Tail Talk Grooming Chronicles with Hound Therapy

Paws, Patience, and Puppy Cuts: When Tiny Toenails Meet the Groomer

• Shannon & Tanya • Episode 13

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What Is Included In A Puppy’s First Groom, And When Should I Start?

Every grooming journey begins with a crucial first step – that initial salon experience where lifelong habits and attitudes are formed. Professional groomers Shannon and Tanya from Hound Therapy sit down to share essential wisdom for pet parents navigating this important milestone.

The experts dispel common myths about when puppies should start professional grooming, revealing that the ideal window opens shortly after second and third-round vaccinations. Far from being a full haircut, these initial visits focus on gentle introduction to the sights, sounds, and sensations of grooming. "It's about desensitization," Shannon explains, "getting them used to having their nails touched, the sounds of the Dremel, the dryers, other dogs being around, and the vibrations of the clippers."

Tanya offers practical advice for at-home preparation, suggesting electric toothbrushes as excellent tools for acclimating puppies to grooming sensations. Both experts stress the importance of avoiding games that encourage biting or inappropriate play with household items – behaviors that become problematic during grooming. They detail vaccination requirements that protect your puppy in the salon environment, and explain why even the cleanest facilities maintain strict health protocols.

Perhaps most valuably, they reveal how early, positive grooming experiences create confident, well-adjusted adult dogs who view grooming as routine rather than stressful. Their approach applies equally to kittens, with Shannon noting her own cats receive regular grooming thanks to early introduction. Ready to set your puppy up for grooming success? 

Don't miss these essential insights from two professionals dedicated to making the experience positive for every pet. Call 469-367-0009 to schedule your puppy's first appointment with Hound Therapy today!

To learn more about Hound Therapy visit:
https://www.HoundTherapy.com
Hound Therapy
3509 E Park Blvd.
Plano, TX
469-367-0009

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Tail Talk Grooming Chronicles with Hound Therapy, the podcast where we talk all things pet grooming, daycare academy and more. Hosted by Shannon and Tanya of Hound Therapy serving pet owners across North Texas, we're here to share expert tips, hilarious pet stories and the inside scoop on keeping your furry friends happy and healthy. Our motto humanity over vanity. And don't worry, we don't bite. Let's get started. Who let the dogs out? Who?

Speaker 2:

let the dogs out. The first groom is more than a haircut. It's a confidence-building moment for your pup's long-life grooming experience. Shannon and Tanya break down what to expect, when to start and how to make it stress-free. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sophia Yvette, co-host and producer, back in the studio today with Shannon and Tanya, professional groomers at Hound Therapy. Shannon and Tanya, how's it going today? Great, Thank you so much. How are you today? I'm also doing great Now. It is lovely to have you both back on today and this topic is near and dear. So those first grooms where trust begins, and I know you got some wisdom to share. Let's get into it. What is included in a puppy's first groom and when should I start?

Speaker 3:

When I'll start with. When is right after those second and third round of puppy shots. As soon as they have those parvo vaccinations in them, I would get them into a groomer as soon as possible.

Speaker 4:

You don't necessarily need to leave them there all day, so at least get them used to the experience. Do a drop off and get their nails maybe a bath. So then get used to the dryer, that kind of thing. They don't necessarily need a big haircut, but you know a lot of them, depending on your breed. You know, when I clean out in front of their eyes or something, and definitely you know, get them used to having their nails touch the sounds of the Dremel, the dryers, the other dogs being around um, the vibrations of the clippers all those things Like I'll just take my clippers and run them over a puppy, like the backside of my clippers, and just so they can feel it.

Speaker 3:

So we're not cutting any hair off, we're just desensitizing.

Speaker 4:

Yes, we don't want to have an attitude adjustment party later. So uh, and sometimes those are older puppies, that's where they are right, kind of if you start early, then you won't have problems later. And early and frequent, it's a good recipe for later and a lot of people are very. We put human emotions to the animals. Animals learn very quickly and they adapt very, very well. So as long as you can come in with this hey look, we got to get this done and you're going to look great and you're happy and they're going to be like okay, well, I'll do it.

Speaker 3:

So it's good, it's good, it's good to start early, yeah, and you can help with it at home as well, by touching their face, touching their feet.

