Your Complete Guide to Ethical Grooming

Before I adopted my nervous rescue dog Lucy, I’d assumed that going to the dog groomers on a regular basis would become part of my new dog-mum life. I also imagined giving her baths at home, wrapping her up in a towel as she shakes off the bubbles – like I’d watched in films. 

But the first time I took Lucy into the reception of a pet groomer, she froze, then pulled on her lead to get the hell out of there. We’ve tried taking her back and she never has a nice time. So, we’ve taken a DIY approach – trying (emphasis on the try) to cut out her knots with scissors and brushing her fur each week. But we’ve never given her a bath and it’s taken a long time to get her used to being dried with a towel when she gets wet in the rain. She’s got some trust issues – and we’ve resorted to getting her vet to clip her claws because she gets a bit bitey as she hates it so much… So, when a video about ethical and gentle grooming popped up on my Instagram, I needed to know more – what is it? Is it different to more traditional grooming? And, most importantly, could it help Lucy learn to love being groomed? I consulted some experts to find out… 

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OK, so what exactly is ethical or gentle grooming?

Here’s the thing, ethical grooming, aka gentle dog grooming, isn’t easy to define, as every groomer – and pet parent, too – has a different idea about what classes as ‘ethical’, ‘moral’ or ‘gentle’ when it comes to caring for dogs. 

As you’ll discover, groomers who groom dogs in this way go by many different names – gentle and ethical among them, but then there’s ‘holistic’ and ‘consent-based’ grooming, too. In her book, Taking The Grrr Out Of Grooming Your Dog, grooming expert Sue Williamson writes that groomers who fall into this general category may also be referred to as ‘force-free’, ‘fear-free’, ‘low-stress’ or even a ‘grooming behaviourist’.

At the heart of all these approaches is a priority for your dog’s well-being over vanity and aesthetics. It’s not just about how they look – how they feel about the process is just as important.

That’s what Wirral-based groomer Jenni, aka @blackcolliegrooming, thinks. “I groom the dog at their pace,” she tells me over Zoom. It’s not about fitting a dog into a time slot – perhaps they need a longer appointment or there’s certain aspects of the groom that can’t be done the first time because the dog is too scared. Jenni will then work on building the dog’s confidence at their next appointment. Offering the comfort the dog needs – whether that’s treats or cuddles.

Then there’s holistic groomer Stephanie Zikmann’s ‘HGA Philosophy’ – HGA stands for Holistic Grooming Academy – which is a blend of “behaviour, training and grooming,” she explains. Everything is done with the individual needs of the dog in mind. Stephanie’s ethos might sound similar to the fear-free method, which is all about rewarding behaviour rather than punishing it, but she says the term ‘fear-free’ can actually be misleading. “It’s not possible to achieve a completely fear, stress and/or force-free environment, especially within a professional setting,” she explains. “There will always be a degree of force, there will always be a risk of anxiety or stress.” Instead, Stephanie aims for: “less stress, less force and less fear,” that way, goals are more realistic.

Jane Ambrose, who owns Jane the Dog Groomer in the Broads, offers a consent-based approach. “When a dog has a choice, they’re easier to groom,” she explains. In her salon, dogs get on and off the table at their pace and no restraints are used. Rarely will any grooming will be done on the first session and one full groom could take weeks, months or longer. A full groom won’t happen until the dog is happy and ready. 

So how is ethical grooming different from traditional grooming?

Stephanie, Jane and Sue all trained as traditional groomers but realised it wasn’t for them. Stephanie opened a high street salon in Scotland in 2018 and this is when she started practising her own method. She’d found that although traditional grooming has a focus on safety and cleanliness, it might rely on physical restraints and may not always consider the dog’s emotional state.

She explains that more conventional grooming is dictated by a “strict methodology” that puts aesthetics first. “Your dog will come out clean, smelling like talcum powder and rocking the traditional breed style,” continues Stephanie. And this, she says, will be more important than the experience for the dog. Success, in this setting, is defined by how many dogs you can groom to a high standard each day. There might be multiple stressed-out dogs in one room – some being groomed and some waiting in cages. 

So why is grooming so stressful for some dogs?

If that sounds stressful, it’s because it is. “Dogs hate grooming because grooming has lost its true purpose,” asserts Stephanie. “Currently, dogs are more like objects and less like sentient beings with their own personalities, preferences and needs, which makes conventional grooming processes incredibly stressful.” When safety is achieved through restraints and physically controlling a dog, we can expect dogs to hate being groomed, continues Stephanie, “grooming shouldn’t be like a torture chamber.” Grooming should be about choice and making a dog feel comfortable in their own fur. 

