05/05/2023
It Takes the Time that it Takes.
New blog post you can find at rovandogs.com:
Don't look for perfection. It takes the time that it takes.
Sandy's first in-home groom with me didn't go quite like you would expect.
At 1 year and 4 months she showed signs of insecurity. Attatched to her owner and unwilling to come to me. Nothing too out of the ordinary when I first come to a home visit.
I sat with her on the gound, leash in one hand and tossing treats with the other... soon, she relaxed and was at an arms reach. So I pet her.
As she got more comfortable with me, I saw she was ready for my "clipper test", which is where I turn on my clippers and bring it near her to see how she reacts.
In that 5 seconds, She about jumped out of her skin, and my petting hand became a threat. She entered "fight or flight" mode. She darted as far as the leash could go, looking for an escape route, and since there wasn't one, she revealed her teeth.
This is when I told the owner we will have to let go of any expectations of a complete groom today. She needed help to learn how to trust the process.
So we focused on what I deemed important in this situation. Remove mats from behind her ears, and face.
Sandy's trust in me had already started when I sat with her on the floor. So I went back to that foundation and she relaxed enough for me to pick her up.
As soon as she got on my table I saw she was going through old trama. She shut off and was stiff as a board.
So, all I asked from her in that moment was to look at me. And from there, she blossomed.
I kept things calm. Petting, talking, and improvising how to approach her matted fur (which is painful to handle and remove).
She learned I wasn't going to hurt her, overwhelm her, or demand her to cooperate.
We started a foundation of trust. Where I taught her how to sit still, and how to acknowledge the grooming sounds, and that grooming can feel GOOD.
After 3 hours, Sandy got a proud groomer. We trimmed out all the matted fur, her nails, face and sani, then she got a bath and blow dry.
Her owners were thrilled.
After Sandy's groom, I sat with the owner's at their home grooming station, and taught them how to get her comfortable with the grooming process.
I showed them how to teach her to stand on the table, practice comfortable handling, and sound exposure. Reminding them to remove any expectations, and to go at her pace.
I'm eager to see her in 4 weeks and see how far we can get with this groom.
But I'm reminded it takes the time that it takes. To put the dogs mind first.
Sandy is a prime example of why I love what I do. To see a fearful dog, become a confident one.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
- Kelsey Rovan
Owner of Rovan Dogs LLC.
