My dog is very quiet when he comes back from the groomer and that for the whole day. I always take my appointments 9 am and for the rest of the day he’s just really lazy. Right now it’s 21:30 and he’s already went to his bed on his own probably for the night. He’s not new at the grooming routine. He’s 1-1/2 y/o.
Just wondering if it’s common.
15 Answers
I am a professional groomer and I cannot FULLY answer your question but I can speak from experience as far as what the dog owners who come to me have said….
1) Many groomers will “do” a dog from start to finish in one shot with no breaks…yes, your dog will be out of the shop in 1.5 to 2 hours BUT EXHAUSTED
2) Groomers such as I give the dogs many “breaks” (yes, they are putin a crate, in case you wonder) and they will take 3-4 hours before they are ready to go home.
There are advantages to both….BUT HAVING SAID THAT…I have many owners tell me that their dogs used to resist going to the groomer who made them “do it all in 1 shot”. THey did not want to go back and would not cross the doorstep….When they switched to me, the dogs would leave, not exhausted, and they came back with tails waggling….That is what I want to see….
This is not to say all dogs appreciate my methods…some just don’t like being groomed at all…
I have a very regular and faithful clientele and they all tell me that they think I am wonderful with their dogs. They don’t mnd waiting an extra hour or two to get them back because “Fido” is happy and leaves with taiol waggling and comes back willingly.
Take it for what it is worth. SOmetimes they are just exhausted because it is not normal routine and they find that stressful.
Hope that helps.
And..in answer to someone else’s comment…I DO NOT SEDATE OR DRUG ANY DOG…I AM NOT A VET…if a dog needs to be sedated for grooming, I refer them to the vet…I have had to do so a few times with SUPER NASTY dogs…I can habdle just about ANY dog..I have only turned away 2 dogs for “fear of my arms/legs/face”…..I suggested sedation at the vet.
I am a groomer and can give you a logical reason why. Grooming is stressful on a dog. Think about it – you are taking the dog out of the comfort his home, putting him in a crate for a few hours, he gets all wet in the tub, he’s around other dogs that are strange to him, the dryers are loud, he’s having strange people handle him – I would be confused, scared and stressed out too.
We do try to make it as comfortable as possible for them – but this is a common thing.
If you’re dog is particularly stressed out, are there any mobile groomers around your area that will come to your house? Might be worth looking into.
EDIT: in response to the person who wrote above me – this is a common occurance, especially in privately owned shops and in vets offices. We do not sedate – nor do we accept dogs who we believe have been sedated prior to their appointment. It is worth looking into to see if your groomer sedates.
Dogs can get stressed at the groomers… It is very common for a dog to spend all their energy at the groomers worrying, so when they come home they are exhausted…
With that said, I do know that some groomers will give dogs a low amount of drugs to groom them… Making them calmer makes it easier for them to do a good grooming job. I would check with the groomer and make sure that they are not drugging my dog… If they are… I wouldn’t go back. If they can’t groom a dog while it is fully aware, they aren’t a very good groomer!
Yes, this is normal. My two Labradors are very lethargic after being taken to the groomers. Probably because all the stress between the other barking dogs, and doing things he’s not used to like being shaved or getting his nails clipped. Coming home lethargic after being taken to the groomers is common in many dogs, so there’s nothing to worry about! Just make sure he still gets exercise to keep him active, but not too much because it’ll wear him out!
My dog is always tired when she comes home from the groomer. To me, it’s common,but I don’t know about other dogs. It doesn’t matter the time of their appointment. It’s an experience for them and a long day. Don’t forget they’re in a crate between bathing and the styling.
My guess is that they doped him. This is a huge NO-NO if they didn’t get your permission to do so. I would find a different groomer next time and if your pup does need help to be calm then there are 2 all natural things to try for him. Hylands homeopathic Calms forte, or Bach’s Rescue Remedy. Your local health food store should have both. Neither will knock him out, just make it easier for him to calm n comfort himself and put him in a mellow mood.
When my pomeranian was still alive, she loved going to the groomers. And was ever so happy to see me. She ran around like a pup which is saying a lot since she was 17.
My dog is a Maltese/Shi Tzu mix and he had a morning appointment, knowing other dogs are there and he may have to wait his turn. Once home his slept through the entire day and before he went to bed I brought the water bowl to him and he drank a pretty good amount- I checked him for nicks, cuts and swelling but nothing was found.
To the one that said grooming a dog straight through is exhausting, is wrong. I groom that way and all my clients dogs are just as happy to walk through my door! We don’t cage at all and the dogs are happy.
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