But We Touch Their Feet! Ep184

Creating Great Grooming Dogs

Episode 184, but we touch his feet. We touch his feet, just like the trainer and the groomer. And the veterinarian said, why is this dog still having a problem? That's our question for this week.

This is the Creating Great Grooming Dogs show. I'm Chrissy Neumyer Smith. I'm a certified professional groomer, a certified behavior consultant for canines, a certified professional dog trainer. I'm a fear free certified groomer and. Fear free certified trainer. And I'm also a master groomer behavior specialists. I'm an instructor at the Whole Pet Grooming Academy, and I own Happy Critters in Nashua, New Hampshire. And this, my friends and colleagues is the show where grooming and training meet.

So this week, we are going to talk about. Foot touching. It's really common advice. Most pet owners have heard this. We want to prevent problems. We want your dog to feel comfortable with having their feet done and their nails done by massaging their feet often. And a lot of our owners do that. A lot of our owners are really great about, Massaging that dog's feet pretty often. And getting that done. Now here's the problem. We still have problems with our dogs and their feet. And why is that? I mean, if, if you're thinking about it, but I massage his feet and a lot of our owners have been doing it and doing a great job, but why do we still see problems?

Now there are a couple of reasons. And the one I want to start off with is. Foot touching is not like nail trimming. Oh, I know everyone just went. What. But wait, but we touch his feet. But for many dogs that's enough. Okay. It's not a bad idea to touch their feet. Just that for so many dogs, that's not enough. For a lot of our dogs. They're like, ah, cool. Okay. Someone touches my feet and I don't mind when it turns into, touching them with tools or trimming nails.

So let's talk a little bit more about why that doesn't translate. So touching feet is an important part of doing a nail trim. But when an owner is massaging a dog's feet. Let's talk about just that foot massage thing that most of our owners do. And if you're an owner, you have probably done this. You've got your dog on the sofa and you're gently rubbing a foot and just kind of relaxing and your dog doesn't have to really do anything. They're probably laying on the couch and you're just like massage in their foot. And that is nothing like holding an individual toe. Holding an individual toenail. And then moving a tool and actually trimming. Or grinding. Think about some of the tools that we have. So let's talk about some of those. , We have touching the pot in a different way than many people do a foot massage. Foot massages tend to be kind of haphazard and like snugly wuggly. And that's a great place to start. Okay. Every dog should start there. If they can't handle that, they're not going to be able to handle other types of touching. Just that the problem is, is that it doesn't go far enough. It doesn't translate well to all the other things that we need them to be doing.

So let's talk about touching in terms of also individual toes, maybe it's part of you as an owner or as the handler, or as the person who's working with this dog. Pretending to have to really see that nail. But like, our focus is different than when we're just casually touching feet. When we actually are like, oh, I need to see that. What is that? What is that? They're out there. That's really different. When we're holding individual toes, when we're trying to pull hair back away from a toe. When we're trying to brush a foot. We have things like brushes and Combs, maybe scissors. Um, we have a Clippers, the hair trimmers, right? Those vibrate. They make some sound. have a variety of different types of tools that we might touch feet with and that's more than just a massage. It doesn't really say the same thing as a massage, as a foot massage.

Let's also talk about, the sprayer in the tub. It sounds weird and it feels funny. It's not like a foot massage. So the foot massages. Are a good start. All right. I, I fully believe that. Awesome. Go forth and massage your dog's feet. I just know that it doesn't necessarily prepare your dog. For the other types of foot touching that are essential to grooming. And veterinary care and other types of care.

Even if you have a dog that does not really require any real trimming. Every single dog out there has some sort of nail care needs, and maybe your dog wears their nails down really well on their own. They probably will not wear their nails down very well on their own for their entire life. So. It's a good idea for us now. To just go ahead and teach that dog to be comfortable with nail trimming and going through the motions and feeling what that feels like.

