We adopted our dog about four years ago. Since then, our family has not gone on a vacation because it is difficult to do with a canine family member. As I watch my kids grow up and hear all of the stories that my friends tell me about their family vacations and all of the wonderful memories that they have created, I regret that we haven't gone on a trip. I began looking into some options for boarding my dog and found some great places to take him. Then, I began looking up information about how I can make his time at the boarding center easier on him. To learn the tips that I have found about keeping your dog comfortable while he stays in a boarding facility, go to my site.
dog boarding - tips to keep your dog comfortable
Can Special Needs Dogs Go To The Groomer? What You Should Know
Cecil Hanson
When you adopt your dog and they become a part of your family, you never imagine that your dog is or could ever be considered "special needs." However, if your dog has mobility issues such as a missing limb, or sustains an injury that renders them unable to stand up on their own for prolonged periods of time (spinal cord injury, nerve damage, or torn ACLs, to name a few conditions), most veterinarians and pet grooming facilities would consider them special needs. Because you still want your dog to be able to get the same care as others, get to know if and how your special needs dog can receive pet grooming services.
Can Your Dog Stand With Proper Accommodations?
When a pet grooming service is presented with a dog with special needs, some will turn them away without a second thought because they are unable or unwilling to do any work outside of the norm when pet grooming. However, there are plenty of pet grooming services who will work with your dog if you are able to come up with workable solutions to certain issues.
The biggest question is whether or not your dog is able to stand up given proper support and accommodations. When a dog is being groomed, the person washing them will need to be able reach their belly and the inside of their legs to ensure that they are completely clean and that the shampoo is rinsed off.
This means standing for several minutes at a time. If you have harnesses or supports you use at home for your dog to help them stand to urinate or defecate, or walking supports, show them to the groomer and see if they can use your supports or have similar options to accommodate your dog. If you provide the groomer with an idea of how to accommodate your dog safely and efficiently, they will likely be happy to work with you and your pet.
What Is Your Dog's Temperament?
Because many special needs issues are the result of a traumatic injury, pet grooming services may be reluctant to work with special needs dogs for fear of the reactions your dog may have to the grooming process. Your dog's general temperament may have much to do with that reaction.
If your dog is generally compliant with veterinary care and with their body being moved and manipulated, then likely the groomer will have no problems with them, but you should be as sure as possible ahead of time. You do not want your dog to bite or scratch the groomer when being bathed.
You can test this by attempting a basic bath or grooming session at home to see if your dog winces or reacts negatively when being moved or touched so that you can let your pet grooming service know what areas of the body or movements may be problematic.
Now that you have a better idea of how your special needs dog can receive grooming services, all you need to do is contact groomers and find one willing to work with you.
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