Our Spitz Groom Stress Scale is a practical, salon-adapted interpretation of the Fear Free® approach to Fear, Anxiety and Stress (FAS) in dogs. It helps us gently and consistently read each dog’s emotional state in real time, so we can make informed, welfare-led decisions during grooming. Like the Fear Free model, it recognises that stress is not a “yes/no” state, but a spectrum — from calm and relaxed through to overwhelmed — and that our responsibility is to notice the early, subtle signals long before a dog reaches distress.
In our ideal world, we aim to keep every dog comfortably within levels 0–3, where learning, cooperation, and positive experiences are most likely to occur. We can occasionally work at a level 4 (growing frustration) when needed, but this is a clear signal for us to slow down, adjust our approach, or introduce breaks. We fully respect levels 5–6 (take a break / stop) as important communication from the dog that their stress has exceeded a safe threshold. However, there are rare situations in grooming where certain necessary steps must still be completed for the dog’s wellbeing — for example, finishing a thorough dry on a double-coated breed to prevent skin issues such as hot spots or moisture-related irritation. In these moments, we prioritise doing so in the most supportive, low-stress way possible, breaking tasks down, using calming techniques, and adapting our handling to the individual dog in front of us. The goal is never to “push through” stress, but to thoughtfully balance immediate comfort with longer-term health and safety.
Ultimately, this scale is not about compliance — it’s about communication. It gives us a shared language to honour what dogs are telling us, respond appropriately in the moment, and continually return them to a place of safety, trust, and confidence 🐾✨
👉 Fear Free official website:
https://fearfreepets.com/
