At Awesome Paws, one of our favorite parts of the business is building long-lasting bonds with our customers and their amazing pets. Our goal is to be a part of your pets’ world throughout their whole lives.
I have been grooming for 23 years, and it is such an honor to still have clients I have known for almost that entire time. I have the privilege of grooming second, third, and fourth generations of their pets. I have watched their human children grow and continue on with their dogs.
I currently have two 16-year old dogs that I have been grooming their whole lives. There’s so much growth throughout a relationship with a client that you’ve had for that long!
I have seen, learned, and grown so much through these bonds. The needs change for each individual dog, but there are also common “old timer” considerations that seem to be true across the board. By having a simple knowledge of these considerations, which are different for seniors than for younger pets, the grooming process is easier for them, causing less stress, and it allows you to be more aware of what to look for at home.
What is considered a senior pet?
We have all seen the charts that compare human years to dog years or charts that show a correlation between size and the age at which a dog is considered a senior.
Honestly, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer.
Just like humans, a lot of variables go into it. I have seen Standard Poodles that are healthy and spry at 15 years old and toy breeds that are suffering from old-age body issues at 8. Some grooming salons will put a number on it and not groom them after that age (usually around 10-12 years old). We do not have an age limit at Awesome Paws, but I do understand why other businesses adopt that rule. Senior pets definitely are harder to groom and require a completely different skill set because they also bring with them a higher risk of accidents and health issues that can cause complications.
What are some of the behavioral/physical changes that we see?
The biggest changes we see are typically physical. Dogs and cats experience a lot of the same aging signs as humans. Stiff joints, arthritis, and coat changes tend to be the main ones we see pretty early on, and all of these will hinder the grooming process. It can also change their behavior for us. Let’s face it, if I was in pain and you wanted to hold my foot to cut my nails, I don’t know how happy I would be either. Because of this, we as groomers now have a whole new behavioral situation that was not there before when the dog was younger.
Dogs can also experience mental decline as they age, such as senility or dementia. Physically, they may be completely sound, but the mind is changing. This is often noticed when animals start staring at walls, barking at the air, or even looking generally confused. A lot of the times, this is harder to notice right away. Sometimes we see it in the salon sooner, take note, and discuss with our clients to see if they have noticed anything.
Changes in sight and hearing often occur as animals age as well. Those changes will make environments that they are used to seem different or foreign. You may notice them getting nervous just when going out in the yard or walking around the house. The salon also changes in their world.
What are some things we do to help our furry aging friends?
At a certain point, we consider these changes as special needs. All this means is that we have to get creative to find out the best way to work with each individual pet to make grooming as comfortable as possible. We have a whole bag of tricks to work with, but sometimes we have to get exceptionally creative. They truly love keeping us on our toes.
Our go-to methods include:
· Reading their signals and moving them in ways that are more comfortable for them
· Going slower than they are used to in all areas: bathing, drying, cutting hair, etc.
· Discussing with the owners possible variations on haircuts that may take less time or be less cumbersome for the pet (example: a Schnauzer set in a pattern or a longer coat doodle could potentially get a shorter length all-over)
· Discussing a plan to work with your furry friend’s vet to help them with the process
· Giving them breaks as needed
· Finding alternative methods to help if they’re getting more stressed than usual
What can you do?
· Take them in for regular vet visits. Ask your vet what they recommend.
· Keep notes of changes you see. That way you won’t forget something to tell them (or us).
· Please keep open lines of communication with us or anyone who cares for your pets. Changes at home will cross over to the grooming process. We would just like a heads up if something is going on.
· Please be patient with us. We cannot assume that every groom will be the same as your pet ages. We change accordingly throughout their time with us. It is not unheard of for a grooming session to take twice as long as normal. We cannot foresee that when you are dropping off. We prefer that you call to check in if the groom is taking longer. If you show up in the salon, it may cause the dog to get stressed (as well as the groomer). We aim to provide the best and most positive experience for them as we possibly can.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please reach out to us. We always love to help pet parents provide the best care!
Boo (16) and I enjoying one of our last grooms together.
