Odd behavior at home
Why is my dog acting weird after grooming?
The dog that comes home from the groomer is not always the dog that went in. Some sprint laps of the living room, some sulk under the bed, and some shake their heads as if something flew into an ear. This page covers what is ordinary after a groom, the ear and head signs that deserve a closer look, and how to make the next visit feel smaller to your dog.
What is normal
Zoomies, shaking off and a long nap are ordinary after a groom
A groom asks a lot of a dog: hours away from you, water, handling, the noise of dryers and clippers, and a long stretch of standing still. It is not surprising that some of that comes out at home. The AKC describes dogs getting the zoomies after a stressful event such as a bath, as if discharging the nervous tension that built up, or perhaps simply delighted the event is over. A few minutes of frantic laps, then a flop on the rug, is a very normal ending.
Other dogs go the other way and sleep for the rest of the day. Some keep stopping to sniff or lick a patch that was clipped short, because it feels different. A dog that has lost two inches of coat may feel the cold on a January evening walk in a way it never did before, and shiver. Your other pets may give the groomed dog a long, suspicious sniff, because it smells of the studio and not of home. None of this needs more than time.
- A burst of running laps within the first hour home
- Big full-body shakes, especially from a dog still slightly damp
- Sleeping longer than usual that evening
- Sniffing, licking or staring at newly short patches
- Wanting to stay close to you, or wanting to be left alone
Ears and head
Head shaking should stop by evening; a tilt, a sore ear or a swollen flap needs a vet
A few head shakes after a bath are just a dog clearing the last of the water. The ears are the place to watch, though. The AKC's puppy bathing guide warns that water that gets down into the ear can be trapped and cause infection, and hair trimmed around the ear edges can make an ear feel strange for a day. Neither is unusual, but both should settle quickly. A dog still shaking its head, scratching one ear or holding its head to one side the next morning needs a vet to look inside.
There is a second reason not to wait. The AKC explains that excessive head shaking or scratching can rupture blood vessels in the ear flap and leave a swollen, squishy ear called an ear hematoma, and that an ear infection is the most common cause behind it. It advises seeing a vet rather than treating it at home, because an untreated hematoma can damage the ear for good. If the flap looks puffy, feels hot or your dog cries when you touch it, book the vet.
| What you see | Usually ordinary when | Call your vet when |
|---|---|---|
| Zoomies | A few minutes of laps soon after getting home | It comes with limping or yelping |
| Shaking off | Big shakes in the first hour, while still damp | Shivering or trembling carries on into the next day |
| Head shaking | A few shakes as the ears dry | It continues the next morning, or one ear is red, smelly or swollen |
| Hiding or sleeping | The evening of the groom | Your dog is still hiding or skipping meals the next day |
| Licking a clipped spot | Brief attention to newly short hair | The spot turns red, wet or raw |
| Scooting | A short spell after a sanitary trim | It lasts more than a day or two, or comes with swelling or a smell |
Stress that comes home
Hiding, trembling and a dog that keeps its distance are signs the groom felt big
Some dogs come home quiet, wary or clingy, and that is usually the groom still settling. VCA's guidance on fearful pets lists panting, trying to escape, trembling, barking and becoming excited as signs of distress, and the same signs can linger for a while after the event. A dog that hides under the bed for an hour and then turns up for dinner has recovered. A dog that is still hiding, trembling or refusing food the next day is telling you something more, and pain is one possibility, so call your vet.
The first evening is about calm. Let your dog out to the yard, then give it a quiet room, water and its normal dinner at the normal time. Save brushing, nail checks and baths for another day, and keep visitors low-key. If you have a second dog, let the two sniff and settle in their own time. And make a note of anything that seemed hard, because that is exactly what the groomer needs to hear before the next booking.
- 01
Let your dog out to the yard as soon as you get home
- 02
Offer water and a quiet room with a familiar bed
- 03
Serve dinner at the usual time, in the usual place
- 04
Leave brushing, baths and nail checks for another day
- 05
Once your dog is settled, check the ears, the skin, the rear and the way it walks
- 06
Write down what seemed hard, and tell the front desk before the next visit
Next time
A smaller, slower groom next time makes the after-effects smaller too
Grooming at Dogtown needs no evaluation, and the notes on a booking are read before your dog arrives. Tell us what happened afterward: the hiding, the head shaking, the dog that would not eat. A dog that finds the visit hard can be groomed more slowly with extra hands, which is what the $20 behavior or handling surcharge on our menu covers. A bath, $55 to $95 by weight, is a shorter visit than a full haircut, and a long groom can be split over two days.
How your dog is dried, and how water is kept away from the ears, are things the groomer confirms with you at check-in, so say if the dryer or water near the head is the problem. A dog that already knows the building from daycare often settles faster, and the Pup Van brings daycare dogs in for $10 each way from Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea. Dogs that dread handling can learn to accept it: Brave & Balanced and Calm & Connected both work on handling sensitivity, with training sessions from $94.
- Tell us how your dog was after the last groom
- Ask for slower handling, the $20 surcharge, if your dog needs it
- Consider a bath instead of a full haircut, or a groom split over two visits
- Mention the dryer or water near the ears if either was the problem
At Dogtown
Grooms paced to the dog
Baths and full-service grooms by weight, with slower handling when a dog needs it and the option of a groom inside a familiar daycare day.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Why does my dog act like it does not know me after grooming?
Why is my dog shaking after grooming?
My dog keeps shaking its head after the groom. What should I do?
Why does my dog sleep so much after being groomed?
Will my dog get used to being groomed?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- AKC: Why does my puppy go wild at night? (zoomies after a bath)
- AKC: Bathing your puppy, a step-by-step guide
- AKC: Ear hematoma in dogs
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Introduction to desensitization and counterconditioning
- City of Gloucester: Local emergency veterinary offices
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Make the next groom feel smaller
Book online or in the Dogtown app and tell us how your dog was afterward. The groomer plans the pace with you at check-in; no evaluation needed.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
