Grooming Senior Dogs

In my opinion, groomers should not approach grooming senior dogs the same way that they approach grooming younger dogs. Senior dogs need special consideration; without it, they can become stressed out or even aggressive. Stress CAN kill a dog, and few people have the patience to groom aggressive dogs, so let's talk about how we can provide the best possible experience for each senior dog.

For starters, many older dogs, especially the larger breeds, develop arthritis, hip dysplasia, or other medical conditions that can cause pain. Many times, the owners may not even be aware of the changes in their beloved pet, as dogs are accustomed to hiding their pain. 

Would you force your arthritic grandparents to stand for an hour straight without a single opportunity to sit? Would you yell at them if they tried to sit or if the effort of standing caused them to shake? No, you wouldn't (or at least I hope not). So why do so many groomers do this to the senior dogs that they groom? I wouldn't use a butt strap to force my grandmother to stand for an hour, so I refuse to do it to a dog. 

Sure, it takes a little creativity to groom a dog when they are sitting instead of standing, but there are plenty of things you can do while the dog is sitting, such as their face and front feet. I know, I know, you have to do the whole body and feet before you can do the head (or however your specific routine goes; you get the point). Your senior dogs will benefit greatly from a little flexibility on your part. Humanity over vanity should be the groomer's credo, and that should apply to letting older dogs sit a little and not just to shaving matted dogs. So give that dog a break from time to time. They will appreciate you for it and so will their owners.

I work at a place where we groom every dog straight through; we don't do any kennel drying. Personally, I prefer this method over block scheduling, but that's a discussion for another day.  

Some dogs, as they get older, start to have problems with the velocity (HV) dryer. I've heard some groomers refer to it as a "dryer seizure;" I call it a "senior senile moment." Whatever you've heard it called, you know exactly what I'm talking about: You're drying a dog and they're doing fine...until they aren't. Something switches inside their brain and they start freaking out, barking, peeing, pooping...PANICKING. The best thing to do is immediately turn off the dryer, calm down the dog, clean up the mess, and if you choose to continue drying them, do it with the nozzle off.

After a senior dog I groom does this a couple of grooms in a row, I decide it is time to stop drying them. It just isn't worth the stress put on the dog. When I talk to the owners, I explain it like this: Imagine you're talking to your grandmother (yes, more grandparents) who has Alzheimer's. You're having a perfectly normal conversation until suddenly she looks baffled and says, "I'm sorry, who are you again?" And then you point a leaf blower at her. 

Since cage drying isn't an option where I work, I give my customers the option of bathing the dog themselves the day before their grooming and letting them air dry or else I will do the haircut on the dirty dog, then do the bath after the grooming and send the dog home damp. Yes, dirty hair doesn't cut very well and is difficult on your blades and shears, and yes, a dog washed at home may be curly and stringy instead of fluffy...but isn't that better than a dog who gets so stressed from the dryer that they die in your care? I could never live with myself if that happened to me, and most of my customers are so happy that I am concerned with their dog's well-being that they don't care that I can no longer get the haircut as nice as I used to.

Another thing to be aware of is that a dog's behavior may change as they start to lose their sight or hearing or acquire new pain. They may suddenly become snappy when they never used to be. This is not a time for force; you are not teaching a puppy that biting is not OK. Listen to what the dog is saying. 

Why did they snap at you? 

Maybe you moved their leg in a way that wouldn't bother a normal dog but is aggravating their hip dysplasia. Maybe they are developing cataracts and you approached their face too quickly. Maybe they are losing certain frequencies of hearing and now your clippers sound different around their head. Listen to what they are saying, and work around it the best you can, so that both of you can have a safe experience with the grooming process.

In the end, senior dogs still need to get groomed, but we can all ensure that they have the best possible experience and don't go home sore or overly stressed out. 

Do you have more senior dog grooming tips? Leave a comment!