So, like I said, we have a number of tools and some of them make noise and some of them are vibration. Um, some of them, um, need to be positioned in a way that this dog may not be used to. Maybe this dog isn't used to anybody looking underneath their foot. They're only getting foot massages from the top. Um, maybe the dog is having trouble standing. While we touch feet. Like balancing on three legs while somebody is doing something to one foot is not laying on the couch, getting his foot massage where you think we can all agree on that. Like, oh yeah, that's going to be significantly different. Than laying on the sofa, getting a foot massage to have to stand up.

While somebody lifts a foot and now you're balancing on three legs and then they did it to every single foot. What all four of them. Usually. I find a lot of dogs start getting impatient at about the third foot. They're like, are you serious? Are you going to do this to every single one? Because we haven't really necessarily prepared them for the kind of things that we're going to realistically need to do. Now let's also talk about. The fact that we're doing foot touching. And we're not at home. Now we have a new place. We have a new place. Maybe it's a new situation. Maybe it's a new person. Think about how many dogs aren't necessarily great with strangers aren't necessarily good at being away from the house. Um, now we have a dog who is, um, having their feet touched. Maybe on a table now they're standing on a table. Well, that's nothing like laying on the sofa, getting a foot massage. They're standing on a table. And someone such in their feet. They feel like they have to balance. They're being they're balancing on three legs and someone's doing something weird to their foot, laying on the sofa, getting a foot massage has not really prepared them for that experience.

Perhaps it's being in the tub and now they're in a tub and someone wants to pick up their foot and they're leaning over them. Have you ever really thought about what our body language is? When a dog is in a tub? We're kinda looming over them. If somebody said, Hey, get that dog to bite you in the face. What might you try? Well you might try looming over them. It doesn't make sense that for a dog to understand why we are doing such weird things.

It's definitely different than laying on the sofa and getting your foot massage. And that's why I think that we need to help our owners understand that some dogs may think that's enough and that's great.

I will tell you in my own personal home right now. Brok one of my guys is like a, touch me a new word kind of guy. Never had a problem with any of it. Sure. You can touch me. You can touch me anywhere you want. I'm totally fine with all of it. Um, He would probably be just fine if all he got was foot massages and would translate that directly to yeah, sure. I'm comfortable with anything. But it's kind of, because he's an I'm comfortable with anything kind of guy.

Now, my other guy, I got him when he was almost three and that's Po. And he didn't really understand, like why anybody would touch a dog beyond their shoulder blades. We pet dogs on the head. Why would anybody touch me there? It wasn't about his feet. It was about touching anywhere beyond his head and his ears and his neck. Those are places that people touch dogs. The other parts were like, why would you do that? You weirdo. So for that dog. I needed to teach him to be comfortable. With other types of touching. If I just went to grab his foot. Instead of teaching them about like, I get to touch your whole body. Okay. That I think is where some of this foot touching stuff has gone out of context. It doesn't really make sense in what we're trying to do. Because if they're not comfortable with you touching them all over. Don't you think they're going to be extra uncomfortable with touching their feet?

[00:09:02] So, let me give you an example. All right. As a person, maybe you're not comfortable with strangers approaching you. And now you're at Walmart and the person behind you in Walmart wants to shove their finger in your ear.

[00:09:15] All right. Can we all agree that that would seem a little weird? I think any of us would be a little bit alarmed, like what is going on? You know, Like these dogs don't understand the kind of things that we're trying to do to them. And if they don't understand, we need to help them understand that this is safe, how to be calm, comfortable, and cooperative, and that there are a couple of people in their life. That need to do this type of stuff. All right. Maybe it's not the guy in line behind you at Walmart, but to them it may seem that random until you teach them like, okay, this is your groomer. This is your veterinarian. When we're here at this place, or when this equipment is out, um, That this is normal. It's safe. You're fine. Versus I'm going to massage your feet on the sofa. Which isn't the same. It's not the same. Um, again, we're going back to the example of the person in Walmart, in line behind you in Walmart, who just like chose to put a finger in your ear. What if that was something medically necessary? You would need a little bit of time for someone to help you figure that out. Otherwise, I don't know much. You. I'm gonna straight up admit I'd probably be aggressive.

