Why Fear Free?

Picture this: 

Your fur baby has hair that is a mess.  In a desperate need of a  the “Have It ALL! Hair cut, Bath, & Treats. With nails too long and hair a hot mess, you pull up to your local groomer. Your puppy clearly not happy, shaking, whimpering, ears overly alert or pulled back from anxiety as they resistance going through the door. You manage to get them in the door where they are promptly restrained, put in a holding cage, or is immediately submerged into an array of activity. Afterward, although they look much better, your dog seems exhausted, perhaps even traumatized. 

This experience is not uncommon. Traditional grooming techniques focus on forcing a dog to obey and submit while they are groomed in a rushed and sometimes painful process. 

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The good news is, there’s are other options for grooming! Meadow’s Mutts,  engage in Fear Free Grooming. As a certified Fear Free® grooming facility. Meadow is committed to following ethical pet care practices and guidelines. Instead of utilizing traditional techniques, I ask your dog to willingly participate in the grooming process, and teach them how not to be afraid along the way. 

Alright, you’re sold. This sounds perfect for your dog, but what exactly does Fear Free Grooming entail? Kindness. Patience. And (of course) some good, old-fashioned positive conditioning!

Our process is simple: Beginning with an assessment of your dog. What do they like? What are they afraid of? Then, we place your dog into a category ranging from calm and well-adjusted to the grooming process, to extreme fear of grooming. With this knowledge, we are able to approach the grooming process compassionately. 

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Our goal is to have every grooming experience be a positive one for the dog and the humans. How that happens depends on the needs of the individuals involved, but always involves meeting the customer and the dog where they are at their starting point, and creating a plan to help them reach their goals. In some cases that means we don’t achieve our goals on the very first visit or even the second visit, but over time we make progress and ensure each experience is a positive one that we can build on.

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Are you interested in trying out our Fear Free Grooming services?

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