younger. Depending on the breed, waiting too long can lead to matting in your puppy’s hair, which can be traumatizing because he’ll most likely need to be shaved.

You should bathe and brush your puppy regularly, but keep the first grooming session short. Many groomers recommend starting with Basic Grooming which most consists of the following services:

• Ear cleaning

• Nail Clipping

• Paw Pad Shaving

• Hygiene Area Shaving

• Bath & Fluff Dry

At June's pet house, we offer basic grooming sessions that focus on a dog's face, paws, ears, and sanitary areas. You can even get a la carte service of getting their nails trimmed without an appointment.

Here are some things you can do in the weeks between grooming appointments to keep your dog’s coat looking great:

• Brushing.

Brushing your dog regularly will help him shed less, prevent mats, and preserve his haircut. Make brushing part of your routine so you don't have to invest in expensive conditioning treatments or mat removal services later on.

• Ear Cleaning

It's important to clean your dog's ears at least monthly, but you should clean them more often if your pet has long or heavy ears. Simply wet a cotton swab with an ear-cleaning solution and wipe the outside flap first. When you're finished, gently wipe inside the folds of the outer ear flaps.

• Nail Trimming

Keeping your dog's nails trimmed can help prevent joint pain, medical issues and other problems. Typically, your dog's nails should not touch the ground when he's standing still. If you're not up for trimming them yourself, frequent walks on concrete or filing them once every other week will help with this issue. Alternatively, you can take them to the Groomer for a quick trim, if you wish to have the best care for your furkid under a professional groomer.

These simple steps can help prepare your puppy to get used to being groomed at June's pet house. Start your pet grooming journey with us today.