If you've ever asked your groomer, "Why can't you make him look like the dog in the picture?" Or if you're a groomer, "Why aren't my grooms looking like those gorgeous faces that I see other groomers do?" This week, we're talking about why behavior is the key to getting those gorgeous faces. Once we understand how calm, comfortable, and cooperative changes everything about prep work. Then we can get those gorgeous headsFor full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

This week, we're discussing counterconditioning and desensitization. Many groomers misuse these terms, thinking they can simply expose dogs to scary tools or procedures to make them less sensitive, but this often has the opposite effect. We'll explore how to properly implement these techniques to help dogs feel safe, comfortable, and cooperative during grooming.For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

This week, we'll talk about the special grooming needs of senior pets. Their physical and emotional changes, as well as the importance of adapting grooming techniques to accommodate aging pets.For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

 This week, we're discussing the bite scale. Why do we need to know about the bite scale? We want to know if a dog is trying to hurt us or not, because many of these "bites" are actually warnings. So, we're going to dive into that this week.Dr Dunbar's Bite ScaleFor full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

 Should you always end on a good note? Ooh, I think we've all heard this one before, and the answer is, it depends. We'll talk about why “ending on a good note” isn’t always good training — and how to know when continuing actually makes things worse for the dog.For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

 We're gonna do some owner questions and answers, owner concerns, because as an owner, your dog has grooming and veterinary needs, and sometimes the communication breaks down because owners don't fully understand what we can and cannot do.And sometimes our pet professionals don't have good answers for your concerns. So we're gonna cover a bunch of common ones this week.For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

This week, we'll talk about five mistakes you could be making when you're trying to use Positive Reinforcement(+R). For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

 This week, we're talking about what it means to specialize. I hear many different versions, and I think it's a pretty exciting topic because I'm a geek, and that's what I like.For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

Sometimes a dog looks calm, but is that what’s really happening? Or could it be learned helplessness? Join me as I dive into this listener question and unpack the nuances between the two.Can I touch you? A pilot study comparing consensual and non-consensual human-dog touch interactionshttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159125000589"Choice and consent are critical welfare elements, especially in interactions between humans and animals. Dogs incorporated in therapeutic settings (therapy dogs) may encounter human touch interactions where they have limited control over their circumstances. The present study examined how forced and free-choice touch treatments during interaction with humans influenced the behaviour of therapy dogs and hypothesized that therapy dogs would display a higher frequency of stress-related behaviours during forced in comparison to free-choice touch treatment. "Old problem, new toolsOne of the psychologists who discovered learned helplessness returns to the topic to pinpoint the phenomenon's neurobiological underpinnings.https://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/10/helplessness"This is the illusion of control at the level of neurochemistry," Maier said.Taken together, the findings suggest that in the face of any stressor, the DRN activates the body's ancient stress responses, but if that stressor turns out to be controllable, the vMPC steps in and calms the DRN's response. "It's like the forebrain is saying, 'Cool it, brain stem, we have the situation under control,'" Maier said.Learned Helplessness Training Article by Nicole Wildehttps://wildewmn.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/learned-helplessness/For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsYou can also listen to this episode as a podcast on my website or anywhere you listen to podcasts.For more information about my classes-The full diploma programMaster Groomer Behavior Specialist(MGBS) diploma programShorter courses-Modern Behavior & Handling for GroomersGroom S.M.A.R.T.Want to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!Mentioned in this episode:"Groom S.M.A.R.T." https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/hnttrhwcf56ktxk-d283x-dtgr5-hx69t-8899w-8y9rf-ma93e Modern Behavior & Handling for Groomers https://www.wholepetnh.com/course-listing/p/behavior-handling

I had a great conversation with The Amazing Susy Scott on The Groom Pod. She's a friend and a Master Groomer Behavior Specialist. You can find The Groom Pod at https://www.thegroompod.com/ The video can be found at https://www.creatinggreatgroomingdogs.com/videos/groom-pod-cggd/For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.comFor more info on all of my classes etc, go to https://link.content360.io/CreatingGreatGroomingDogsWant to support the show? Buy Me A Coffee!