26/08/2026
What if my dog is reactive/anxious?
This is the safest way I have found to show you what these grooms look like.
Mr Anxious tired to bite me several times here. But out of fear that he might be overwhelmed with what I am doing and I won't listen.
This is an escalation that he has learnt will stop the styling process.
But you can't actually SEE this in the video because the event is only a second long. But you CAN see that I stay calm, he trusts me to continue, he doesn't thrash around.
He doesn't want to hurt me, he wants the groom to stop. We have checked several time with a vet about any pain the process may cause him and the behaviourist agrees that his bucket is simply
VERY FULL.
So I praise him for letting me style a leg.
I praise him when he shakes off his stress.
I praise him for commands before, after, and sometimes durring the styling.
He knows I don't want to cause him discomfort, but he is in defense mode. And defense mode in the past hasn't been enough to stop the process, so he has learnt to escalate QUICKLY.
Understanding the context is KEY. Spotting the signs is CRUCIAL. Listening and reassuring is EVERYTHING
dog
