Tackling the task: Home Grooming your Dog

I love dog groomers and have used them for years. But with two dogs, the youngest of which is an Aussie Shepard who is a bit anxious, the idea of tackling this task myself is something I’ve tinkered on for years.

Fast forward to this past spring, and I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a go.

My first step was to consult my vet. Who just so happens to be my eldest daughter. She knows Stinson well and many similar dogs of his breed. We decided to help calm him with a dose of Trazadone and Gabapentin. Starting the night before with an additional dose the morning of the groom. This turned out to be perfect. Just enough to calm him down but not too much so. Note: if your dog is like Stinson and not fond of taking pills, I recommend putting them in “Pill Buddy” treats by Earthly (earthlypet.com). Makes life easier for all parties.

Next up was getting the right grooming kit. There’s a wide variety from which to choose on Amazon, so it’s more a personal decision based on price and your dog’s coat. I went with the Oneisall Dog Clippers for Thick Heavy Coats. Easy to adjust, relatively quiet and seemed up to the task. He’s an Aussie with what was a pretty burly coat at the time, so the job was going to prove interesting at the very least.

We started grooming at 11 am. He was still alert but calm enough to come to me with the clippers in hand. A bit nervous as we started the trim, but he mellowed out very quickly. From there, it was smooth sailing. At least as far as his anxiety. The actual grooming is another thing altogether.

I started conservatively as I didn’t want to botch the job. But his coat was heavy and thick after a long winter in the mountains, so I gradually shifted clipper size to get him trimmed enough that he would be comfortable in the heat that engulfs Salt Lake City come June. It’s a long process that easily took 75 minutes. I gave him (us), breaks so he could drink some water and get used to the clippers sound and feeling against his body. It also allowed me to get a decent cut. It’s an art for sure. There’s a reason groomers get paid what they do. But I’ve done this twice now and have gotten better. It helps that he’s a bit used to it and seems to enjoy getting his hair cut every so often.

In the end, I recommend giving it a try. The tools are not all that pricey, your dog gets a ton of 1:1 time with you and earns an additional layer of trust and honestly, it’s fun. I highly recommend consulting your vet before your first try. Ask about the meds, dose and even what tools they might recommend. Then prepare them with lots of love before, during and after. Reinforce how proud of them you are, how much you love them and I’d add some big hugs post trim. As you can see from the photos, Stinson turned out well and was a happy camper with his new, summer-ready coat.