By Courtney Prue | October 27, 2025

Grooming For Senior Dogs

Grooming For Senior Dogs: Why It Still Matters

Regardless of a dog being elderly, grooming should remain a routine practice for the following reasons:

It helps dogs stay mobile: Elderly dogs generally have a tougher time getting around, due to their joints naturally becoming more stiff with age, and conditions like arthritis. So, we don’t want anything additional hindering their movement. Overgrown nails and matted fur can pose challenges to a dog, with overgrown nails making walking difficult or painful, and matted fur pulling on a dog’s skin when they walk, restricting movement, and causing pain.

Regular grooming where hair and nails are trimmed ensures that these issues are not further restricting your dog, and that your dog is comfortable.

Helps to detect health issues: Many issues with a dog’s health are picked up at grooming sessions, especially when those issues relate to the skin. Bumps, lumps, dry skin, rashes and more are easily detectable by yourself or a professional groomer, and once identified, can be assessed by your vet.

Assists with dry skin: Regular grooming helps to stimulate and distribute a dog’s natural oils through their coat, which helps to keep their skin and coat looking healthy.

Aids in hygiene: Routine cleaning of areas around the dog’s ears and face is essential for an elderly dog. A groomer will usually:

• Clean around the eyes to remove built up discharge, and prevent obstruction of the eyes by overgrown hair;
• Clean around the mouth to remove traces of food and saliva. This helps to prevent bacterial growth and nasty odours;
• Clean both the outer and inner ear, to remove dirt, oils and help to prevent infections; 
• Thin out or trim the hair around the eyes and muzzle to prevent matting and help the dog be able to see (particularly for dogs with thick or long hair on the face).

Is Grooming A Senior Dog Different From Grooming A Young Dog?

Grooming comes with its challenges, no matter the age of the dog. Young dogs may be difficult to control, especially on their first few grooming sessions, whereas older dogs may be more relaxed. It does depend on their previous grooming experiences, on how comfortable the dog is with the groomer, and on their mobility. Senior dogs can be more sensitive than younger dogs, and can experience discomfort during grooming.

What Are The Considerations When It Comes To Grooming Senior Dogs?

Changes to Skin and Coat

When a dog ages, its skin may become thinner, drier, and more sensitive. Dogs can easily develop dry patches, as well as bacterial and fungal infections, which can lead to skin itching and flaking. In addition, it’s common for older dogs to develop sebaceous gland tumours (senile warts) that may become ulcerated. Therefore, extra care should be taken when grooming a senior dog.

How to handle ageing skin

• Choose soaps and conditioners that are gentle and hypoallergenic.
• When clipping, take care not to cut loose skin.
• Brush gently, especially on delicate areas of skin.
• If you observe any skin changes or new growths on your dog’s skin, get them checked by your vet.

Mobility and Joint Issues

Senior dogs commonly experience arthritis and reduced flexibility. This can make grooming uncomfortable and/or painful, especially if the dog is required to climb onto a grooming table, or if they need to be in uncomfortable physical positions during grooming.

How to approach mobility/joint issues

• Make efforts to ensure your dog will be comfortable during grooming. If possible, groom on a low surface so they don’t need to jump, and if they’re lying down, make sure they’re comfortable in that position.
• Avoid lifting limbs excessively or forcing movement. A gentle approach is required.
• Use non-slip mats during baths and grooming sessions to prevent slips.
• Remember, the final result doesn’t need to be perfect, so if certain areas on your dog get missed, it’s no big deal. When weighing up aesthetics and your dog’s comfort, their comfort should come first.

Nail Care

Senior dogs may not be hitting the pavement as often as once did, and therefore their nails may not be wearing down. They may experience overgrown nails, which can be uncomfortable, and further restrict movement.

Handling nails

• Check your dog’s nails frequently and trim them often.
• Don’t cut too close to the quick (the vein and nerve that runs down the centre of your dog’s nail). Cutting this can cause bleeding and pain, so take your time and ensure you aren’t cutting too far in.
• If you’re not certain you can groom your dog’s nails properly, seek assistance from a professional groomer or your vet.