[00:10:29] Right. It's like, dude, get your finger out of my ear. So we need to think about these dogs and why massaging their feet is very different than the kind of things we normally do. And we'll talk about more of that in the next part.

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[00:10:48] So what other reasons might a dog have an issue with their feet? What if they've had their foot massages, you know, they're on the couch and they're getting their foot massage by their owners. Um, and yet they're still having problems. Well, here is something else for us to consider. Let's ask our owners when you are massaging feet, what does that look like? How does your dog respond to it? Um, and the reason why I'm specifically pointing this out is because there are a lot of owners who are like, well, we got to teach them to be good. And are kind of traumatizing their dogs and forcing this foot issue. Instead of helping them be comfortable with it.

There's still this old mindset that happens where, um, we start thinking that we have to show the dog who's boss. And that this dog must learn to do it and he must learn it now. And. And we can be really weird about that. Um, I say we, because I've been there too, right? Show of hands who here has fell for that stuff and said, well, I gotta get it done. Um, a lot of our owners take our advice and are really strong arming their dog. Like holding them down and no, you be good. I'm going to touch your feet. You be good. I'm going to . I've got to touch your feet it's what the trainer said I needed to do this week and not necessarily understanding that. Our purpose. For touching feet. Our purpose is for the dog to feel like that is safe and normal. And calm, comfortable and cooperative.

Now, keep in mind if. If you're new to the show, we talk about calm, comfortable, and cooperative a lot. Calm is when the dog is relaxed about it. Comfortable. Can can be that they're physically comfortable. Um, if they have a foot problem, then we need to be really gentle or maybe adapt to make them more comfortable or as comfortable as we can help them be. Um, and cooperative takes two. Cooperative is different than obedient cooperative takes two. It takes two of us to be cooperative. I'm willing to give a little and take a little to help us work together. So if an owner is trying to force it instead of, Hey, we need you to be comfortable with it. It's really common for owners to not understand that distinction.

So we need to help them understand that this is really important. For your dog to be able to feel like this is safe with them at home. Before we start adding tools before we start adding strangers, before we start adding I'm doing it on a table or doing it in a tub or even doing it standing up. But those are some things that owners need to help with. All right. If you are at home and you can not touch your dog's shoulder. They are probably not going to be good for a groomer for nail trimming. Right. I mean, think about it. If you looked at a dog whose owner can't touch him. And you're a dog groomer. Are you thinking, oh, he's probably great for nails. No. You're not yet that dog's grimmer might not know that this dog is having those problems with that owner. They might not know.

Sometimes we have to talk to our owners and really find out what is going on. How does this look at home? If you try to wipe his feet off, when he comes in muddy. How does your dog respond to that? Now I'm going to circle back here. To something that we've talked about in previous episodes. But I'm only going to cover it really quickly. Really quickly. Um, but there's a way to ask owners. To really help assess what we are, what we can expect from this dog. And it also helps owners understand what they need to know about what we can expect from this dog.

Now I'll ask an owner. What does your dog do if he doesn't like something? What does he do? Owners know. Yeah. Does he try to run away? Does he growl? Does he air snap? Does he try to, you know, sink his teeth into a body part? Um, do you honestly have a dog who seems to like everything and some of our dogs are just so happy go lucky that could be the case, but let's ask them, what does your dog do if he doesn't like something?

[00:15:12] That's question number one of my four questions. Question number two. What does your dog do? If he doesn't like something you're doing to him? Oh, that's a different one. Isn't it? Oh, something I'm doing to him. You might need to give them examples. Yeah. You need to wipe an eye boogy. What does your dog do? You know, you've got a pricker stuck in his fur behind his ear. What does your dog do if he doesn't like that? Um, what does your dog do? If you have to wipe something off his tail and he doesn't like it, what does your dog do? If he doesn't like something you are doing to him? That's question number two.

