A customer who arrived a few minutes early to pick up their Yorkshire Terrier last week watched as I finished the dog’s haircut. “He acts a lot better for you than he does for me,” he said. “He seems so calm.”
Indeed, keeping pets calm while we work our grooming magic is integral to our job. Here are some time and pet-tested ideas for keeping your workplace serene.
- Noise level- Grooming can be a noisy business. Barking dogs, loud dryers, buzzing clippers, and vacuum sounds can combine to make pets, and people feel the strain. While some of these things cannot be controlled, keep the volume down when you can. Very loud dogs should be housed where they are not as stimulated to be noisy. Sometimes covering their crate with a towel to cut down visual stimulation will cue them to nap instead of yap. Get creative and see if loud equipment can be separated from the work area by noise-reducing baffles. If heavy metal music is your jam, enjoy that genre when away from work. A 2002 study conducted by animal behaviorist Dr. Deborah Wells confirmed that the relaxing effect on dogs of classical music. In this study, the dogs spent more time resting and being quiet, and less time standing when exposed to classical music compared to heavy metal music, pop music, or conversation.
- Odors - The scent of other animals can be wildly exciting or even threatening to dogs. Keeping your workspace clean to minimize smells can help keep pets calm. Some groomers use calming pheromone diffusers such as Adaptil in their grooming area. Undetectable to humans, many dogs react favorably to the calming scent.
- Visual stimulation- Consider what the dog on your grooming table looks at while you work. Do they see other animals in crates or loose on the floor? That can make some dogs agitated. See if there is a way to set up your workspace to limit what the dog being groomed sees that may cause it to be excited.
- Wait time- Some pets cannot tolerate time in a crate or kennel while waiting to be groomed or picked up. When you figure out which dogs become frantic by waiting, arrange your schedule, so they are in and out as rapidly as possible.
- Last but certainly not least is your level of serenity. Animals pick up on our moods and often match them. Bringing your calmest, most centered self to the table when you work will telegraph to the pets that you are in control and cue them to react calmly, too.
Creating a serene work environment is beneficial to both groomers and pets.
By Daryl Conner, MPS, MCG
Daryl Conner has been devoted to making dogs and cats more comfortable and beautiful for almost 40 years. You can find her happily working at FairWinds Grooming Studio with her daughter and infant granddaughter, or typing away at her latest grooming-related article. Daryl was awarded both a Cardinal Crystal Award and Barkleigh Honors Award for journalism. She shares her meadow-hugged antique Maine farmhouse with her practically perfect husband and too many animals.
