The Training Method That Teaches Pets to Say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to Grooming

Animals are always communicating. Our pets meow, bark, nudge us, and greet us excitedly, but what happens when we teach them that they can also say “yes” or “no” about their own care? From nail trims to brushing and more, pets can learn how to participate with less stress and more cooperation.

What Is Cooperative Care?

Cooperative care, a training and management method that relies on teaching animals the skills they need to participate in their care, isn’t new. A 2012 paper by Ken Ramirez traces the development of training marine mammals for medical behaviors to practices that began gaining ground in the 1970s. Today, you can find different versions of cooperative and low-stress care techniques in both zoos and aquariums, as well as at grooming salons, vet clinics, and dog training schools.

Lessons from Zoo Animals and Protected Contact

At the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, animals are trained to participate in their care using techniques that build trust, Zoo Director Shara Rapoza shared.

“At Buttonwood Park Zoo, we utilize operant conditioning, positive reinforcement, and behavioral management to build trust and improve animal care in ways that reduce stress and give animals a choice to participate,” she said.

“Through training, animals learn to voluntarily cooperate with important aspects of their care, including medical checkups, blood draws, and weight tracking, allowing our animal care team to manage their health and welfare cooperatively rather than relying on stressful physical restraint or anesthesia,” Rapoza said. “This approach provides animals with greater control over their care while strengthening the positive relationships they have with their caretakers.”

Cooperative care techniques like this are also used by people who train dogs and cats. With over 25 years of professional experience, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Emily Lewis has worked with all kinds of behavioral concerns, including helping difficult-to-handle dogs adjust to grooming. Lewis is the owner of Vermont Dog Behavior. She not only helps families directly, but also consults for animal shelters and teaches workshops and seminars. In an upcoming workshop Lewis is presenting at and helped develop, dog trainers will have the unique opportunity to learn about protected contact training with elephants and camels at a conservation center.

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Protected contact involves training for routine care with a barrier between the trainer and the animal. While this makes sense for large animals, Lewis explained that pet owners and dog trainers can learn a lot from the technique, too.

“I think that when we’re looking at something like the largest land mammal in the world putting its foot up on a block so that you can file its toenails through a barrier, that’s pretty incredible,” Lewis said. “If we can do that with an elephant, we can absolutely do that with a dog.”

You likely don’t need a barrier between you and your dog to train something like offering their paws for nail trims, but thinking about how you would train the skill if you couldn't simply pick up their paw offers an interesting perspective. How can you teach your dog to choose to place their paw in your hand, or someone else’s hand? What about if the nail trimmers are visible?

The New England Aquarium in Boston shared an article in March 2023 about its Atlantic harbor seals participating in routine care. The article explained that the seals need their teeth, eyes, and bodies checked, and that training gives them an enriching way to interact with their trainers while learning how to accept the care. The article shows what a trust-based training routine can do for animals, and what it looks like when an animal chooses to participate.

Practical Ways to Build Communication Cues

To help dogs communicate their willingness to participate in handling, Lewis trains specific behaviors that are easy for the person working with the dog to read. One example she gave is the chin rest, when the dog rests their chin on a target such as a chair, pillow, or someone’s hand. When the dog moves off the target, the behavior can signal the end of the procedure, whether that’s a nail trim or brushing. When the dog places their chin back on the target, that’s a green light.

Lewis rewards dogs for both the start and stop cues, so they learn that ending handling is an option. For dogs with a bite history, this is especially important because it teaches the dog a way to communicate without escalating to biting, she explained.

Dog trainer Katherine Ostiguy also incorporates grooming and handling acclimation into her training programs. Ostiguy is the co-owner of Crossbones Dog Academy in Providence, Rhode Island. She’s also a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Program.

“Grooming and handling acclimation will make your dog more comfortable and safer at the vet and at the groomer for the rest of their lives,” Ostiguy said. “As long as the acclimation is done in a gentle, enjoyable manner for the puppy, there are no drawbacks to getting started early.”

One thing she suggests is getting puppies comfortable with being on elevated surfaces since they will go on a grooming table or exam table at some point. For people who recently adopted an adult dog, especially if the dog is nervous about being handled or groomed, Ostiguy emphasizes letting the dog settle in first.

“When a dog already has a negative association with being handled, it’s important that any training to overcome that comes from a person they’re really comfortable with,” she said.

Handling the Gray Area When Care is Essential

One question that comes up about cooperative care training is what to do when an animal doesn’t want to cooperate, but the grooming or care is important for their well-being? For example, many breeds of dogs have to be groomed regularly to prevent matting, but what if the dog isn't showing their willingness to participate as much as we might hope?

“There is a gray area there,” Lewis said.

She suggests finding a groomer who can help you come up with a plan to work with your dog in a way that makes sense for that individual dog. She also explained that every dog is different. If a dog doesn’t run over excitedly for grooming, it doesn’t necessarily mean the dog is stressed about it. The training can help dogs tolerate essential care while making it easier for the dog to communicate.

Becca Rossi, Fear-Free Certified pet groomer and owner of Becca’s Pooch Parlor in Rhode Island, explained that groomers can respond to subtle cues.

“Early signs may include turning the head away, lip licking, yawning, avoiding eye contact, lifting a paw, freezing, trembling, panting when they’re not hot, trying to sit down, or repeatedly moving away,” she said. “When these signals appear, I may pause, release the area being handled, allow the dog to reposition, or offer a short break.”

While there isn't one single framework for every animal, people can help their pets prepare for stress-free grooming and care by working on the skills at home, and working with a trainer who understands cooperative care if needed. Positive sessions that gradually introduce pets to handling, grooming, and anything else they have to learn for their own safety and well-being can make a big difference.

Grooming is just one example. Other possibilities include training small dogs to be picked up on cue instead of surprising them, training cats to load into carriers, and even training dogs to accept required medication.

Recently, I was at the Buttonwood Park Zoo, where I saw an opossum working with a caretaker. The caretaker was teaching the animal to go into her carrier on her own, instead of physically placing the animal in.

Sometimes the process is slow. Some animals learn fast; others never seem to have a problem to worry about. Remember, they are all different. Whether it’s spending a few minutes with your dog each day to help your dog get comfortable with brushing, teaching your puppy about grooming at a young age, or even training your cat, rabbit, or other pet to load up into a carrier, you can take an active role in giving your animal more choices and reducing their stress.

Sure, it takes time and patience, but aren’t our animals worth it?