Puppy grooming · Delray Beach, FL
A Puppy’s First Groom, at Home
Jill starts puppies at 11 weeks. A first groom with Angel Paws is a short, gentle “mini groom” in your own home: a bath, drying, and a tidy of the face, feet and fanny, with nothing sharp near your puppy the first time.
Why start at 11 weeks
Puppies need a different approach
“Puppies have a different approach. They’re children. You have to mold them.”
— Jill, Angel PawsThe first few grooms aren’t about a haircut. They’re about teaching your puppy what grooming is: the water, the towel, being handled, and the sound of the dryer. Jill uses desensitization, introducing one thing at a time and stopping for breaks, so each new step becomes normal before the next one comes along.
A puppy who learns this early grows into an adult who stands for a full groom. A dog who meets a groomer for the first time as an adult, often with a matted coat, has to learn it all at once.
The mini groom
What happens on the day
You call Jill first
Tell her your puppy’s age, breed and coat, and anything you’ve noticed about how they handle being touched. Every new client is interviewed by phone before anything is booked.
Jill sets up inside your home
Whether you’re in Delray Beach, Boca Raton or Boynton Beach, she brings her own towels and gear and sets up in the kitchen, a bathroom or wherever you’re comfortable. Puppies, like small dogs and doodles, stay indoors.
Bath and drying
A gentle bath, then drying at your puppy’s pace. If the dryer noise is too much, Jill slows down and works on getting them used to it.
Face, feet and fanny
A light tidy of the three areas that need it most. Nothing sharp goes near your puppy the first time; a rare puppy is relaxed enough for more, and Jill will tell you if yours is.
You relax
The only thing you need to do is sit and relax. Your puppy learns that grooming happens at home, with the same person, every time.
Mini groom or full groom?
What’s included, side by side
| Part of the groom | Puppy mini groom | Full groom (adult) |
|---|---|---|
| Bath | Yes, gentle and short | Yes, with a deep coat massage |
| Drying | Yes, at your puppy’s pace | Full dry, then a brush-out and comb-out |
| Face, feet and fanny | A light tidy | Part of the full haircut |
| Haircut | No sharp tools the first time | Any style, to AKC standard or the look you ask for |
| Nails, teeth, ears | Only if your puppy is calm enough (rare) | Nails trimmed and buffed, teeth brushed, ears cleaned |
| What you do | Sit and relax | Sit and relax |
Every puppy groom is quoted by phone.
Curly coats
Doodle and curly-coated puppies
For doodles and other curly-coated breeds, the puppy months matter most. The coat has to be trained as it grows in, so puppy grooms cost less than adult grooms. Waiting a year, as some breeders suggest, usually leads to a matted coat and a shave. Read Jill’s doodle grooming page.
Questions
Puppy grooming questions
How old should a puppy be for its first groom?
Jill starts puppies at 11 weeks. Starting then gives your puppy time to learn what grooming feels like before the coat needs real work.
Will you use clippers or scissors on my puppy?
Not the first time, as a rule. Anything sharp near a puppy for the first time can frighten them. Now and then a puppy is calm enough for a little more.
How much does a puppy groom cost?
Every groom is quoted by phone. For doodles and other curly-coated breeds, puppy grooms cost less than adult grooms, because the coat is trained as it grows in.
Questions about vaccines, skin or your puppy’s health belong with your vet. Jill isn’t a licensed veterinarian, though she’ll mention anything she notices.
Book your puppy’s first groom
Call when your puppy is about 11 weeks old. There’s no online booking; Jill likes to talk with you first.
(561) 552-7418Calls Tuesday–Saturday, 9:30am–5:30pm
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