There is nothing as cute and sweet as a puppy! Grooming young puppies, however, can be a challenge when they wiggle and twist, and you don’t want to scare them. Handle puppies gently but firmly and make grooming a pleasant experience for them.

Many groomers will start puppies out as just a visitor to their salon, give them some treats, and maybe brush them a
bit-nothing more. The next visit may entail more work, but the puppy has met the groomer, and associates him with food and a positive experience and is generally happy to go.

Puppy Grooming Basics

Puppies need socialization to many different people and places to become balanced, confident dogs. Sheltering a puppy from different places and experiences tends to make him more fearful and he can develop separation anxiety.

The easiest way to start any puppy is by handling him. Touch him all over—handle his feet, ears, tail, tummy—anywhere and everywhere. Get that puppy used to your touch. If your puppy starts to bite or chew on your hands, give him a firm “No!” If this doesn’t stop him, then put him on the floor and walk away from him, ignoring him. Do not look at him, talk to him, or touch him.

This tells the puppy that he gets no attention if he starts to get rough. Puppies want your attention. Leave him alone for a couple of minutes, then resume touching him. He will soon get the message that he won’t get any of your attention unless he’s gentle.

You don’t want to wait until the puppy is nine months old to take her to a groomer or start grooming her at home. The earlier you start getting her used to the process of grooming, the more confident she will be.

If your puppy begins to fight you and you need her to stand still, simply grab her scruff (the ruff of loose skin on the back of her neck) and give her a firm “No!” That should give her the message that you are serious and she has to listen to you.

Trimming Puppy Faces

It’s imperative that you have control over the puppy when trimming around his face. Use blunt scissors around his eyes until he becomes accustomed to clippers and stops thrashing about. Do what you can with your puppy without forcing the issue too much.

You will live to groom another day and the puppy will learn to trust you and listen to you without developing the fears that are so common with unsocialized puppies. You will want to use a tearless shampoo on your puppy because he is so exuberant that he can easily end up with shampoo in his eyes.

Be sure to rinse him well and give him lots of praise for being such a good baby! Don’t expect miracles the first time you groom your puppy. If you want him to get used to it, groom him often, keep the sessions short and positive, and always reward his good behavior with praise.