Anxious Dogs Aren't Bad Dogs—Here's What We Do Differently

“I’m so sorry, my dog is bad” is something we hear all the time, and we want to stop that story in its tracks. Fearful, anxious dogs often get labeled “aggressive” when they’re really overwhelmed by grooming triggers like handling, noise, clippers, or simply not knowing what’s about to happen. We talk through what we see behind the scenes as professional dog groomers, and how a humane, safety-first mindset changes the entire experience for the dog, the owner, and the groomer.

We share real grooming room moments, including senior dogs who are fragile, fidgety, and stressed because of age, illness, or discomfort. With elderly small dogs, success may mean a comfort-focused groom rather than a perfect haircut: clean feet, nails, a bath, and clearing the “goo” that builds up around eyes. We also explain what we mean by “quick turnaround” for anxious dog grooming: not rushing the work, but reducing long waits, skipping unnecessary stressors, moving steadily, and taking short breaks so the dog can reset and realize they’re safe.

You’ll hear how we problem-solve each dog like a puzzle, identify the exact trigger, and adjust the order of grooming steps so we don’t pile on the hardest parts right away. We also get honest about what owners can do that makes the biggest difference: don’t wait until your dog is severely matted, don’t skip grooms out of embarrassment, and please tell us the truth about biting risks or sensitivities like nails and brushing. Routine dog grooming builds confidence at any age, and even a quick cleanup can protect your dog’s health and comfort.

If this helps you, subscribe for more dog grooming tips, share the episode with a pet parent who needs it, and leave a review so more owners of anxious dogs can find us. What is the one grooming step your dog struggles with most?

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

Transcript

Welcome And The Core Belief

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Welcome to Tale Talk Grooming Chronicles with Health Therapy, the podcast where we talk all things pet grooming, daycare, academy, and more. Hosted by Shannon and Tanya of Health 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 fight. Let's get started.

Why “Bad Dogs” Are Overwhelmed

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Some dogs aren't difficult, they're overwhelmed. Today we're breaking down the small, intentional choices that turn an anxious grooming experience into a safe, successful one. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Sophia Yvette, co-host and producer, back in the studio with Shannon and Tanya, professional groomers at Hound Therapy. Hi, ladies, how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_00 1:02

We are fantastic today, covered in hair, but we're good.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

All right. Well, let's get into it. Today's topic is when you both care deeply about. Anxious dogs aren't bad dogs. What do you do at hound therapy that's different to help these pups feel safe and understood during grooming?

SPEAKER_00 1:26

Well, let me just say those that we both really feel passionately about these dogs. And um this week alone, Tanya's had um a whole lot of them coming in. And uh, you know, I uh one of the saddest things that we always hear all the time is that I'm so sorry that my dog is bad. I'm so sorry, or do you do bad dogs? Or you know they always label these dogs as being bad or aggressive. And in all reality, most times they're they're not. They're not bad. They're usually just scared or you know, they're unsocialized. There's a big difference between scared of getting something done and being and being bad. Now, that doesn't mean that we don't get bet every day and that we have to be very careful and cautious with these dogs and that it still takes two people, you know. There's still all of these things that come with it. But anxiety doesn't mean aggression. So I we I'll talk about our week a little bit. I mean um one instance I had, I had a call last week. This lady had a 15-year-old Yorkie. Um other groomer had it for five minutes, brought it back out, said this dog is too mean, we can't do it. So she calls us and I was like, Yeah, bring her in. We'll we'll try to do what we can anyway. I can't promise a miracle, but we'll try. Um and she really wasn't a bad dog. She had one tooth in her head, the poor little thing. Um and I told the lady, I said, you know, she's not a bad dog, she's 15 years old, she's elderly and fidgety. She can't stop moving. But I don't blame her because of that. She's just old. But she really wasn't a bad dog at all. Yeah, and and and the the thing is is and we did another dog same week, um, 18 years old. Uh she had that was yesterday. Passed yesterday. Uh passed on past at home. I mean, something happened. She had an episode, yeah, and they brought her back to life. And we're like, gosh, you know, I mean, she's 18, but keep in mind these older dogs are usually um, you know, 10 pounds and under. These aren't dogs that, you know, we're able to just do and hold and restrain. They're little itty, bitty, mean and one tooth, those little jaw, those little naked mouths gums hurt. Those little naked mouths will get you. So yeah, it is um it's it's rewarding because you can see the crusty stuff in their eyes. And the lady that came in today said, I, you know, I've been trimming my dog, you know, myself. She's on some some medication to help kind of, you know, let make her be a little less anxious. She goes, I just wait for her to fall asleep and I'm trying to scissor her feet. Like, okay, well, and she was, you know, like a flying squirrel. She just would, she would just leap and and jump. So it's, you know, it takes two people to hold her, but she wasn't a bad dog. She's just difficult. It's hard to do. You've got to be able to take your time and the effort and and just take a deep breath, you know, count to 10 and be like, this is, you know, this is what we're doing today. Uh, and and it it is what it is. And I mean, I would say for those owners that do have dogs kind of like we're talking about, um, call the grooming salon that you're thinking of using, see if they have more than one person available to do your dog, because sometimes it does just require one person to hold them and love them and the other to do everything else. Yeah, and a lot of people don't want to bring their dogs in because they're afraid for the grimmer. Oh, somebody has told me that, you know, they got bit and we they feel horrible because they don't want to be responsible for another lady leaves every time. Please, please watch yourself, please don't get bit. I could, you know, it's kind of what we do. So I sign up for it. We we'll take that risk. Uh they're they're concerned for our safety, so they they leave their dog unattended to for a longer period of time. And, you know, it's we don't want that to happen. We don't want us to we we do a shorter version of a cut on these dogs, but sometimes we just do what we can do to get them bathed, washed, get their feet clean, get their nails done. You know, it's a hundred degrees today. It's not gonna get cooler over the next few months. So, you know, it's it's they they're very appreciative that somebody's even willing to take that on.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

Wow.

