Dog aggressive during grooming

[Badvok]

We homed a 3 year old yorkie Russell cross from someone who loved him but was unable to care for him due to illness. He is extremely sweet and gentle and never shows any signs of aggression.

We took him for his first groom (since getting him) at a place that friends go to and is highly recommended but he was an absolute nightmare. Biting the groomer, the equipment and scissors. To be fair the woman still a managed a fair job but said she wouldn’t see him again and suggested he may have experienced past trauma from grooming and we may need to go to a vet and be sedated before grooming.

I’m really not liking the idea of mild sedatation for grooming which may be required 3 to 4 times a year.

Any thoughts on addressing this?

[rigga]

I'm guessing you don't brush him at home yourself on a regular basis? That might help.

[Lazermilk]

Probably worth looking on youtube for tips, often a lot of useful videos for these kinds of things to get some ideas to try.

My parents have a rescue terrier who was afraid of being brushed when they first got him and it just took time and patience to get him used to it, he wasnt aggressive about it but very nervous, he still doesn't like certain areas of him brushed but loves it in general, once the brush comes out he willingly comes and sits in position now.

Maybe just try getting him used to the brushing and tools first and give treats/praise whenever he is calm with them just being held or nearby him, might help when its someone he trusts doing it rather than a stranger.

[bexVN]

Sedation for a full groom would be worth it for the first time, then you can spend time on desensitisation methods whilst his coat is easy to care for.

Maybe the groomer would be prepared to help with positive reinforcement visits (this will take months) but be worth it.

A chat to a dog behaviourist/trainer that can support this may be worthwhile.

It is possible to turn it around but it is a slow process.

It took me 6months for an otherwise wonderful whippet to accept having his nails clipped by me. He would get himself so wound up/stressed from one nail being done it was awful to see, but months of one on one visits to me, me spending half an hour to clip one claw then him going home again and eventually he would stand still and let me clip all of them in one visit. I was lucky that he wasn't aggressive.

[PositronicRay]

Try a mobile groomer, less traumatic.

[Badvok]

Thanks for the advise, we’re going to try brushing (even though he doesn’t need it) and see how we go.

[condor]

Rather than suggesting sedation, I would have thought that having a muzzle in place and being very gentle with the grooming would have been a more sensible suggestion.

[Roofless Toothless]

I received some very helpful advice here about exactly the same problem with my cat.

I think I am making some progress, though there is a long way to go. I think the key is to take the stress out of it for the animal. I am just brushing his head and shoulders at the moment, as he doesn't mind that so much, but if I go down his flanks and he turns and gives me a dirty look I simply stop.

I am also giving him something to eat after this, so he is starting to associate the process with a treat. Bit by bit, I think I will get there, and he even comes up to me when I call him with a brush in my hand. Getting a cat to come to heel is an achievement in itself!

I keep the brush next to his food in the cupboard, and when I open the door he even gives the brush a little nose and a love, so he knows it is his, and that it is not a threatening weapon.

I think dogs are more amenable to training than cats, so I am sure patience is your key.

[bexVN]

condor said:

Rather than suggesting sedation, I would have thought that having a muzzle in place and being very gentle with the grooming would have been a more sensible suggestion.

The idea of sedation is to remove memory of a stressful situation. Some dogs get so wound up just trying to have their nails clipped they turn blue and collapse!! Sedation can in turn actually be safer.

However it is not ideal long term. Muzzling will not stop the stress the dog feels and often these dogs need hair around their face and eyes cutting as well which is impossible to do with a muzzle. So a good sedation to allow a thorough and close shave/groom etc is sensible to then allow time for desensitisation to start. If the dog is used to a muzzle then it is not a bad idea to use one initially but eventually they would need to be able to groom the dogs face without one on.

[alabbasi]

Muzzle him, my dog can't see a vet without one. It's been like that for 13 years and continues to be even though he may have 3 teeth left in his mouth.

[parakitaMol.]

He may be in pain which might not be apparent - one of my dogs has tendonitis and was extremely reactive when touched or even when other dogs were in proximity - took a couple of years to find the source (no outward signs of where the pain was)... worth considering... the suggestion of a mobile groomer might help if they are good. Mine had about 4 visits from ours before she started to do his clipping. She just started putting him on the table and stroking him and rewarding him for the first few times, then a bath, then gradually did different things. Your dog may have deep seated fears from his previous owner. I would definitely speak to a behaviourist for advice on how to address this and de-sensitise. It is a very long process but with patience and care you might have success. I would definitely not be muzzling a dog with these fears and continuing with something he finds so stressful and frightening, this will only deepen his memory of the event and be much harder for him to overcome. Good luck

[Badvok]

parakitaMol. said:

He may be in pain which might not be apparent - one of my dogs has tendonitis and was extremely reactive when touched or even when other dogs were in proximity - took a couple of years to find the source (no outward signs of where the pain was)... worth considering...

He’s more than happy to be handled when snuggling on our laps, feet, chest, tummy, legs and tail and never a reaction to touching. First sign of equipment and he’s biting it. I tried to snip a hair knot and he was biting the scissors before I could get near

[parakitaMol.]

Badvok said:

parakitaMol. said:

He may be in pain which might not be apparent - one of my dogs has tendonitis and was extremely reactive when touched or even when other dogs were in proximity - took a couple of years to find the source (no outward signs of where the pain was)... worth considering...

He’s more than happy to be handled when snuggling on our laps, feet, chest, tummy, legs and tail and never a reaction to touching. First sign of equipment and he’s biting it. I tried to snip a hair knot and he was biting the scissors before I could get near

Its always worth considering when you have a behaviour

Everything you have described shows he has a deep fear of the tools, I would definitely not persist with anything for now as you will strengthen his memory and reinforce his fear. Find a behaviourist to help you it is really worth it. I would look for ABTC or APBC registered practitioners.

If you manage him without addressing this issue by sedation or muzzling, you are not dealing with the root cause and fear.

These things could potentially escalate to a fear of anyone holding anything in any situation, for example - good luck, I hope you are able to resolve x
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