Grooming Menace!!?

[Joe'smom4ever]

I took my 2 and a half year old male rottweiler in to be bathed, nails trimmed(I would do them myself but I don't have the drill as they are really thick), and ears cleaned when I get a call from the groomers that they can't do anything with him. He was growling and lunging at them! This is never a problem when I'm with him and I've been training him by myself since he was a puppy. I had to go back and put him in the bathtub and do his nails for them which only took a word command!! Is there something I did wrong in training him? (I'm only 15 so I'm sure I did something wrong!)He is very friendly to strangers unless he is in the yard by himself and he is obedience and agility trained. He is neutuered and has never acted like that. Please help!!

[Nishasmom]

If he is two and never been inside a grooming shop this could be the problem. Many dogs get scared of new and strange places. Without you there to show him its okay, he may have gotten some fear aggression.

[Cody'smom]

I'm sure he was fearful of a new experience if this is the first time, especially being handled by strangers without you around. How does he do being handled by your vet? At my vet they let me bring Cody in just to socialize. One of the tech's takes him from me and tours the whole place, meeting everyone and being touched and petted and just handled, without me around. We've done this since he was about three months old and it has really helped. He still doesn't like the groomers trimming his nails but we keep working on that. He is 15 months old and is a work in progress! Can you stop by the groomers with your dog on a regular basis just to be handled by them and do practice runs on the nail trimming?

[Joe'smom4ever]

Thanks for the advice! I can try but I have taken him in other grooming places and they won't do him because they are scared of him. They take one look and say sorry ma'am but we won't do rottweilers! Prejudiced much??!!!

[moondog]

Originally Posted by Joe'smom4ever

I took my 2 and a half year old male rottweiler in to be bathed, nails trimmed(I would do them myself but I don't have the drill as they are really thick), and ears cleaned

Nails, ears, and brushing are leadership tasks and in my mind, should be done by the owner. For what you spend on a groomer, you could buy a dremel and grind them yourself. Ears are easy, and brushing is really easy!

That said, life is much easier for dogs if they can accept a certain amount of handling by others, and it sounds like he may need some low stress, positive lessons for this (similar to the CGC handling - accepting someone running hands over him, running a brush over him, looking in his ears, picking his paws up - that type of thing) to get him more at ease with it.....how is your dog at the vet's office?

[brunie's mom]

I agree...this is a wash and wear breed. All grooming needs should be done by the owner of the dog...no need for taking the dog to be groomed. Nails, teeth and ears (ears checked) at least once a week. Brushing 2 or3 times per week. Bathing two or three times per year...unless needed a bit more often depending on living conditions.

Sounds like this dog needs to learn to be handled by people. I don't blame the groomer for not wanting to work on your dog...none of them enjoy trying to groom a large growling dog.

Gina

[OWQ]

There are a few "Do It Yourself" grooming parlors near here. They supply the tubs, and all the tools, but you are the groomer. Why don't you look for one of those in your area.

[Nishasmom]

Keep in mind...groom shops can be chaotic!! Multiple high velocity dryers going (very loud)...cage dryers, barking dogs, huge steel tubs, clippers, screaming dogs, strange stressed out people, slippery floors, slip leads..ect.

I have a feeling it was a reaction to the environment....not to being handled by strangers. The dog freaked out before being touched, and calmed down when the owner arrived to help. My advice, expose him to noisy chaotic environments more often.

[Joe'smom4ever]

thanks for the advice! I always brush him and clean his ears and I do his teeth but nails are harder because I can't find a dremel. He lets me do everything with him. He doesn't care if strangers brush him, walk him, pet him, play with toys, let kids walk him, etc, he wags his tail and licks them. At the vet's, he is fine because I'm there with him at the table. I've been taking him everywhere to make sure he was well socialized since he was 10 weeks old.
Nishasmom-you are very right! It is and he probably was reacting to the chaos.
Brunie'smom-When I took him to both of grooming shops, he had never been there and was wagging his tail when they said they don't do rotties.
Thanks for advice everyone!!! I will be sure to start!!

[Denise L.]

I do Cyrus's ears, nails and of course I brush him but I do use a groomer because my plumbing can't handle bathing him.

The first time I brought him to a groomer (he had gotten skunked) I received the same phone call. I came back and stayed with him (almost 4 hours with all the little yappy dogs) and he was a perfect gentleman.

Since then he has always behaved very well and I get to leave for a few hours!

Oh yeah, I also changed to a groomer who isn't afraid of big dogs!