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Making your dog’s spa day less stressful
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In this article:
What makes grooming stressful for dogs?
How you can help to make grooming less stressful
How does Second Tub deal with nervous dogs?
How does Second Tub deal with aggression?
Our caring grooming staff
What makes grooming stressful for dogs?
 There are several reasons
why a dog may become stressed, anxious or nervous during grooming. First and foremost, if grooming isn't part of your dog's daily routine, it will be considered as an "event" for the dog. An event that is not a normal occurrence may cause a dog to experience other emotions such as that experienced by your dog going to a vet clinic - another "event" that your dog may encounter nervous tendencies. Grooming visits may also cause stress for your dog because of the following:
- Not at home - your dog may be feeling uncomfortable as they have been brought to an environment that is not familiar. Your dog may also experience separation
anxiety during
 In the presence of "strangers" - not only is your dog in an unfamiliar place, they are interacting with people they do not know and perhaps other dogs
- Puppy's first time - every puppy has a first, including "grooming." Your puppy is going to experience an "event" in his/her life that is going to be very different from experiences he has had. Depending on your puppy's experience with home grooming, your puppy may become very anxious/nervous - as your puppy does not know what is happening
- Noise - your dog may have nervous tendencies to noise e.g., "vacuum" or "hair dryers" sound very similar to professional blow dryers. Clippers also make sound, unfamiliar sounds that are moving all over their body, including very sensitive areas i.e., the face, ears. Lastly, the noise that other dogs make, "constant barking" may cause your dog to become anxious/nervous/scared
| "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.” Unknown author | -
Touching areas that are sensitive - if your dog is not used to having certain areas touched e.g., face, ears, feet, your dog may experience stress when those areas are being groomed/touched
- Condition of dog - if your dog is in a condition that may make grooming stressful, for example severe knots, especially in very sensitive areas of the body, your dog may experience brush burn, razor burn. These sensations may cause the skin to become irritated and even more sensitive and may result to your dog being uncomfortable and more irritable. Your dog may associate these feelings with his/her grooming visits and therefore may become nervous prior to and also during grooms
- Past grooming experience - your dog may have had unpleasant grooming experiences in the past
How you can help to make grooming less stressful
 Bring something your dog likes - maybe your dog has a toy or a blanket that your dog likes, bring it with you during your next grooming visit
- Make your "goodbye's" short - a dog who has tendencies to experience separation anxiety may become even more anxiousduring the drop off. Make your "goodbye's" short. Long goodbye's brings about greater feelings of anxiousness
- Help your dogs become more confident - We know you love your pets, share him/her with others! Expose your dog to as many friends and family members, this will give your dog confidence and may help him/her become comfortable with other people. Your dog may also benefit from training for various issues like separation anxiety, meeting new people and other dogs and aggression
- Make grooming a regular routine - for dogs that tend to get knots easily, grooming begins at home. Regular brushing at least once a week goes a long way in preventing your dog's hair from becoming knotted/tangled. Knots are known as mats. When your dog is at least one inch long, brush your dog frequently and thoroughly. Make sure the brush and comb goes through the hair from the base of the hair all the way through the tip. If you can't get a comb to go through underneath the knot/
mat, it's going to be very difficult to remove these knots during grooming, this process is called "dematting." Dematting can be painful, especially if the mats are all over the body and in sensitive areas. Removing mats may cause brush burn, razor burn, or nicks, as a combination of various techniques and sharp tools may be used
during the process. This may result in your dog's skin to break, or be become irritated, and may lead to infections and costly vet bills. Talk to us about frequent
grooming. We offer 4 and 6 week programs at reduced grooming rates. Our Second Tub grooming specialists are also happy to discuss regular care maintenance at home
- Touch face and feet more often - some dogs have tendencies to become more nervous when various parts of their bodies are being touched. We advise touching of face and feet more often. If you have the confidence, clip your own dog's nails at home in between the regular grooms - so it's not just an event that happens at the vet or the groomers
- Ensure your dog has had a chance to do his/her "business" - part of the reason why your dog may be anxious is because he/she needs to relieve himself/herself. Before your drop off, make sure he/she has had adequate time to go to the washroom
- Let us know a little bit more about your dog – feel free to give us some history about your dog that may help us in understanding your dog better. Also, let us know of any conditions that your pet may have as this may be very important during their visit, especially if there is a medical concern or allergy to particular products/ingredients
How does Second Tub deal with nervous dogs?
- Time out - sometimes your dog can use a break during theirgrooming. Time out may include putting them back in their crate when
we see signs of stress. This may also include a quick bathroom break/walk outside to relieve any internal tensions
- Puppies first time - we recommend partial grooms for the first visit, so that his/her appointment will not be overwhelming. Partial grooms will include the bath, nail clipping, ear cleaning, face, feet & tail trimming
- Recommend frequent grooming - to help your dog feel more at ease with grooming, schedule more frequent grooms for your dog - to get him/
her used to the process. We offer 4 and 6 week programs at reduced rates
How does Second Tub deal with aggression?
Sometimes when dogs are stressed they can become aggressive i.e., may growl, lunge & bite. Aggression is usually a result of one or more of the factors discussed above. In order to make the grooming process safe for both the dog and the grooming staff, the following approach is used:
- At the first sign of aggression (depending on the severity), the dog may be muzzled for certain aspects of the groom e.g., for nail clipping, ear cleaning/plucking. Muzzling a dog actually helps aid in calming the dog, making the grooming process safer for both the dog and the grooming staff
- If muzzling does not aid in the grooming process, assistance from another grooming staff may be required, to help with handling the dog. Handling the dog may include a firm hold of the back end, the legs & body, just firm enough to prevent the dog from lunging, biting, pulling and ultimately make grooming safer for the dog and staff members. For puppies, we will lie the puppy on its side for a minute, to calm the dog. Mentally, this also tells the puppy to submit to the grooming staff - puppies usually respond positively to this technique and become very cooperative. Please note these techniques are used not with force or cruel treatment to your dog. Hitting, beating, kicking and choking your dog are not behaviours that are practiced here at Second Tub, if you see anything that resemble these acts, please notify staff/management immediately
- If any of the above does not work, we will immediately call the owner about their options. If your dog just requires more time/break, we can continue with grooming but there may not be a specific time out. If however, your dog becomes too aggressive, the owners will be advised to pick up their dog immediately (grooming may not be complete, depending on the situation)
Our caring grooming staff
"Helping people give their dogs the care they deserve" is Second Tub’s cause.
Our promise:
- To make bathing your dog a tailwagging experience
- To provide professional grooming services with your dog’s best interest in mind
- To provide you with quality products to feed, groom and pamper your dogs
- To increase awareness about products for your dog’s well-being
- To establish a community of responsible dog owners
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Nadia James - has had 15 years of grooming experience and is comfortable grooming all breeds. Nadia can also do breed specific styles. Nadia brings a
wealth of knowledge about grooming and handling of various breeds, from her experience as owner/operator of her own grooming facility. Nadia is a mother of three sons,
Divonte (her natural born), Maximus (Hairless Chinese Crested), Romi (English Cocker Spaniel).
Marie Arevalo - has had four years of grooming experience and was professionally trained. Marie's focus is to ensure that quality and customer's expectations are met. She handles day-today management of the facility and is involved in all facets of the business. Her previous life included working for a large
investment company as a Marketing Manager for ten years. Marie has had dogs all her life and currently a mother of three, Miranda (natural born), Milo & Kramer (Labrador mix).
Our grooming assistants:
Paul Arevalo
Eraño Huebia
Mylene Tan
Samuel Tan
      
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