So question number three. Is what does your dog do if you don't stop? Oh, that's such a good question. Isn't it? So our owners who are massaging feet at home and the dog is not doing well with it. And the owner is trying to force it. They're going to say, well, he doesn't like it. Okay. Tell me what that looks like. What does he do? What does he do when he doesn't like you massaging his feet? What does it look like? What does he do if you don't stop? Now I will tell you for many of our owners, they're like, oh, I always stop.

[00:16:25] So, what do you, what do you think he's going to do if you didn't stop? And then the fourth question. So we have our three questions already. The first question is what does your dog do if he doesn't like something. Second question is what does your dog do? If they don't like something you're doing to them? The third question is, what does your dog do if you don't stop? Now, our fourth question is what do you think your dog will do when I, as a stranger? Don't stop.

[00:16:57] And that's when owners understand. Oh, Oh, yeah. I don't think he's going to be good about that at all. Yeah. That's when they get it. And that's how we can help them understand that this is a safety issue. This is safety. We're not being lazy, everyone.

So the non groomers out there. Can hear this. Alright. Non-groomers. Groomers don't turn dogs away because they're lazy. They don't shave dogs because they're lazy. They don't do stuff because they're lazy. They they're trying to keep everybody safe and they're trying to provide care for a pet. Groomers are not lazy. Groomers are really hardworking, just like every other animal professional out there. It's not easy working with animals. All right.

So where do you said that now? If, like I said, if. If your dog. Won't let you handle at home. Continuing when they, you, when you're doing something they don't like. What do you think they will do? When I, as a stranger do not stop. Because that's what owners think they're paying for. Right.

If you're an owner and you're listening to this, you're probably thinking, well, yeah, he hates having his nails done. That's why I bring them to a professional. You know, of course he's going to bite you.

No, no. There's no, of course he's going to bite you. That's not what we do. My hairdresser does not have to worry about me trying to punch her in the face. Um, that's not what groomers do. We're pet stylists. And it's not a medical emergency. Your veterinarian doesn't need to deal with that either. That should only be an animal who is injured and panicking and medical emergency kind of situation. That is not okay.

So. Circling back to massaging feet. If an owner is massaging feed with the knowledge that this is about helping your dog. Feel safe. Feel calm, comfortable, and cooperative. And that we're going to build on that. That it's not going to directly relate to being on a grooming table with a stranger and a tool, but that an owner can build on that. So massaging feet. Is a good thing to do. If we're making sure that the animal feels safe. We are going to making sure that they're calm, comfortable, and cooperative.

And also, if we understand that for some animals, we're going to need to do more work than just massage feet. I know nobody wants to hear it, but some dogs are not going to be able to just take that and go, oh, I guess I can also be touched with grinders. Uh, trimmers and Clippers and brushes and Combs and, and do it all while I'm standing. Um, foot massaging. It isn't necessarily the advice that everybody needs. It's a good start. But we need to think about it more thoroughly because seriously, there's just a point where. I think we've all seen dogs who have problems, despite a large amount of foot massages on the sofa. Um, which is really teaching them to be good for foot massagers on the sofa.

[00:20:10] If you want to know more, you can go to creating great grooming dogs. Dot com I do want to thank everybody. I know I took a break from the podcast for a little while. I got really overwhelmed with a number of things going on in my life. And thank you all for reaching out. Um, on back, I had took a vacation. All the things to reset my batteries. Thank you so much for hanging out. And I'm listening to my podcast every week and reaching out and saying you wanted more of it. Um, but the show was back, so yay. And if you want to know more about the programs that I offer, I offer things through whole pet grooming academy. That's whole pet nh.com. And actually my first level class for the master groomer behavior specialist program is actually available now as two self-paced classes. So you might want to check that out. That's whole pet nh.com have a great week.