How I handle Senior Dogs

This one goes out to the oldies. The wobbly fellas with their tongues flopping out because they are missing teeth.
With senior dogs, the go-to comfort groom is a nose to tail shave down. That way they spend the least amount of time in the salon, it is easy to keep them clean and matt free at home, and the haircut will last the longest amount of time.

I am the most vigilant with senior dogs because they may have a variety of health conditions, so they have higher needs.

• I check for skin tags and growths to prevent nicking them. I watch for their tongue when clipping or scissoring around the mouth.
• They may be blind or deaf so they may have a harder time getting around and recognizing where they are.
• Their joints are weaker, so they may have arthritis or a bad back, so they won’t be able to jump and may need extra support for balance. I always work slowly and gently within their natural range of motion while watching for signs of discomfort.
• Old dogs can also be wobbly/shaky/continuously stepping towards the edge of the table. It is necessary to monitor and support them for the entire groom because they can fall off the table at any time.
• Senior dogs may have heart murmur or other medical conditions that makes them more sensitive to stress.
• Seniors can even get dryer seizures from the stress of velocity drying, which will look sudden repetitive barks, shaking, and loss of control over bodily functions like peeing and pooping. At this point, stop drying immediately, take the dog away from the noise, and hold them close to your body until they come down. Depending on their condition, it may be necessary to stop the service. For this reason, I always start slow with the dryer, or use a fluff dryer.

I did not know about dryer seizures when I first started as a bather, which is why it’s important to do outside research and KEEP learning.

In summary senior dogs require the utmost attention and support. They keep me on my toes, but it is rewarding to know that I am helping them feel clean and comfortable.