Grooming Safety Questions

[MilesDavis]

Hi All,

Miles is a year and a half now, and has been to the same groomer about 5 times now. She's always done a great job on his haircut, and the place always seems really nice and clean. But...

Whenever he gets home from the groomers, he always hacks and coughs a lot. This worries me tremendously, as it sounds like his trachea might be irritated (and I know yorkies' tracheas are nothing to mess with). So questions started popping into my head. How do groomers get the dogs to hold still while they are cutting/brushing their hair? Miles hardly holds still for me when I brush him, so I know he's not holding still for them. Do they put the dogs in some sort of restraint? Could this be pressing on his trachea and causing him to cough the rest of the day?

Also, does anyone on YT groom their own dog? How would I go about learning to do that? I know it seems silly, but I am just so worried about him getting hurt. The groomer might think he's cute, but they don't love him like I do.

[Britster]

Coughing/hacking from the groomers is most likely kennel cough.

Did Miles ever get the bordatella vaccine?

Also, in the groomers, I know they have the things they tie them up to the table so they can't really move and yes, they generally do go around their neck, so that could be another reason for the coughing.

[MilesDavis]

Miles is covered for kennel cough. The cough happens literally from the time I pick him up at the groomers and throughout the remainder of the day (not a few days later, as would happen if he caught kennel cough).

I don't like the idea of him being tied up or anything going around his neck...

[scotty]

Hi,I'm not sure about the cough but I am learning to do by own grooming.I bought a small cordless clipper and my Molli is starting to come around to my way of thinking and she gets better each time .Molli is my first yorkie but other family members have them and everytime they go to be groomed the butcher them.I shave each time all hair around the business end and i clip any stray hair.Then I use a cordless dremel tool to sand toenails,Then its off to the bath,dry, comb hair and I use mascara comb to comb out eye boogers.Then she gets a treat.It's not that hard once you get into a routine.I know they are wiggle worms a first but just sit with them and run the tools as if you were acually grooming until they get use to the sound.Good luck and hope you have a beautifully groomed baby.Thanks Scotty

[TeresaM]

I am extremely blessed to have a groomer that never uses the ties on my kids. She just holds them steady with one had while working with the other. She talks calmly and firmly to them and they listen to her. Gracie Ruth had a serious case of the wiggles at her last appointment and Lisa did her best to get her done, but never put the tie on her. And although it wasn't the "best" cut we've ever gotten from Lisa, it was nice and she didn't stress Gracie out. I really appreciate that. G is just my pet, I'd much rather she have a good experience then a great cut.

Perhaps you can discuss this with your groomer and if they aren't able to do the groom without the tie maybe it's time to find a new groomer or work at doing it yourself. Good luck!