18/10/2026
🐩 Notes from the grooming table! (Sorry it’s a long one!)
🐾 A DOG DOESN’T HAVE TO BITE A GROOMER TO INJURE ONE. 🐾
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get discussed nearly enough in the grooming industry.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY.
Because somewhere along the way, people started treating groomers destroying their bodies as just another part of the job.
And it’s not.
A 30kg dog refusing to stand.
A senior dog repeatedly dropping its entire body weight.
A large dog leaning against you while you’re trying to safely position it.
A dog suddenly pulling its leg away while you’re holding scissors or clippers.
A dog constantly spinning, jumping, sitting, twisting or fighting every movement.
A frightened dog launching itself across the grooming table without warning.
A dog that needs to be physically supported throughout most of its appointment.
That force has to go somewhere.
And more often than not, it goes straight through the groomer’s body.
💥 Wrists
💥 Fingers and hands
💥 Elbows
💥 Shoulders
💥 Neck
💥 Lower back
💥 Hips
💥 Knees
Sometimes it’s repetitive strain building up over months or years.
Sometimes it’s ONE unexpected movement that causes an injury a groomer may live with for the rest of their life.
And here’s the part people don’t always understand.
A DOG DOESN’T HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE TO BE PHYSICALLY DANGEROUS TO GROOM.
A dog can be incredibly loving, affectionate and gentle at home but still be extremely difficult to safely handle during grooming.
A dog that won’t stand isn’t necessarily being naughty.
A senior dog may be struggling with weakness, discomfort or mobility.
An anxious dog may panic when its feet are touched.
A young dog may simply have no understanding of what’s expected of it.
We understand that.
We work with these dogs every single day, and we do our best to accommodate their individual needs.
But understanding WHY a dog behaves a certain way doesn’t magically remove the physical risk involved in handling it.
And compassion for the dog should never mean sacrificing the safety of the groomer.
✂️ GROOMING IS PHYSICALLY DEMANDING WORK.
It’s not just giving a dog a bath and making it look pretty.
It’s hours of standing, bending, lifting, reaching, supporting, brushing, drying, clipping and sc******ng.
It’s working with sharp equipment around animals that don’t always understand the importance of staying still.
It’s carefully supporting elderly dogs while trying not to put unnecessary pressure on their joints.
It’s managing anxious dogs without escalating their stress.
It’s maintaining awkward positions to safely groom delicate areas.
It’s controlling sudden movements while protecting the dog from injury.
And it’s doing all of this repeatedly, appointment after appointment, day after day.
Even a small dog can cause an injury.
A sudden twist while you’re holding a paw can strain a wrist.
A dog throwing its head unexpectedly can cause a groomer to jerk backwards.
A dog constantly pulling away can place enormous repetitive strain on hands and shoulders.
Small dog doesn’t automatically mean small physical risk.
🐶 “BUT MY DOG IS PERFECTLY BEHAVED AT HOME!”
And we absolutely believe you!
But being relaxed on the couch and being comfortable with grooming are two completely different things.
At home, your dog isn’t necessarily having its feet held, nails trimmed, coat dried with a high-velocity dryer or sensitive areas carefully clipped.
Grooming involves handling that many dogs simply aren’t accustomed to.
That’s why regular grooming, positive experiences and learning to tolerate gentle handling are so important.
Not just for your dog’s comfort.
But for the safety of the people caring for them too.
❤️ SOMETIMES THE KINDEST THING WE CAN DO IS STOP.
If a dog is becoming excessively distressed, physically exhausted or unsafe to handle, there may come a point where continuing the groom is no longer in anyone’s best interests.
That might mean taking a break.
Changing our approach.
Completing only what the dog can safely tolerate.
Recommending shorter or more frequent appointments.
Or, in some circumstances, stopping the groom altogether.
And yes, sometimes that means your dog may go home without the perfect haircut.
Because a perfect haircut is NEVER more important than the safety and wellbeing of the dog OR the groomer.
We would much rather explain why a groom couldn’t be safely completed than risk an injured dog or an injured team member.
🐾 WHAT CAN OWNERS DO TO HELP?
💜 Keep your dog on a regular grooming schedule so appointments don’t become unnecessarily long or difficult.
💙 Practise gentle handling of paws, legs, ears and other areas at home, using positive reinforcement.
💜 Let us know about any changes in mobility, behaviour, discomfort or anxiety.
💙 Be honest about previous grooming difficulties. It helps us prepare and plan a safer appointment.
💜 Understand that elderly dogs may need shorter appointments, additional support or a modified groom.
💙 Respect your groomer’s professional judgement when they say something cannot be completed safely.
💜 Remember that a groomer needing to stop, change a service or decline a particular groom isn’t a reflection of how much they care about your dog.
It’s often BECAUSE they care.
✂️ AND TO OUR FELLOW GROOMERS…
You are allowed to protect your body.
You are allowed to set boundaries.
You are allowed to say a dog is too physically demanding for you to safely manage.
You are allowed to ask for assistance.
You are allowed to stop a groom when the risk becomes too great.
You do not have to prove how good you are at your job by pushing through pain, ignoring warning signs or risking permanent injury.
An injured groomer doesn’t just lose a day of work.
They may lose weeks or months of income, experience ongoing pain, require treatment or rehabilitation, or find themselves unable to continue doing the career they love.
Your health matters too.
🐕 AT DOGS R US GROOMING GRACEMERE
Our philosophy has always been HUMANITY OVER VANITY.
That means prioritising the wellbeing of the dogs in our care, while also recognising that our groomers deserve a safe working environment.
We love what we do.
We love the dogs who walk through our doors.
And we understand that not every dog finds grooming easy.
But love, patience and experience don’t make us immune to injuries.
Our hands, backs, shoulders and joints are what allow us to continue caring for your beautiful fur babies.
We need to look after them too.
So the next time a groomer explains that your dog needs additional time, a modified service, extra assistance or that a groom cannot safely continue, please understand that these decisions aren’t made lightly.
They’re made with everyone’s safety in mind.
Because at the end of the day…
A DOG SHOULD GO HOME SAFE.
A GROOMER SHOULD GO HOME SAFE.
AND NEITHER SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF A HAIRCUT. 💜🐾
