Why Your Dog Comes Home Stressed From the Groomer

Is your doggie panicking at the grooming salon? Coming home anxious, hiding, not quite themselves?

I see many traumatized pets in grooming. All of it because they experience pain and stress at the salon. And in my years of working as a groomer, I have watched this happen again and again — with owners who had no idea what was causing it.

Let me be direct with you. There is something wrong, and I think you deserve to know what it is.

The machine most pet parents have never heard of

There is an extremely destructive practice in grooming salons that causes life-long trauma for many pets. It is called the force dryer. You may also hear it called a high-velocity dryer, or a blaster. These machines exist for one reason: to speed up the drying process so the groomer can move on to the next client faster.

My confidence is that those machines should be used only by conscientious, mature grooming staff who can recognize the state of mind of the pet in front of them. They should never be used for delicate, sensitive, small-to-medium-sized pets — including cats and rabbits — or for any animal who is already anxious or showing signs of stress. And yet, in many salons, they are used routinely, on every dog, regardless.

The other thing nobody tells you about

Force dryers are not the only source of trauma. The other typical cause is time — or rather, the lack of it. When groomers do not have enough time before the next client arrives, they rush. And when they rush with a coat that has tangles, they may tear through them. Your dog feels that. They remember it.

If you experience that your pet is stressed or anxious in the salon, especially at the handover — that is a signal. It means the handling was probably rough. Avoid that place. Do not let your doggie suffer again.

What to actually look for in a groomer

Please make sure your groomer is a conscientious and responsibly thinking person who has a range of professional stand-and-hand dryers available for different needs — not just one machine for every dog. Please make sure the groomer has sufficient time, considering the actual state of your dog's coat. If needed, it is better to book for another day, or a double slot. A good grooming session cannot be rushed.

Nothing is more important in a grooming session than the well-being and comfort of the animal. If your groomer does not operate this way, find one who does.

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