Calming Methods Without “Magic Tools”

SPEAKER_01 5:46

Now, can you share a technique or tool that consistently helps calm nervous pups?

SPEAKER_00 5:55

Well, we use ourselves. So we use a whole nother human. Yeah. We use ourselves as a human weighted blanket. Um, there is there's nothing these dogs aren't necessarily that we've talked about here aren't nervous. Most nervous dogs that come in, um, I would say time and speed. There's not really a tool that you can use. Um, if they don't like loud noises, it's it's really figuring out what's making them nervous and then removing that. So it takes one or two times of working with somebody that's willing to work with you on figuring out what your dog is nervous for. Is it is it nervous because it thinks it's going somewhere it's not? Is it nervous because it doesn't like chyroids? Is it nervous uh because it doesn't like loud noises? You know, is it nervous because there's other dogs here? What is it that's making the dog nervous other than yourself? Because if you're nervous for your dog, your dog is definitely going to be picking up that vibe. And now we just have two nervous people. Um so we have a nervous dog. Yeah. So we have to figure out what it is it's nervous for. So I I would say not necessarily a tool, but finding out what it is that's going to make your specific animal feel better. And if it's elderly, old age, blindness, you know, illness, those are all things that you can't fix that. I mean, we all get older, we all at some point in time start to deteriorate. It's, you know, we don't want to do what we don't want to do at a certain age. And there's not a lot of coaxing. It's just a matter of I don't want to do it and I'm not gonna do it. Yeah. How are we gonna get it done safely and you know, in the quickest fit form that we can? So for us, it's a quick turnaround. It's uh it's a little extra fee uh on top of that, but it's it's done less often and it's not causing any ill due stress on the on the animal. And if it is, then we stop and everybody's happy with that understanding. Um, if it's a dog that's younger and nervous, yeah, then you know there's some things that we can do and talk about, but it depends on the dog. Um, I was gonna mention on your quick turnaround, it might she might say quick turnaround, but like the actual process, we're going pretty slow with that dog. Um, we're just doing it kind of straight through so it doesn't have a whole lot of time to sit there and think about being anxious. Um we're just kind of slowly but surely kind of plugging through. And a lot of times it's take a small break, give them just two minutes to just kind of oh, I'm not dying. And and that's on the table, right? Yeah so yeah, and what I mean by a quick turnaround is it's not here for four. We don't put that dog in a kennel or a cage or down with other dogs. You know, there there's two of us standing there talking to it. If it needs a break, you know, we'll stop and and and take that break and you know, it's chit-chat and you know, let's count to 10. Uh it's but it is we're doing them straight through. We're we're not we're not giving them the opportunity to uh kind of like teaching a child or with training, right? We want them to end on a good note. So if it's a bad thing that's happening, we're not gonna stop and quit doing it. We're gonna, we're gonna wait until that moment is passed and then try to, you know, introduce something that's positive that that he doesn't hate or she doesn't love and and end with something that they're tolerating so that they can be like, okay, well, this is good. Now I'll go back. It was a success.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Wow.

Owner Honesty, Routine, And Matted Coats

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Now, final question before we close out today. How do you communicate with owners about what anxious dogs need to succeed?

SPEAKER_00 9:26

So I'd say biggest mistakes owners make, number one, waiting until your dog is severely matted. Do not skip service because you are afraid to bring your dog in. Or embarrassed. Or embarrassed, or because your dog is um, you know, just hates it and you don't want to induce that kind of stress because a matted dog is definitely worse and it's harder for everybody, for us, for the dog, for for everybody. So I would say that's the number one thing. People is wait. Um more than two times a year, your dog needs to be groomed. Consistency is key, and routine builds that confidence that they need for the grooming table. Regardless of age. Yep. Um, dogs at any age can learn. Um, and and that means we may not do a full groom every single time, but the nails still grow, you know, your ears still grow, the goo in front of your eyes doesn't stop getting gooey. Um, so these are all things that need to be done. You know, your their little bottoms need to be clean. So you can come in for a really quick um just a cleanup service that you can stay and wait 10 or 15 minute service, and that helps. Um, I would say don't apologize for your dog. Uh your dog is gonna be your dog. Uh the best thing that you can do for your groomer and your dog, be honest with them. Tell them exactly, you know, how they are. We can take it. Yeah, and it's it's better. I would I would much rather when I say it takes two or three times, it's much easier for us to, we have on our cards some of them have pink highlights all over and dog deered, and you know, it it's easy for I would rather know that your dog bites for nails so that I can quickly do that and get that done either before or after. So I know when to introduce that. If your dog doesn't like brushing, let me know that. So we're gonna do all the things that we don't have to do that are gonna upset him. Like you we don't wanna introduce the worst parts as soon as he walks into the door. We're gonna do that usually last or middle of the group. And then it's over and it's done. And then we end up, yo, here's a treat. You did it. So uh it it's it's much easier for us to work around. Uh, in fact, we like doing our anxious dogs that we know that that come in or nervous dogs because we know what they're nervous for. We've we've we've solved the a bit of the puzzle and we're able to move forward with the pieces that we have and able to cause that dog and human less stress because we can do, we can work around it and then introduce those, you know, intermediately. So it definitely helps.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Well, thank you both for sharing your insights. We'll see everyone next time.

Booking Details And Sign-Off

SPEAKER_02 12:03

That's a wrap for this episode of Tale 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 www.houndtherapy.com, serving North Texas with expert back care. Until next time, keep those tails wet.