Puppy's First Cut

[PamperedPup]

Just wanted to get some feedback on puppy's first groom. What is the best way to handle this? I know alot of groomers do not clip on the first visit in order to not stress them out too much but is there an age limit as far as what it will do to the coat? Like should you let a puppy grow into it's full coat before you clip it? I know this differs with show dogs but I am talking about just puppies in general. For example a yorkie who hasn't developed his true colors yet should his coat be left? I never had many puppies before and now I am starting to get quite a few and I would like any opinions or tips from seasoned groomers. Thanks!

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

I will not, no matter how much begging, give a full haircut the first time a puppy is groomed. Either one of two scenarios happens: #1. Puppy is scared to death and the clippers overwhelm them even more, or, #2. If they aren't afraid of the clippers they don't know how to stand yet and wiggle all over the table, resulting in a very bad haircut. So it either looks terrible or the puppy feels terrible. Both end results arent worth it to me.

As far as hair goes, if it's just a pet the clip is up to you and the owner. Yorkies in particular usually have black tips of puppy hair and some owners like that. Once they are gone they never come back. (At least, not that I've seen) So as long as owner is ok with that you can clip them. In pet grooming, most of it is very opinional. It's hard to answer definitively unless you are asking for a specific breed profile. I've clipped a puppy as young as 4 mo, but I don't groom anyone younger than that because I require all puppies to have all their shots.

[Dawn125]

I generally don't do full haircuts on puppys but there is occasionally the exception. If a puppy is 5 or 6 months old and well behaved and starting to matt then yes I will give them a haircut. In general I like to see them younger for a bath and tidy up followed by a haircut a month later but sometimes you have to make exceptions.

[felzenhaus]

Under 4 or 5 mos. I only do pads, privates, round feet or shave if a poodle, over eyes or shave face if a poodle, and clip nails and do ears. It is too traumatizing for younger puppies to have a whole haircut, bath, blowdry all in one sitting. I usually recommend them coming back in about a month and I will start scissoring a little more each time. By the time you give a whole haircut they are ready for it and stand very well. I usually give the customer the reason, "it's like sitting your one or two year old on a chair for a haircut and saying now sit still". Puppies are the same way. Usually very wiggly.

[gottalovegracie]

I offer a Puppy In Training package to all new puppy owners. (as long as they see me before they're 5-6 mos old, that is.)

They get 4 appts scheduled 4 weeks apart for $XXX. I explain that I only do what the puppy is ready for (normally no body cut at first few appts, trim yes...whole cut no).

Always, bath/dry on low/big nozzle, round feet, pads, belly, clean ears, nails, etc. I may expose them to the sound of the clipper running around them if they seem ok. Some are ready to get their eyes cleaned up, some are just too squirmy, so those that won't sit still for that, I just use my blunt ended shears and rub them (closed of course) around the head, between eyes, under eyes, etc. May make a fake snip so they hear the sound of the shears too.

And, my answer to your question......I usually tell the owners to try to wait to cut them as long as we can. Coats change over the first year...let's wait and see what we end up with. That doesn't mean I'm not trimming it everytime and making sure it's dematted, etc. A lot of times the owners aren't really sure if they want their shih or yorkie to stay in a full coat or cut it down short. This gives them a chance to experiment with the longer coat while I'm coming every 4 weeks to make sure they stay dematted. If they decide that's just too much work, then they can get them cut down by the time the 4 appts are up. Anyway, that's my opinion, of course. Take it or leave it!

[pooh13]

I will groom puppies as soon as 6 weeks .but as for hair cuts I prefer to give just a basic sanitary trim face feet and fanny type grooming for the 1st 2 grooms .In the cases the dog is 6 months old and it is the first time I will do the best I can for doing a full haircut. I have been surprised many times of dogs coming in for the first grooming and be wonderful for everything as if they had it done a million times before.so I do base puppies on case by case basis as I have had dogs that have been groomed for years and still act like they are being tortured.

[BeeJL]

[QUOTE=gottalovegracie;367359]I offer a Puppy In Training package to all new puppy owners. (as long as they see me before they're 5-6 mos old, that is.)
They get 4 appts scheduled 4 weeks apart for $XXX. I explain that I only do what the puppy is ready for (normally no body cut at first few appts, trim yes...whole cut no).



How is your package priced in comparison to 4 regular grooms?

[Helly]

How much I do depends on the age of the pup, the condition the coat is in, and how much puppy can tolerate. I tell the owner up front I don't make any promises.

However, I won't groom a puppy that is younger than 12 weeks, unless it's a dire emergency. Very few puppies can get themselves into such a mess that they need an emergency groom before 12 weeks, though. So I guess I really don't groom puppies younger than 12 weeks.

There's a couple of good reasons for that. I want them to have sufficient protection from infectious diseases, and I don't want to try grooming a pup that's in the grips of the first fear/intimidation imprinting period.

[gottalovegracie]

[QUOTE=BeeJL;367518]

I offer a Puppy In Training package to all new puppy owners. (as long as they see me before they're 5-6 mos old, that is.)
They get 4 appts scheduled 4 weeks apart for $XXX. I explain that I only do what the puppy is ready for (normally no body cut at first few appts, trim yes...whole cut no).



How is your package priced in comparison to 4 regular grooms?

Right now, I have it priced so it ends up to be about 1/2 price (since a few of the appts usually don't involve much cutting anyway). I'm thinking of raising it some this next year so that it would end up to be one free groom by the time they were done with the 4 grooms. I'm also thinking maybe making it so appts are every 2 weeks instead of 4 while they are in training so they come more often and hopefully get used to it better by the time they are done. NOTE: this would also get the clients on the normal groom price sooner AND just maybe, they would set up regular appts every 4 weeks instead of going up to every 6 once they are done with training?? What do you all think?

....just a warning...having them pay upfront has a downside! You don't get any money paid to you the next 3 appts! It seems like for some reason pups come in bunches...then they all set their next appts 4 weeks later so you could have 3-4 grooms in a week that will have already been paid for a month prior! If that makes sense? Just have to plan for that little hitch in advance!

[BeeJL]

I hope this doesn’t constitute hijacking the thread but I like Gottalovegracie’s idea. The puppies that I get have never had anything done with them that even remotely resembles going to the groomer. If I could sign the puppy up for a few classes, I could probably groom the little darlings rather than sending them home because they are too stressed. I think once a week would be good. After 4 sessions they could come back in 4 weeks…

I have one client who brings her puppy in every time the adult dog comes in. He just watches. He was dumped at a hunting preserve as a young puppy and is kind of wack-o with everything.

[felzenhaus]

GottaLoveGracie does have a great idea. I usually try to get puppies back in soon, but never tried that idea. Downside is you do get paid ahead of time and there is nothing for next time, but at least they won't cancel and not come back for 6 months. I like it!

[foxhound lady]

We schelude 4 appts each one 2 weeks apart on our slowest day. Sani's first then Face/Feet, and go from there it also depends on the puppy some are better then others and you just have to go with the flow

We had a very scared little puppy come in once a week for a bath and brush for I wanna say 8 wks (at a discounted price) she finally calmed down enough that she is comfortable being there and more then willing to cooperate through the whole thing.