Previous negative experiences will play their part in stress, agrees RSPCA pet welfare expert Dominika Jagoda. “Perhaps they experienced rough handling or loud noises.” Then there’s the unfamiliar sounds – the noise of clippers, dryers and other tools. The scents, too – “strong smelling shampoos and conditioners can be unsettling,” they continue.

How, then, do ethical groomers keep reactive/nervous dogs calm?

In Sue’s private salon in Broughton Astley, there’s always a mist of Pet Remedy in the air to help calm nervous dogs. She also likes you – “their guardian, I don’t like the word owner,” says Sue – to be there with your dog. “It gives them confidence, as you’re their person,” she explains. She also expects all new clients to commit to a minimum of four sessions. “We’re talking much of the time in the first session, so it takes the pressure off the dog,” she explains, “then I do a bit of grooming here and there, as the dogs feel comfortable with it.” She will slowly build up to each part of the groom. Sue doesn’t give predictions about how long it will take to build up to doing a full groom as each dog is so different that she goes at the pace of the dog in front of her. 

Stephanie will take a step back to look at the bigger picture: why is this dog struggling? What else is influencing how this dog is feeling? What approach would best suit this dog based on their preferences and needs? “Restraining an anxious dog only escalates fear and destroys trust,” she explains. “True cooperation lies in giving control back to the dog.”

It’s all about positive reinforcement and building it up bit by bit in Jenni’s salon too. “I don’t force dogs into it,” she says. “I want them to know I’m respecting their boundaries.”

Shouldn’t all groomers be doing this anyway?

Dominika confirms that the grooming experience “should be as positive as possible using rewards-based training to gradually get the dog used to any grooming equipment, as well as the person who is doing the grooming and the environment as a whole.” Patience, they tell me, is key and “grooming should not be forced on a dog if they’re finding the process stressful.”

Stephanie thinks all pet parents should demand a change in grooming culture – “we need to begin to acknowledge the significance of the grooming experience a dog has first,” she says, “before we even think about aesthetics.”

Are there any negatives of gentle/ethical grooming?

Stephanie warns that there are some risks involved in her method. “Especially when you’re working with dogs with less or even zero restraints,” she explains – which is why observation and reading any warning stress signs in the dog’s body language is vital – “they should never be pushed too far, too soon.”

Gentle grooming techniques you can do at home

I tell Sue that I’ve tried to sneak up on Lucy while she’s asleep, pair of scissors in hand, to cut out a tangle in her fur. She tells me I should never do that again. “The worst time to do it is when they’re asleep,” she says – “just think about it logically, if you were asleep and then somebody came and started poking you, how would you feel?” It’s hard to argue with that. 

Jenni says that you should get your dog used to being touched, including their paws – which lots of dogs don’t like. “Build it up very slowly, brushing them regularly without forcing them,” she says. Never push your dog to a point they feel uncomfortable. Sometimes it might be about showing them a brush, putting it next to them and then giving them a treat. As they get used to it you can start brushing them – building it up from seconds to minutes. 

Do I need to use a gentle groomer? How do I find one?

The same with working with a rewards-based trainer, pet parents should also work with ethical groomers. Although, Sue notes, sometimes it’s about balancing a welfare issue – like matting in their fur that could catch their skin – in those instances, she might push a dog outside their comfort zone so as not to cause them further pain or exacerbate other issues. 

I know, from researching this feature, that ethical dog groomers are hard to find – not everyone sells themselves in that way and there’s no one term that captures what ethical grooming really is. Plus, grooming in and of itself is an unregulated industry that requires no qualification – meaning anyone can open up their own salon. 

Jenni recommends asking a potential groomer about their qualifications and how they will work with your dog. “Ask if you can come and meet them,” she says, “get your dog used to the environment before any grooming even happens – like a meet and treat.” Go on how you feel, you know your dog best – will they be happy in the grooming environment on offer? Do you think they feel safe and seen? 

I decide to book Lucy in for a course of four sessions with Sue – in that time, she will give me advice on how I can build Lucy’s confidence at home. And if you’ve got a nervous dog who hates being groomed, it might be a good idea to find someone who’s willing to work with your dog in that way, too. Giving you advice about techniques you can use to help them feel comfy.

Resources

The Holistic Grooming Academy has a directory to help you find a groomer near you. Stephanie is hosting an online holistic pet care conference in August and it’s free to sign up:  

Jane and Sue are both involved in the running of a Facebook page to help dog parents think about grooming in a new way and connect with groomers in their area.

Cooperative Care: Seven Steps to Stress-Free Husbandry by Deborah Jones is a good read.

Jenni posts about ethical grooming on Instagram.