tail trouble after grooming

Question
The last two times we have groomed our toy poodle she comes home and walks sideways with her tail sideways and sits all the time and is very unsocial.  Do you have any idea what is happening here? Thanks.

Answer
Hello Sandy,
Chances are it could be irritation caused by being shaved close around her rear.  The skin around the tail area is more sensitive than other areas and so tends to become more irritated than other areas.  It could also be that your groomer is expressing your dogs anal glands and since it irritates the glands abit after being expressed, she could be reacting to the sensation.
You can apply lotion to the area or if its red and irritated you can even put antibotic cream on it (they have a kind that also has pain reliever in it that works great) to help the itching and burning that may come after a trimming.  

You might also mention it to your groomer next time and see if she can make sure that the blade is cooled before she shaves your dogs tail area.  I am not saying that your dog has been razor burned, but that is one thing that will irritate the skin.  If it keeps happening, ask your groomer to use a longer blade than the one she is currently using. (she is probably using a #15 and might need to use a #10 instead)

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim