Stress-Less Grooming

27/02/2025

Three lovely Cockapoos —chocolate girl Coco, Hugo with his amazing black curls, and Angus with his stunning markings—plus Teddy the Cavachon and little Harry the Cavalier.

Coco had a full groom, completely restraint-free to reduce the chances of her hip pain flaring up. She chose her own position, and I only asked her to stand when necessary. She’s so relaxed about grooming, which is lovely to see!

Hugo did amazingly well with clipping today, even though it can be a big trigger for him. We’re still gently building his confidence with handling around his legs and paws, but with a gradual approach, he let me clear his eye hair—and we even started working on the table; a big step for him. Well done, Hugo.

Angus had his usual short, short clip! His family prefers this since he is a big fan of muddy puddles. The shorter style not only keeps him comfortable but also brings out his beautiful markings.

Teddy showed me his playful side for the first time, which I absolutely loved! He was particularly sensitive about his front legs today, so we adapted by using scissors instead of clippers where possible. He got to take a squeaky ball home as a little reward.

And finally, little Harry, who seemed completely oblivious to the grooming process once he had a licking mat! He had a bath, dry, and a tidy-up around his paws—an easygoing little guy as always.

There’s really no two dogs the same. They are all amazing in their own way💛🐾

26/02/2025

Some of you know my boy Barney has been having a tough time with his health lately. He’s been diagnosed with a heart condition, and after seeing a specialist this week, I’ve come to terms with focusing on keeping him comfortable with medication and taking each day as it comes. Losing Mollie so recently has made every moment with The Ginger Prince even more precious 👑

With that in mind, I won’t be taking on any new clients over the next few weeks and may step back from social media for a while. I’ll still be working from home, putting as much care and thought as I can into my current dogs and how I work. Thank you all for your understanding and support—it truly means a lot 💛

25/02/2025

There’s a recent TikTok trend which I am quite honestly shocked by, and haven’t posted about it because I don’t want to bring attention to it on my page, but off the back of that this is such a great post summing up how we should be assessing dogs body language and their readiness for grooming, as we are working together. For me this is not just on an initial meeting, but as an ongoing observation with each visit.

Without proper observation is very easy to push a dog from the yellow zone, into the red zone, and this can have long term negative effects. The best thing I’ve done for myself, and my business, and the dogs I work with, is learn to observe and understand dog body language 💛

🚨 The Canine Comfort Scale 🟢🟡🔴 – Handling Dogs the Right Way! 🚨

After the recent TikTok trend of blasting forced air into a dog's face, it’s clear that education on handling stress in dogs is more important than ever. Groomers, pet professionals, and owners must recognise a dog's comfort level to ensure a safe and positive grooming experience.

Introducing The Canine Comfort Scale 🟢🟡🔴 – a simple way to read a dog’s body language and adjust handling accordingly.

🟢 GREEN: Relaxed & Comfortable
✅ Loose, wagging tail
✅ Soft eyes and relaxed ears
✅ Leaning into touch or engaging playfully

👉 How to handle? Continue as normal! This dog is feeling safe and happy.

🟡 YELLOW: Mild Stress or Uncertainty
⚠️ Pinned-back ears or lip licking
⚠️ Avoiding eye contact or slight trembling
⚠️ Shifting weight away, showing whale eye

👉 How to handle? Slow down, use a calm voice, and reassure. Avoid pushing too hard—watch for escalation.

🔴 RED: High Stress, Fear, or Aggression
🚨 Freezing or sudden stiffness
🚨 Growling, lip curling, or showing teeth
🚨 Tucked tail, excessive panting, or trying to escape

👉 How to handle? STOP. Give the dog space, reassess, and prioritise safety. Never force a dog through stress—adjust your approach!

💡 As groomers, it's our responsibility to read these signals and adjust handling accordingly. The goal is to build trust, not fear.

💬 Have you ever used body language cues to help a nervous dog? Share your experience below! 👇

**a

24/02/2025

Lovely Monty, one of the cutest little cockapoos out there 😍

He really loves his cooperative care sessions and usually has his full clip split over two shorter visits. Monty isn’t a huge fan of grooming, but he’s learned to cope because he knows he has a choice with free-roaming grooming on the floor. His mum and I sit with him, and when he’s ready, he settles between us—looking to his mum for guidance and treats while I work. He’s building up his confidence with face trimming really nicely! When he’s had enough, he heads to the gate or sits behind his mum, and that’s our cue to call it a day—no matter if his face is squint or his legs are lopsided! That way, Monty stays happy to come back and work with me next time.

It takes time, but it’s so rewarding—especially with dedicated owners like Monty’s mum, who are truly invested in his comfort and long-term progress 🐾💛

24/02/2025

Little Ru the poodle has been doing so well with her gradual reintroduction to grooming—short visits, building up step by step. But after needing some sensitive vet treatment recently, she took a little step back. On her latest visit, she was understandably guarded and it was clear she didn’t really want any contact with me.

Our dogs can be affected by so many variables in life, just as we can—and it’s completely normal for sensitive dogs to need a little extra time after experiences like this. Ru’s mum was so understanding and accepted that it just wasn’t her day, so we rearranged for another time.

I’m forever grateful to work with owners who are fully on board with building trust and focusing on long-term goals—even when that means having appointments where their dog isn’t quite ready to engage. It’s all part of helping them feel safe and more confident 🐾💛

23/02/2025

Beautiful Lottie 😍

She did fabulous today! Grooming used to be really challenging for her, so her family has been coming along for a while so they can stay. We use plenty of food—often as a simple distraction—but this time she did brilliantly with a little focus game to encourage stillness during her face trim. A nice bit of team work and timing with Lotties dad doing the rewards!

Food is such a powerful tool for changing how a dog feels about grooming, and there are so many ways to use it. Food really is the reason Lottie can manage as much grooming as she does now, and she’s not stressed or anxious afterwards.

If a dog is very fearful of grooming, all the chicken in the world won’t distract them from it. If we use food the right way though, it can be a game changer👌💛

23/02/2025

Lovely Rosie—so sweet, affectionate, and playful with her toys, but she has strong feelings about grooming. She’s also dealing with some ongoing health issues, which I’m sure play a part, and as an overseas rescue, her family has limited history about her.

At her appointment last week, it was clear Rosie wasn’t feeling up to it, so we made the call to reschedule—and it was the right choice. This week was a completely different story! While her face is still a bit of a trigger, she did brilliantly with her bottom, legs, and paws, and was much more at ease overall.

No dog makes real progress by being pushed through these things! Rosie’s family, like so many owners I know, are deeply committed to helping her feel safe and supported every step of the way 🐾💛

23/02/2025

Gorgeous Echo has been visiting us for a long time, but today she arrived a bit nervous—backing off at the door and sitting under the table, which is very unlike her.

After chatting with her mum, we decided to adapt the session to suit Echo’s comfort, scaling things back and keeping it as stress-free as possible. When a dog shows signs of nervousness, pushing through can create negative associations with grooming long term. Being adaptable is key—not only for the dog’s immediate comfort but to avoid overlooking any underlying causes of anxiety.

Big thanks to Echo’s mum for being so proactive and helping make her visit as positive as possible for her girl. As always, a little play time afterwards💛🐾

23/02/2025

Beautiful Freya wearing a happy hoodie during her blow dry - 2 happy hoodies actually, just to be a bit extra!

They are microfibre so good for absorbing a bit of moisture after the bath, and they give a little protection for their ears against the loud dryer.

Unfortunately some dogs aren’t that comfortable wearing one so it can add to their stress rather than ease it. Freya isn’t the slightest bit bothered and it cuts down her drying time on her long ears and stops them catching the dryer and annoying her!

22/02/2025

Wee Gracie has come a long way in a short time with her mum staying by her side… and her cheese!🧀🤤

She has a very high maintenance coat and so has been visiting every month; some visits having an overall clip and some visits just working on her sensitive face and front paws 🐾

Beautiful girly 😍💛

22/02/2025

Murphy and Caly on their regular visit 😍

Murphy can be very guarded with his front paws, so much so that he has had them shaved by his very under sedation previously. As he arrived his mum mentioned he might need to visit the vet again for that soon, but to our surprise Murphy allowed to me to take care of them this time! He gave a strict no for his face trimming this time, and his mum can read him like a book, which makes it much easier to keep within his limits and not push him to snap. Murphy often does let me trim his face so with regular visits we don’t worry too much about not being able to finish on this visit. We had a huge win with his front paws anyway.

What can I say about Caly though; she’s an angel for her grooms. She isn’t a huge fan of her face or paw handling but she is super tolerant. She’s happy to get the attention and snacks.

Front paw sensitivity is one of the most common issues I see in grooming, with everything from pulling away and avoidance to full on snapping and biting at the slightest touch. There’s no easy solution but regular visits and understanding their boundaries can help turn tricky areas into little wins like Murphy’s today🐾💛

22/02/2025

Another amazing border collie for a cooperative care session this week…. The very gorgeous Skype 😍

He did fantastic for some brushing and trimming around his hind legs, which can be hard for him. He has such thick hair that any tugging with a brush can be off putting for him! A little leave in conditioner helps with that, and very gently parting his hair and brushing, dipping in and out of the sensitive areas so as not to focus on one spot for too long.

Oh that face 😍💛

20/02/2025

How gorgeous is little Lola 😍

I’m sure she has a story or two to tell if she could, but she’s landed on her paws here with her new family. It’s so lovely to see her every few weeks and watch her confidence blossom each time.

Her family once shared their lives with the amazing Hazel, the dog who inspired my Supported Grooming service as it is today. Lola has such a different personality but has already made her mark in her own special way! 💛

20/02/2025

Fergus on his monthly nail session 🐾👌

He benefits from proper one to one time with no other dogs, and a gentle approach to his nail trims. He was really cautious when he first started but now he comes in so happily, and assumes his nail trimming position as soon as his mum asks.

Lovely boy 💛

19/02/2025

Lovely Molly! 🤩 She’s doing so well in her Supported Grooming sessions.

Separation anxiety can be really challenging—for both dogs and their families—especially in situations like grooming. While you might still need help from a behaviourist or your vet for support at home, I’m happy to make the grooming experience easier by providing a safe space for your dog, where we can adapt the process to allow you to stay right by their side.

These sessions are all about helping your dog feel safe and comfortable, so the focus is always on their emotional well-being rather than achieving a perfectly styled finish.

Molly has a dry groom; a brush though little tidy up around her ears and legs, and since her natural coat is so lovely that’s enough for her! She gets bathed at home to make her visit even easier for now, and we can look at introducing bathing as and when she’s ready 💛

18/02/2025

Ru 🐩😍

She is anxious about grooming but is responding so well to a more choice based approach and working with her mum there.

Lots to work on with Ru’s confidence in handling but she is doing fabulous building up her groom a little with each visit 👏

18/02/2025

Wee Millie the Maltese!

Millie is such a sweet girl. She has some ongoing struggles with grooming but she did really well on her latest visit! She had a mat on her face that she hadn’t let me or her mum near for a while. When her owners stepped outside for a moment, Millie was so focused on the door that I was able to quickly and safely remove it—something we’d been struggling with for a while. This wasn’t an approach we’d usually take, but it was a last resort before a vet visit became necessary. Once her mum and dad were back, we made sure to give her plenty of treats and fuss to end on a positive note!

Well done Millie, see you next month 👏💛

14/02/2025

Gorgeous George 😍

He is very sensitive with his paws and gets very anxious over them. His mum has been staying with him and he’s had a couple of short appointments to start building up a bit of trust, but on his latest visit he did so well we did lots of clipping as well.

George is highly food-driven—he’d walk over hot coals for a treat! But when a dog is very focused on food, simply using it as a distraction from something that worries them can sometimes add to their stress. So instead, we introduced a small focus game during his grooming to help encourage stillness and cooperation in a way that feels positive and rewarding for him.

Well done George and his mum for a lovely session👏💛