Puppy's first groom in Worthing: the packages and introduction sessions on offer

A puppy's first grooming appointment is as much about getting comfortable with the noise, the table and being handled by a stranger as it is about the coat. Four of the eighteen groomers listed for Worthing, Durrington, Broadwater, Goring-by-Sea, Lancing and the surrounding area run something specifically for that first visit.

What's on offer locally

Katie's Dog Grooming in Durrington lists a puppy welcome groom alongside its full groom, bath and tidy, and bath and deshed services. Owner Katie Long, who holds City and Guilds Level 2 and 3 qualifications and has ten years' experience, sees only one household's dogs at a time and hand-dries every dog rather than using a cage dryer, which suits a nervous puppy on its first visit. Fresh Paws Dog Grooming, a mobile, van-based service run by Freya, publishes a puppy groom for dogs up to six months at £30, below its £45 full groom, and covers Worthing, Lancing, Goring-by-Sea, Ferring, Angmering, Rustington and Findon, though the van can't take some large or extra-large breeds due to its size. Dinky Dogs Grooming Worthing, specialising in small breeds from a Goring-by-Sea base since 2009, offers teddy bear and puppy cut styling as part of its small-breed service, with a full groom starting at £40. Scruff to Buff Dog Grooming, a home-based salon in Steyning run by Vanessa, runs dedicated puppy introduction sessions aimed specifically at reducing stress at a dog's first proper groom.

When to start

None of the four publishes a fixed recommended age, and the right time depends on a puppy's vaccination status and its breed's coat. General advice from breeders and vets is to get a puppy used to being brushed and having its paws and ears handled at home as soon as it arrives, and to book the first salon visit once vaccinations are complete. Ask directly when you call; it's a routine question for any groomer taking on puppies.

What a first visit is for

• Getting used to the equipment. Clippers and dryers are usually the biggest adjustment, well before any actual cutting happens.
• A calmer, one-to-one setting. Katie's Dog Grooming's one-household-at-a-time policy and hand-drying, and Scruff to Buff's dedicated introduction session, both aim at keeping a first visit low-stress.
• A lower price for a shorter job. Fresh Paws Dog Grooming's £30 puppy groom sits £15 below its standard £45 full groom, reflecting the shorter appointment.
• No car journey. Fresh Paws' mobile service means the whole visit happens at home, which can matter for a puppy that hasn't yet had all its vaccinations or gets carsick.

After the first visit

Once a puppy has settled into a couple of introductory sessions, most owners move to a normal grooming schedule for the breed, more frequent for coats that mat easily such as spaniels and poodle crosses, and less often for short, wash-and-go coats. Ask the groomer who did the introduction what they'd recommend, since they'll have seen the puppy's coat and temperament directly. See the Worthing dog grooming prices guide for what a full groom costs once your dog is past the puppy stage, and the Worthing town page for the complete list of groomers.