19/05/2026
So many people don’t realise what it actually takes to help a dog feel safe and comfortable with grooming, especially older dogs who haven’t been groomed regularly or handled with kindness before 😢
Many ex-breeding dogs are only ever groomed to make them “presentable” before rehoming, often through quick clip-downs with little care for their emotional experience. That’s why introducing grooming positively from a young age is so important (and why puppy intro grooms matter so much).
Little Ellie was adopted just 2 weeks ago after being rescued from a puppy farm and spending 2 months in foster care. Her new big sister, Tia, was also an ex-breeding dog adopted in 2022. When Tia first came to me, she was absolutely terrified. Her sister Big Ellie (a beautiful Cavvie who passed recently) used to comfort and protect her through every groom, just like Tia is doing for little Ellie now. Earlier this year, Tia finally started walking into the salon on her own and taking treats from me, its taken awhile 😍
When Little Ellie arrived, we knew she was terrified of clippers and would try to escape. So we took it slow. We sat outside for 10 minutes with pats and treats, then spent another 15 minutes on the salon floor letting her settle and follow Tia’s lead. The highlight? Watching her jump onto the table herself.
From there, everything was introduced gently - clippers, brushes, bath, blow dry - all at her pace, with Tia by her side.
That 30 minutes spent sitting on the floor today will make future grooms easier and less stressful. Next time, we’ll do it all again, building trust one step at a time.
This is what goes into grooming here, it’s never just a quick bath, shave and out the door. Helping dogs feel safe is always the priority, and I’m so grateful I get to work with these beautiful souls.
Shout out to Moya and Barry for giving these girls a chance and so much much love ❤️
