How should you respond if a dog resists around the face during trimming?

• A. Continue trimming despite resistance.
• B. Apply more pressure to finish quickly.
• C. Step back, offer a treat, use a different position, or pause the trim; avoid forcing.
• D. Skip trimming the face altogether.

Answer: (C)

When a dog resists around the face, the best approach is to slow down and handle the situation with calm, positive redirection. The dog is signaling discomfort or fear, so you don’t push through the resistance. Step back from the face, reward calm behavior with a treat, and adjust how you’re approaching the task—change your position, back away to a more relaxed stance, or pause the trim and revisit it later. Break the trimming into small, gradual steps, rewarding progress at each stage, so the dog learns the face area can be approached safely. Forcing the trim or applying more pressure can heighten fear and lead to injuries or negative associations. A patient, gradual, reward-based approach builds trust and makes face trimming more manageable over time.