No matter your pup’s age or breed, regular grooming is an essential part of pet care. Unfortunately, being in an unfamiliar space with new sounds, smells, and sensations is challenging for almost any dog and a visit to the groomer can be a particularly stressful or even frightening experience for certain dogs.
While dogs can become comfortable being groomed over time or may even learn to enjoy grooming, some never get totally accustomed to the experience. With this in mind, District Dogs is excited to announce that we now offer Certified Fear Free Grooming at The Dog Spa. Read on for the top 5 reasons why you should choose Fear Free Grooming for your dog.
1. Fear Free Grooming Delivers Professional Results with a Focus on Emotional Well-Being
Most professional groomers get into their line of work because they love working with and caring for animals. All our professionally trained groomers work daily to deliver beautiful results and happy experiences for pets and owners. However, some dogs suffer extreme stress around the grooming process. The Certified Fear Free Grooming program was created to help experienced groomers incorporate science-based positive training into their everyday work.
The foundation of Fear Free Grooming is built on a pledge to employ positive, reward-based training as part of an emotionally protective approach to pet grooming. With an emphasis on learning to recognize any sign of stress in your dog (no matter how small), Fear Free Grooming lets the dog guide the grooming experience. This is an approach to grooming built on patience and trust with the goal of getting your dog more comfortable at their grooming appointments over time.
2. Every Detail of the Grooming Experience is Designed to Ensure Your Dog’s Comfort
Aside from the grooming process itself, our Certified Fear Free groomer works to ensure stress is minimized in all aspects your dog’s visit. Sounds, smells, and even lighting can all impact how a dog feels during grooming. The Fear Free approach places an emphasis on creating an environment that is not only safe and sanitary, but also calming and comforting for your dog.
3. Grooming Appointments Are Customized Based on Your Dog’s Specific Needs
No two dogs are the same when it comes to their fears and worries during grooming. Some dogs are nervous simply being in a new environment, while others are fearful about specific parts of the grooming process like the bathtub, hair dryer, or having their feet handled.
Our Certified Fear Free groomer watches for the smallest signs of stress in your dog and adjusts the pace, technique, and even the location of the grooming process to ensure your dog’s comfort—whether that means slowing down or even grooming your dog on the floor instead of up on a grooming table.
4. Our Groomer Develops a Plan for Helping Your Dog Become Comfortable with Grooming
Rather than focusing the appointment on completing a checklist of tasks, Fear Free Grooming appointments are first and foremost about helping your dog overcome their fear, anxiety, and stress during the grooming process. Our groomer will do as much work as possible without pushing your dog to a place of stress. Using the first session as a guide, we’ll work with you to build a plan for getting your dog comfortable with regular grooming using positive, rewards-based training methods. We’ll even provide advice on how to best prepare your dog for their grooming appointments, from at-home behaviors to planning for a low-stress car ride to the Dog Spa.
5. Fear Free Grooming Helps Lower Your Anxiety and Stress Too
Whether your dog is heading into their first grooming appointment or has had a previous unpleasant experience that taught them to fear grooming, leaving them in a new space can be stressful for any dog parent. After all, no one wants to drag a dog to the groomer. You want your dog to come home looking, smelling, and feeling their best.
Using an approach based on kindness, patience, and communication, our Fear Free Groomer works to make grooming an experience you and your dog will both enjoy. Seeing your dog excited and enthusiastic to head to the groomer will make this necessary part of pet care a positive and pleasant experience for you too!
We are currently offering Fear Free Grooming at our Shaw and Navy Yard locations.
