Dog aggressive at groomers-help

Legacy_user · 4 December 2011 at 8:45PM

i have a ten mth old lhasa apso who hates the groomers.

he has been 4 times and was so bad on the last visit it took her 4 and half hours:eek:
he hates it when they get to his face,the scissors are the worst,he shows his teeth and tries to snap at them.

he is not harnessed when he goes and she is very patient,but he is now the worst dog she grooms,he has an ASBO!

His mum,dad,bother and siter all go without a problem.

she asked if anything had happened to him,which it hasn't.
he has been castrated but was getting over friendly with another dog there too!
i am now putting him on the table and brushing and snipping near his face and rewarding only good behaviour.
She said he is dominant and not frightened.

help please

Person_one · 4 December 2011 at 8:52PM

Do you groom him yourself at home in between? How is he for you? Do you regularly just touch his face, ears, teeth, feet etc. to get him used to them being handled?

Have you tried different groomers or just this one? Have you watched her groom him? I'd take her 'dominance' comment as a bit of a red flag actually and ring round a few others for a chat about how they'd manage him.

System · 4 December 2011 at 9:39PM

hi,yes i do touch his face etc,he is ok on some parts more than others.
i bath him if neede,which he hates too, he will show his teeth for me and try to snap at sissors but not as badly
as his is for her.
no i have not stayed with him
thanks

elsien · 4 December 2011 at 9:42PM

I'm not generally a fan of muzzles as I think they can make a scared dog worse, but if it's something that really needs doing (I have to muzzle mutt for having her claws clipped) would that be a possibility while you work on the training?

Person_one · 4 December 2011 at 9:46PM

You need to go way back to basics then I think.

Get the treats out, lots of them, and start offering treats just for being around the brush and the scissors. Make the appearance of the grooming gear an exciting and positive event then go very very slowly with actually bringing them close to him and using them, treating all the time. If he snaps or attacks the brush then remove both the brush and the treats, it needs to be very clear that they go together.

I'd also go to a better groomer (ask for personal recommendations) and maybe ask them to do a very short clip for now so that you don't have to worry about him getting matted and tangled while you go through the re-adjustment process.

Good luck!

hethmar · 4 December 2011 at 9:49PM

Can you have a groomer come to your home?

System · 4 December 2011 at 10:08PM

she was recommended,and everyone else seems fine with her but him
i am going to have to go back to basics,i think it will take a lot of working on,thanks.
i have seem an advert for a groomer to come to the house,so might give her a call and discuss.
luckily i did ask for a short cut this time!

Person_one · 4 December 2011 at 10:11PM

toomuchmess wrote: »

she was recommended,and everyone else seems fine with her but him
i am going to have to go back to basics,i think it will take a lot of working on,thanks.
i have seem an advert for a groomer to come to the house,so might give her a call and discuss.
luckily i did ask for a short cut this time!

I think that would be a good idea, I'd be very worried about what a dog groomer who thought a dog was 'dominant' was doing to counter that 'dominance' while I'm not there and able to step in. Not everybody who works with animals is an expert behaviourist and some have got some funny ideas.

How was he with the brush etc. up until he went for his first haircut? When did the problems start?

rising_from_the_ashes · 4 December 2011 at 10:17PM

Has it always been the same groomer?

I'm wondering (especially if you haven't been there when he's been done), if there has been an "incident" somewhere along the line .... there must be some reason for him hating it so much.

Re him not liking being bathed etc - has he always been like this, or has it started since he's gone to the groomers? (If so, an even stronger liklihood that something has upset him).

System · 4 December 2011 at 10:24PM

it has always been the same groomer.
he never liked being in the bathed,it is getting harder not easier,he doesn't get aggresive in the bath,he just wants to get out!
his first haircut was not good and it has just got worst on more visits.
he does not like being groomed by me or any other family member,but probably tolerates it better at home,but it is still
not an easy task.

jaqui59 · 5 December 2011 at 9:49AM

He might associate being at the groomers with pain/discomfort, the same as a dog who hates going to the vets ... He could have been nicked with the scissors at some point, or maybe the process has been too long, and its just his way of saying that he is fed up and wants it over and done with .. I do also think though that the dominance factor could well be a part of all this .. Do you think he has a dominant personality?

Dog aggressive at groomers-help

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