Puppy Grooming Tips – How To Train A Dog For Grooming

999
Clipping a dog's nail
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links for products I recommend. If you click a link and buy something, I may receive some compensation. However, you will not pay more because of this.

Does your dog snaps when brushed? All puppies need to get used to being groomed, and starting as early in its life as possible. Doing so will prevent future grooming problems from happening later on in their lives. These puppy grooming tips will help you train your puppy to enjoy baths, brushings and clippings.

Puppy grooming tips - How to train a dog for grooming

Whether your puppy has a short coat (Boxer, Basset Hound, Labrador Retriever), long coat (Lhasa Apso, German Long-haired Pointer, Samoyed) or one that falls somewhere in between, she’ll need to be groomed on a regular basis.

Different Strokes For Different Dogs

Different kinds of coats require different grooming steps. But basic grooming care such as bathing, brushing, ear and teeth cleaning, and nail trimming is needed for all dogs. If you have a long-haired breed, grooming will have to be practiced more often and may be a bit more difficult.

Therefore, it is important to introduce your puppy to grooming early on in her life. Life will be more pleasant for both you and your puppy if she learns to enjoy this experience while she’s still young.

My Dog Loves Being Brushed

In order to make sure that your puppy creates a positive experience with grooming, you must introduce her to the process slowly and often. Get her familiar with each piece of equipment by showing it to her one at a time. Show her the brush, let her sniff it for a few seconds and then give her a small treat.

Next, gently touch her with the brush and the treat. Once she has fully accepted the object, gently brush one stroke and immediately follow with a treat. Repeat this about three more times until she realizes that being brushed is a great feeling.

Puppy Grooming Tips For Dog Bath

Take her to the grooming station and let her get to know the area before you start the grooming process. A few days before giving her a bath, put her in the bathtub while it’s dry and let her play with a toy and throw in her favorite treat. This is how to get your dog in the bathtub.

Repeat the same process the next day, adding some water and a sponge. Let her get used to the water before filling the tub.

Best type of shampoo for your dog

Other Puppy Grooming Activities

Getting your dog used to clippers, tootbrush and other grooming tools requires the same procedure. Take the time to introduce them to your puppy and she will enjoy grooming for the rest of her life.

The key is to break down the procedure into small steps as this will give your puppy the chance to create a positive experience within each step.