Speaker 4:

Electric toothbrushes are really good. It's got a vibration with a noise. You can touch their paw pads with it tops of their heads. Don't play bite, Don't play tug-of-war. It's cute when they're little, but it's not cute when they're not little.

Speaker 3:

It's not cute when they're doing it to your groomer?

Speaker 4:

It's definitely not cute when you're doing it to the groomer. It's definitely not cute when you're doing it to the groomer. So and and or your kids, or your, you know, don't, don't play with socks and shoes. Those are all. You know, don't? You know why does my dog chew my shoes? How come it's eating my socks? Well, it's because you let him play with it. So I don't. So they think it's theirs. Yeah, we don't, we don't do that. So give them appropriate, you know, toys and you can bring those before and after the groom so they can hear that.

Speaker 4:

It's a oh, we like to get in the car, get some used to car rides. A lot of reasons people don't bring us animals is they say they're afraid. Well, if you start early, you don't have that problem, and they won't be. Let's get into what. Do you have to have to bring a puppy? You do have to have those first rounds of shots, purely for your puppy safety. Yeah, and animal to animal transmitted diseases are are real, even for shops that clean. We're a very clean shop, but even for shops that clean on a regular basis you know it's we have all disinfected surfaces. We don't have any wood anywhere. Wood will hold onto that. So puppies have a very strong immune system, but they also like babies and children. They also they're germy.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, they're gross.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, they're gross. So if they're around an older dog and even if they were just vaccinated, you're going to want to wait, you know, about a week or two after, just to make sure there's no reactions into for that that to set in. But you want to have all of our parvo distemper level. Lepto rabies is usually the the last. It's in your last set of shots. Normally some vets usually do it in four rounds, some will, some will do it in five. It just depends on where you go. If they don't want to put them all together, sometimes they'll split them up depending on your dog's tolerance. So, um, we for sure, uh want you to have bordetella and I believe in in they influence a shot for dog as well. They act very much the same dogs that catch flu. It's just like kennel cough. A lot of people that have dogs that have in the past Bordetella, bordetella.

Speaker 4:

Everybody knows about it but they don't. They don't have a lot of flu knowledge and it just helps to lessen that. So once you've gotten all of those, bring them on in and you know we can get them started to some of those louder noises and we get to play with them. Yeah, it's great if you'll let us let them socialize, so by the second time you come back you can even bring them in too, just to get used to the noises and know the shop. You don't necessarily have to get something done or just bring them in for those little puppy nails. Oh, they're sharp.

Speaker 3:

So they're sharp.

Speaker 4:

They're like cat nails. By the way, it works great for kittens too. If you've got a new kitten, if you start getting them bathed when they're little and you know you continue to do that when they get older and bring them in. My cats get bathed on a monthly basis. I do their nails every two weeks because I like my couch, but, uh, it works for kittens too. If you have a new, younger cat, um, it's it's great to bring them in on a regular basis as well. It's not just good for dogs. Anything young is impressionable. So if you can get to a nice, clean shop, uh, do what you're supposed to do with your vet. Follow the recommendations of your breed to a standard. Do not believe everything you read on Facebook and Google and every breeder in the world that said oh my gosh, you only made this dog once. It doesn't matter, pardon me, that's not true.

Speaker 3:

Or your puppy doesn't need to be groomed until it's six months old.

Speaker 4:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

That's not true. German.

Speaker 4:

Shepherd breed standard is, I think, once every six months and I'm sorry if my dog's living inside my house it's getting groomed more than six months. We're talking about pets and pet grooming. We're not talking about shows and show standards, so it's a very different kind of a playing field when you're coming from a grooming standpoint on the two of those, we're not flat ironing and you know, curling up hair.

Speaker 3:

We don't hairspray.

Speaker 4:

We try to do what's manageable, maintainable, and we want your dog to enjoy it while they're here. It makes it easier for you, me and definitely for them.

Speaker 2:

Well, shannon and Tanya, thanks for walking us through such an important milestone for new pets. I know this will ease a lot of first groom jitters. Until next time, take care of your pups and each other. See you next time.

Speaker 1:

Bye that's a wrap for this episode of Tail Talk with Hound Therapy. Ready to book your pet's next groom daycare stay or grooming academy tour? Call us at 469-367-0009. That's 469-367-0009 to schedule an appointment, or visit us online at wwwhoundtherapycom. Serving North Texas with expert pet care. Until next time, keep those tails wagging.