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Nervous dogs and puppies
Gentle grooming for anxious dogs, seniors and puppies in Caringbah.
Nervous dogs
If your dog is stressed, we stop.
Some dogs find grooming scary. Their comfort comes before a perfect trim, every time.
- We take our time, with breaks whenever your dog needs one
- Quieter times of day can be booked for anxious dogs and seniors
- If your dog is truly distressed, we stop and call you. You only pay for what we've done.
- Add care notes when you book, like nerves, sore spots or skin conditions. We'll plan around them
Puppies
Your puppy's first groom
Starting young makes grooming easy for life. Here's what happens on the day. Add any care notes when you book. We'll keep them on file as your puppy grows.
- Say hello: a few minutes to sniff around and meet their groomer.
- Gentle wash: warm water, puppy-safe shampoo and lots of praise.
- Meet the dryer: they sniff it switched off first, then we start on low so the noise isn't a shock.
- Light tidy: face, feet and nails. Short and sweet, no full clip.
- Home happy: we'll let you know how they went and when to come back.
Puppy first intro tidy: $85 for puppies under 6 months.
Book a puppy introNew and nervous dogs
How we introduce your dog to grooming
Clippers, dryers and bathtubs can be loud and strange to a dog. We never rush it. Every new or nervous dog is introduced to our equipment step by step, at their pace.
1
Sniff it first
We let your dog sniff and explore each tool with the power off, so it's just another object in the room.2
Sound from a distance
We switch it on away from your dog so they can hear it without feeling it, with treats and praise.3
Low power, gentle touch
We start on the lowest setting, on less sensitive spots like the back and shoulders.4
Build up slowly
Power, time and areas increase only as your dog relaxes. Face, feet and ears come last.5
Breaks and rewards
Plenty of pauses, pats and treats (with your OK) so grooming ends on a good note.Your dog's care notes
When you book online, you can add notes about anything we should know. Our groomers add their own notes after each visit too. Notes are saved to your dog's profile, so whoever looks after your dog sees them every time.
Nervous or anxious
Skin conditions or allergies
Lumps, bumps or moles
Sore joints or old injuries
Hates the dryer
Sensitive paws or ears
Past bad grooming experience
Medication
Other ways we keep dogs calm
- Happy Hoodies, a snug, cosy wrap over the ears to muffle dryer noise
- Towel drying or a gentle low-speed dryer for sound-sensitive dogs
- Lick mats and treats to keep them busy and happy
- Calm voices, slow movements and as little restraint as possible
- The same groomer each visit, so they see a familiar face
- Quieter times of day for anxious dogs and seniors
- Shorter first visits that build up over time
- If your dog is truly distressed, we stop and call you
How you can help at home
- Handle often. Gently touch paws, ears, face and tail at home, with a treat each time.
- Brush regularly. Short, happy brushing sessions prevent matting and make grooming easier.
- Play the sounds. Run a hair dryer or electric toothbrush nearby at a distance, with treats, so the noise becomes normal.
- Walk before you come. A good walk or play beforehand helps burn off nervous energy.
- Pop in for a visit. Drop by for a pat and a treat with no groom, so our salon becomes a happy place.
- Keep goodbyes short. A calm, quick drop-off helps your dog settle faster.
- Tell us everything. Add care notes when you book. Past bad experiences, sore spots, allergies or triggers all help us plan.