Puppy’s First Groom. Words by Jennifer Laschi Harmon | Photography by Dylan M. Harmon
FIND A GROOMER you are comfortable with. When you see a delightfully groomed dog at the park or on a walk, ask where they get their pooch groomed. Often clients will carry busi- ness cards of their favorite groomer just for this purpose. Before committing to your selection, visit
the salon without your pup. Either call ahead or try to pick a less hectic time of day — early in the morning is sometimes best. But most groomers are happy to have you pop in any- time to see the salon and the team in action. See the salon and how the team of special- ist’s work. Is it clean? Is everyone happy to be work- ing with the pets and han- dling them gently? Do the hairstyles look pleasing to the eye? These are some things to be conscious of. When you bring your
puppy in for their first appointment, be prepared to convey to the groomer accu- rately what you want. Most services include the essentials – bath, dry, ear cleaning, nail trimming. But what the groomer truly needs to know is what you want your dog to look like. Do you want your puppy to continue looking like a puppy? Are you ready for a more grown-up style? Length is impera- tive from nose to tail, so be prepared to give a detailed description of what you would like. A very important factor for the first expe-
them become acclimated to the sights and sounds of the grooming salon. As a rule, the first step is to get the puppy
out and place them on the grooming table. The groomer then proceeds to check their coat, skin, ears, and nails to see if there is anything that needs particular attention. We will then brush their coat, pluck and clean their ears, and trim their nails. Many pups need a lot of guid- ance for grooming. They need a great deal of patience and teaching in order to accomplish all the tasks of grooming with minimal stress. Many pet owners come
Angel had her very first groom when she was four months old.
in and tell us their pups nails are too sharp. Yes, they are, but cutting them as short as possible isn’t always the best practice. We don’t want to trim them too short because they do have a vein in there that potentially could bleed if trimmed too short. Commonly, we take as much off as possible then we will file the nail to smooth them.
The pup’s needs should always come first. Nails grow very fast, just like our own, so try to visit your groomer twice a month for nail trims. Next, we move to the bathtub. We wash
Pet Styles by Jennifer 1153 Main Street, Suite 103, Dunedin. Grooming Tuesday - Saturday. By appointment. 727.736.2468. Jennifer has been grooming for 30+ years. She has seven dogs, includng Whisper, her beautiful Standard Poodle.
50 THE NEW BARKER
rience is that you exude confidence. If you are nervous and anxious, that will project on to your pet, making them nervous and fearful. Give your instructions, give your pup a kiss, and head out the door with a smile. The hap- piest pups that come to the salon are the ones dropped off with a quick handover and short, drama-free goodbyes. When you fret over your pup being left, the groomer can visibly see your pup go from confident to apprehensive. We all have the same goal in mind — happy puppies. GROOMING The best scenario for a young pup is to
spend a little time sitting in a comfortable ken- nel observing the sights and sounds, even if it’s just 15 minutes. Hearing clippers, running water, dryers blowing, and dogs barking helps
the face with a tearless shampoo, then wash the body with a shampoo appropriate for the skin and coat of each individual pet. Then it’s rinse, rinse and rinse, to remove all the shampoo. Next is a pleasant towel dry and then it’s off to the drying table. We never recommend cage drying. Once your pup is dry, we head back to the grooming table. This is where the biggest transformation occurs. Per your preferences, we will start trim-
ming the pup’s hair. With very young puppies, sometimes it’s best to just trim the essentials — around the eyes, feet and paw pads, tummy, and privates. If you are ready for a grown-up hair- cut and your pup is accepting of this, we can give them the haircut of your choice. We don’t recommend pushing anything
on your pet that could be stressful for them. Your pet’s happiness remains our first priority. We know when it’s time to finish up and allow your pup to rest comfortably in a safe kennel while waiting for Mom or Dad to come pick them up.
Grooming continued on page 52g
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