What happened to my puppy at the groomers???

My puppy went to the groomer about a month ago. Since he was a baby I was the only one to clip his nails because he had a bad experience with the vet tech who cut one of his nails too short and he bled. Everything was fine and he used to allow me to cut his nails and pawpads hair really well, without growling or getting nervous. Now when I try to do that, he becomes nervous, growls, and even shows his teeth. My dog is not agressive, and I just think that something weird might've happened to him at the groomer because nobody at home ever does his nail clipping.


BTW, it was an store-chain grooming salon, I've no established independent groomer close to my home :(

What happened to my puppy at the groomers???
You can't assume that it was the groomer's fault. Assuming is bad.


The problem with your pup is probably memory. Dogs associate items with moments in their lives, good or bad. He is probably just associating your clippers with that evil vet tech.


If you calm him down and teach him to associate the clippers with good things this will help him in the end.





Try the following:


Get the clippers and set them in front of your puppy. Then hold him and cuddle with him to calm him down. Praise him and encourage him. Then try clipping his nails. Repeat this process until he is fine with the clippers.


If nothing works, continue the above but use treats as well...dogs like tasty snacks and these can help associate the clippers with food.
Reply:I would ask the groomer that groomed your dog about how your dogs visit went, and if they had any problems. It isn't unheard of that a groomer has mishandled a dog. You might want to take your dog somewhere else if he is not acting normal after his visit with this groomer.
Reply:He could be going through a fear stage puppies do that every now and then, and with him having a bad time with his nails at the vets and then having someone else do his nails it could have just scared him, he mite get over that stage with his nails and he mite not. When you do his nails give him a treat when you are done.
Reply:He is probably just remembering it hurting him. Try to get him to let you play with his paws for a while first, until he sees you aren;t going to hurt him. Then try to cut the nails again, and have someone else there, petting and soothing him. This worked on a stray I found. He is a really bug mutt, and his nails are the thickness of my pinky. He had never had nails cut before, and the vet cut off way too much and had to cauterize afterwards.
Reply:That's too bad that it's her only option. Check with the manager at the grooming salon. You could call the local news and ask them to do an investigation on them.
Reply:They might have been rough with him, or he might have got freaked out by the other dogs. They don't generally like the groomers, mine had a bad experience, and was really traumatised for days, wouldn't leave his basket. I now pay a bit more after shopping around a lot for one that will be patient and kind with my baby. Some groomers overbook and then rush the job. Good luck, he will get over it. X
Reply:It's a very real possibility that your pup suffered some sort of trauma at the groomers. I've been a groomer for about 6 years and I know all it takes is one bad experience and it can ruin a dog's attutitude toward any kind of grooming for a very long time. You'll probably have to start all over again with training your pup to be ok with grooming. Give him treats when you touch his paws or brush him. Reassure him that it's still a good thing. I'd recommend trying to find a different groomer that isn't affiliated with a chain-store. Try a local vet..they often have groomers in their clinics.
Reply:Man! This is way too common. Most groomers do not take the time and have the patience to help dogs get over their issues around their feet and a lot of dogs have them.





You can trim your dogs nails again. It is not difficult and if they are dark and you can't see the quick, you literally nibble your way up the nail with the clippers until you see the dark dot in the centre.





To retrain him, start off by running your hand down his leg when you are rubbing his belly etc. Work your way onto his feet bit by bit. Very nonchalantly. When he no longer reacts to that, start touching him with the clippers. Not to use them just so he doesn't think every time he sees them that they are going to be used. Have them out in the open all the time so they become boring. Do this over a few days.





Eventually rub the clippers down his leg onto the paw. Give him a treat. Tap his nails with your finger nail. Treat. Tap his nails with the clippers. Treat.





Eventually work your way to trimming just one nail. Treat. You always want to keep this in a win situation. Who cares it might take a week or two.





Cutting your dogs nails is not something difficult to do and is not as scary as everyone thinks. If you happen to nip the quick, stay calm. Dab it with baby powder or flour if you don't have quickstop. It is just like cutting your nail too short. It hurts but it isn't that bad.





Patience, non-chalance, and going slowly making the process no big deal is the key. The best nail clippers are the ones that look like scissors not the guillotine kind. Get the size appropriate for your pet.





Sorry about this. I know how you feel.
Reply:If he's in the adolescent stage, it's quite common for them to resist nail clipping and other grooming. Be persistent and he'll eventually settle down and accept it again.



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