Ear and Eye Care

Senior dogs are more prone to ear infections and eye discharge. You’ll often see remnants of sticky eye discharge under the eyes of certain breeds, giving a dark look to the eyes. In the ears, you may notice dirt, or your dog may show signs of ear irritation.

Cleaning eyes and ears

• Always clean your dog’s ears with a gentle, vet-approved ear solution, and use a warm, damp cloth. (Avoid using ear buds.)
• Wipe away eye discharge regularly with a damp cloth. If there are any signs of infection, ensure you don’t use the same cloth on both eyes (same goes for ears).
• Discharge in the ears and eyes can signal an allergy or an infection. If you notice any irritation, redness, swelling, odour, unusual coloured eye discharge (yellow or green), cloudiness in the eye, or if your dog seems to be in pain or is pawing at their ear or eye, take them to the vet for assessment and treatment.
  

Dental Hygiene

Dental disease is common in older dogs and can affect their overall health. Whilst it’s not necessarily easy, a dog’s teeth can be brushed, and it helps to prevent dental decay and improve their breath. Win win!

Brushing a senior dog’s teeth

• Brush your dog’s teeth with canine toothpaste at least three times per week. (Note, never use human toothpaste on a dog, as it can be toxic).
• Brush with either a soft-bristled brush designed for dogs, or use a finger brush.
• Make the regular brushing inviting by offering rewards and lots of cuddles. 
• Offer dental chews (appropriate for senior teeth) and vet-approved oral health products.
• Take your dog to the vet routinely so that their teeth and gums can be assessed.

Additional Considerations When Grooming Senior Dogs

Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

Senior dogs may be extra sensitive during grooming, even if they have been ok with it in the past. If your dog appears to be having a difficult time during grooming sessions:

• Make grooming sessions regular, but shorter.
• Be patient, calm and gentle during grooming. If your dog doesn’t like something, don’t force things.
• Don’t stress if you can’t achieve everything in one go, or there are certain things you can’t do at all. Ultimately, you just want to make sure your senior dog remains comfortable and unimpeded by matted fur, overgrown nails and so on. Aesthetics are less important.

Temperature Sensitivity

• Senior dogs can be sensitive to the cold and to heat during bathing and drying. Overly hot water can also dry out or burn their sensitive, ageing skin. So use lukewarm water and either towel-dry or use a low-heat setting on a hairdryer.
  

Grooming senior dogs requires a more thoughtful, gentle approach focused on their comfort and health. Always observe changes in your dog’s skin, coat, behaviour, and tolerance levels, and consult your vet or a professional groomer if you’re unsure how to adjust your routine.

Is Sedation Ever Appropriate for Grooming Senior Dogs?

In certain circumstances, sedation may be used to groom senior dogs. Sedation is considered when:

• A dog exhibits severe anxiety, stress or aggression that cannot be managed with behaviour techniques or desensitisation.
• A dog has a painful medical condition (e.g. advanced arthritis or neurological issues) that make grooming too uncomfortable or distressing for the dog.
• There are safety risks to the dog or groomer during grooming tasks like nail trimming or mat removal.
  

Important considerations

• Sedation should always be discussed with your regular veterinarian, 
• Your vet may suggest pre-grooming pain relief instead of sedation if the issue is physical discomfort rather than anxiety.
• Groomers should be made aware of any medications, and grooming should be done in a low-stress, quiet environment to support the dog’s well-being.

Alternatives to sedation

• Groom in short sessions over multiple days.
• Use a mobile or in-home groomer to reduce environmental stress.
• Use gentle handling techniques and reward-based behaviour modification.

In summary, while sedation can sometimes be appropriate for grooming senior dogs, it should be carefully weighed against the risks and always discussed with your veterinarian. Often, a combination of patience, modified grooming methods, and a low-stress environment can help avoid the need for sedation altogether.

Services for Senior Dogs:

• Quality of Life Assessments
• Palliative Care
• Peaceful Home Euthanasia