Getting an animal used to grooming tools

Grooming goes wrong when it starts as a twenty-minute session with an unfamiliar tool.

Match the brush to the coat

• Slicker brushes for medium and long coats that mat.
• Deshedding tools for double coats in moulting season — used sparingly, they thin the undercoat.
• Rubber mitts for short coats and for animals that dislike bristles.

Short sessions first

Two minutes, ending before the animal wants it to. Build up over a week. A session that ends badly costs you three that went well.

Introducing clippers

Run the motor in the room without cutting, so the noise stops being a surprise. Then rest the body of the clipper against them with the motor off. Only then cut, starting on the back where they are least sensitive.

Mats

Work a mat apart with fingers and a detangling spray rather than pulling a brush through it. Tight mats close to the skin are a job for a groomer or a vet, not for scissors at home.