11/17/2025
I want to give a shout-out to Murphy the Doodle! I like to say he's attending "Anger Management," although, really, this is an issue with anxiety and inconsistency.
Murphy had several failed grooming attempts at previous groomers due to his reactivity. And I dont blame them! He would bite to cause harm if you got anywhere near his face, feet, and tail. He would claw at himself with a muzzle on. So, it had to be a muzzle free groom (Here is why it's important to muzzle train your dogs!! Muzzles cause more panic if they're not accustomed to it.)
So, after being left for many months due to his behavior, I agreed to take him on. He came in and was the toughest behavior challenge I've come across. The priority was to simply get the mats off so we could get him on a regular schedule for bath and tidies just for him to get used to handling and tools.
A few visits in, his owner and I discussed "homework" to help him progress more quickly. To try to diminish his triggers, which were still his tail and feet.
Fast forward to his recent appointment. His first "big boy full groom" which wasn't a shave down! Clearly, his owner had put in the work because I saw a big jump in progress. He still had a couple moments of panic, but de-escalated quickly. He did not react to his triggers at all, either!
Groomers can not train your dog all by themselves. It takes work at home, too! And regular scheduled appointments.
And while our job is to groom your pets, a massive part of our job is to train your dog to accept grooming and be comfortable with the process.
Grateful for clients like Murphy's owner 🙏
