By Mitzi Parrish
Hi Everyone!
Sorry about the delay. I have been so busy and you know how time fly’s……..
Last time we addressed 4 & 5 out of the 12 Behavioral Problems and Solutions; the Cage Biter and First Time Groom. In this series we will address 6, 7 & 8; Previous Bad Grooming Experience, Teased & Taunted, and Fear
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Sample Behavioral Problems & Solutions
There are different types of behavioral problems you may encounter when you are grooming the dogs. The information in this section will explain the problems, the reasons why, and what to do when a problem occurs. You will need to determine what the reason may be behind the bad behavior before you can try to correct the problem.
The main reason for most behavior problems is broken trust. You have to gain the dog’s trust and sometimes you will not be able to do that. It will depend on the dog. If you cannot find a reason for the pet’s resistance, then it may be the pet has learned that being somewhat dramatic at home gets the results he wants and he is now trying it with you. If this is the case you will have to establish your Alpha position and maintain it with the pet. If the pet continues to resist you in a strong manner, then you may have to call the owner and see if there might be another reason for his behavior other than the ones listed.
6) PREVIOUS BAD GROOMING EXPERIENCE
Some dogs may have had a bad grooming experience for various reasons. Dogs are like small children, and a bad experience can cause an imprint within them. When a dog has had a bad experience he will react to the experience, not necessarily the person. For example, if someone has cut his toenails too short in the past he will react when you start to cut his nails because he has the imprint of being hurt before. A bad grooming experience can teach the dog he cannot trust his groomer. Some dogs will get over this bad experience with time and the right groomer. The main damage here is the broken trust. The dog will have to overcome this damage and he will have to learn to trust again. It is the same for a dog that has been mishandled or one that has had an unavoidable accident. This is also why it is so important for the dog to have a good experience on their first groom. Some dogs have been ruined for future grooms because of a traumatic first groom. Any bad experience that happens to any dog during their grooming session can affect them for future grooms. Sometimes over time they may get over their broken trust if the experience was not too traumatic. Normally, really bad experiences cannot be improved and the only alternatives will be either the Client having to have the veterinarian sedate the dog or you will have to send the dog home. Do not ever administer any medication to a client’s dog. Only a veterinarian can do this. When you do groom a dog that has been sedated, you have about two hours to groom the dog before he becomes alert. You need to schedule the dog so you can groom him all the way through quickly. You have to watch him closely when he is being bathed. No water can go into his nose or mouth, or a dog can drown when he is under sedation. Explain to your client that the groom will have to be simple under these conditions. These solutions are for extreme cases where the dog is forcibly resisting and the behavior is endangering the dog, you, or both of you. Situations like this are sad when you know all of this could have been avoided if the dog had not had a bad experience. Just remember safety first for you and the dog. In cases like this it is not the fault of the dog, you, or the Client, so it is OK to have compassion for all involved.
7) TEASED & TAUNTED
Some adults (and children) think it is fun to play rough with a dog in a teasing and taunting manner. They are not aware of the dog’s feelings and they are not able to see the dog is not enjoying this type of playing. Dogs love their owners and they want to please them, but they have feelings and they can be hurt physically when someone plays too rough with them. Extra loud noises, holding them roughly against their will , hitting or throwing them around, pulling their hair and ears, chasing them in a scary manner, all of these things scare them and they do not understand this type of treatment. This behavior instills fear in them and they can become timid, scared, or aggressive. Children have to be taught how to respect the dog’s feelings so they will know when the dog wants to play and when he does not. Also, they need to know when playing gets too rough it can be hurtful to the dog. The dog also has to be trained so he will know to not be rough with the child. Parents need to realize the child and the dog need to have respectful boundaries with each other so both of them can enjoy their relationship. If an adult or a child restricts the dog by pulling his ears, tail, or legs the dog will have an imprint of this experience. Then when you exercise one of the control holds while trying to groom him, the dog will fight and try to resist you. He knows being held against his will is scary and something bad can happen to him. Because of this imprint he will try to defend himself the best he can to avoid this from happening. This may be one of the reasons the dog is reacting to you. You can try to get him to cooperate with you as much as possible without exercising the control methods (which rarely works), or you will have to use the control methods and get assistance if necessary. Make sure the dog is not resisting to the point where he puts himself in danger. Again, it is better to send the dog home if it is a situation where he could be injured.
8) FEAR
A scared dog is different from a shy dog, and you have to handle them differently. If you see the dog is scared, you need to comfort and reassure him before you begin the groom. Take a few minutes to talk softly while petting and hugging him. Do not put your face close to his, you have to remember he is scared and he may bite you. A fearful dog will bite you quicker than an aggressive dog. Make your familiar emotional connection with him and then let the love flow to him as you reassure him that everything is all right. Handle him gently during the groom while reassuring him. A scared dog does not trust anyone and he will react to any pain, sudden movements or loud noises. Be careful when taking a scared dog out of the cage. Some may try to bite you (see cage biters). If there is a danger of the dog biting you, he will have to be muzzled. Sometimes this is not possible because the dog is scared and he will try to bite when he sees the muzzle. You may have to send the dog home if there is any danger to you or the dog. It is sad to send the dog home because he is scared, but trying to groom a dog that is scared and who does not trust anyone is a dangerous situation. Sometimes the Client will tranquilize the dog (you do not ever, ever medicate a dog under any circumstances). That is between a Client and their veterinarian. Normally, this will make the dog sleepy until you start to groom the dog. Then he will suddenly become alert. The only way you can groom a dog with severe behavioral problems is for the Client to have the veterinarian sedate the dog to the point that he is totally out. Then you will have about two hours before he wakes up. Be careful when bathing the dog so he does not get any water in his nose or mouth. Another alternative is to have the Client there during the groom. You may have to charge an hourly fee for this service as it is a special request (sometimes from the Client). It will take longer to groom the dog and will require special scheduling on your part. Do not feel guilty about charging extra as you deserve to be paid for this extra service. The fee should be your normal hourly fee. This information is not to scare or discourage you. It is to let you know how to handle an extreme behavioral problem when it occurs.
Next month we will continue with Puppies and Older Dogs of the “12 Behavioral Problems and Solutions”.
I hope you are having a great summer!
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Posted by: Mike | 08/16/2010 at 06:46 PM