How to Give an Anxious Dog a Haircut

When you have a dog that becomes anxious and upset when you attempt to trim its hair, it is important that you work with the dog to help it overcome the problem. For many dog breeds, trimming or shearing their fur is necessary, so allowing that process to be negative is bad for the dog and is stressful for its owner. You can do several things to help your dog become less anxious during haircuts.

Things You'll Need

  • Treats
  • Dog brush
  • Shears or scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare the dog for being trimmed as early on as you can. Help the dog become used to being touched on all areas of its body. Many dogs do not like it when people handle their tails, feet and ears. Regularly touch the dog and do not let it wrestle away from you when you are touching an area that makes it uncomfortable. Do not hurt the dog, but continue touching the area until the dog becomes calm. Letting it go while it is still struggling and anxious will teach it that those behaviors give it what it wants.

    • 2

      Reward the dog with treats when it is calm. Many dogs are motivated by food, so rewarding it with a treat both before and during the grooming process can help. Break the treats into small bits so that you can give the dog treats throughout the haircut without overfeeding it.

    • 3

      Do not reward the dog with treats or with vocal praise when it is anxious. Rewarding the dog when it is in an anxious state of mind will reinforce that state of mind.

    • 4

      Begin with brushing. Do not brush areas that sometimes bother the dog, but focus on areas that typically feel good to the dog. For example, brush long strokes over its back. This will serve as a massage and will help relax the dog before you begin the trimming process.

    • 5

      Trim the dog, rewarding it when it displays non-anxious behaviors.