160 Bear Christiana Rd
Bear, De 19701
302-322-6488
Dr. Jim Berg
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Dog Questions
Dear Dr. Berg,
My wife and I are retired with lots of time, and we'd like to try grooming our dog at home, but don't know where
to start. Is there somewhere you can get lessons on grooming? Where do you get all the equipment like clippers?
Thanks.
S. T., Newark
Dear S.T.,
I must warn you. Grooming is just plain hard work! It takes a long time to learn how to properly groom the many
breeds that there are out there. Even to do an "amateur cut" on your own pet will take much longer than
you think, especially if the hair is long and the pet is large. And it takes real patience to deal with an animal
that just plain doesn't understand why you are putting those noisy clippers near its ears, doesn't know why you
are grabbing and tickling its feet, and who has trouble staying still for 1 minute while you want him to stand
still for over an hour.
You will find grooming equipment for sale thorough many sources that include pet stores, animal supply houses,
and catalogues. But before tackling this new skill, I'd recommend that you consult with a groomer first. You might
even want to consider working for a groomer for a few months to learn just how an expert does it. It is true that
you can get videos or books that describe the process, but nothing beats watching someone who has learned what
works and what doesn't work.
You also might want to consider attending a grooming school; most grooming schools, however, are oriented towards
training individuals who want to start their own grooming business. It usually takes many weeks of instruction
and months of experience before one becomes proficient doing cuts on the wide variety of breeds that need a haircut.
You can help prepare your pet, however, to be a better grooming patient, no matter who does the grooming. Practice
putting your pet up on a table or elevated surface and having him stay still…then reward him with a treat and attention.
Open his mouth, look in his ears, brush his teeth, and then reward him for good behavior. Learn how to clip his
toenails carefully so that you don't hit the "quik" or cause undue discomfort, then try doing them yourself
one at a time. Bathe him and use your hand blow dryer all over him to acclimate him to the sounds of being groomed.
Be sure to reward all positive experiences with positive rewards.
A dog or cat that stands still and behaves while being groomed not only gets a better "doo", your groomer
will look forward to grooming your pet and will give you rave reviews of how very good he was. And you will be
so proud!
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