nail clipping

[allymack]

i wasn't sure if i should post this here, or in training....

i am trying to clip enzos nails now, and its not going so hot, just taking a little break, i mean the first time i cut his nails we sat out on the back deck and he was totally fine with it, i mean i gave him tons of hot dog tidbits (special treat) and h did yelp once, on the first paw, but he was i gave him a short break and we went back at it after the break and he was totally fine, but now he wont let me even get close to clipping his nails, i can rub his feet, and put the clippers on his feet, even around the nail, but as soon as he sees my hand move to clip it he freaks, snarls and growls, and its just getting annoying now, cause i mean he does need his nails clipped, and i don't want him to mind it, any tips?

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by allymack

any tips?

Patience ?

I had to get Nelly's done by the vet . In between vet's visits I would always play with her paws , nails. A week ago , for the first time in a year , she let me do it myself. I did as my vet did , I only praised her once it was all done.

[BusterBoo]

I have the opposite problem.....Buster is fine with getting his nails cut, I am the basketcase!!! I have tried and I am terrified of cutting them too short, so I get my groomer to do it when Buster has his haircut and also once or twice in between.

But....my groomer is moving to PEI next weekend, so I am desperately looking for someone to groom Buster and especially do his nail, his dew claws grow SO fast and I have already had one time of one claw curling too much :sad:

Maybe if you got your Vet to do the nail trims a couple of times and then you can try it with your vet??

[Winston]

Patience! that is so true! take tiny pieces is you are unsure where the quick is...If they are not used to it you can play with theie feet and slowly introduce it. I agree with Frenchy only reward once it is done...I starte Winston as a pup an he has no problem with it...he is always waiting for his piece of cheese after.

I also clip a friend of mine's dog's nails because he is visually impaired and his girl is the best...she produces each paw so proudly..lets me cut it and puts the other one forward shes such a cutie pie!

Cindy

[glitterless]

Play with his feet lots and reward him every time he's good. Try putting some pressure on his nails and toes with your fingers to simulate the feeling of the clippers. Give him a treat if he's good.

When he's comfortable with that (could be hours, days, weeks), bring out the clippers again. Get him used to seeing them, having them near his feet, then act like you're going to clip, but don't actually do it.

When he's okay with that, clip, but clip long to err on the side of caution. It does hurt them when you get the quick, so I don't blame him for getting upset.

I'm trying to get one of mine over this now. We had a session today and he improved a million times when he was distracted with food

[CearaQC]

I also use the clipper in a swift motion. I don't slowly compress the handle, I see where it's safe to cut then go for it. After a while you'll get so good at it that the whole thing is over in about 1.5 minutes or less and dog shouldn't be traumatized.

Also get 'em when they are good and tired, after long walk and tummy full. The kind of tired that they just plop down even if moved.

[allymack]

thanks for all the suggestions! i am definitely going to start working playing with his feet into his daily training( i am putting him back on an alternateing schedule, different times of the day on different days) i was thinking about that today, cerea, when i was on the walk with him, so i think this tomorrow i will take him and coco up to the field for 2 hours, which should get him good and tired, so he will be to tired to move, and he will get a piece of hot dog for that, do you guys use special treats like that, treats that they only get while working on that specific thing, not like every day commands like sit and down but things they might see as a bigger deal, like nail clipping, coming and dog desensitization (well for those with aggressive dogs) or do you just use the plain every day treats?

[Longblades]

It must be me sending out bad vibes because I did all the play with feet, one toe at a time tricks, with treats and still had problems. With last pooch I stood over her, facing backwards, locked her neck between my legs and picked her feet up to clip as you would pick up a horse's feet. It was the only way I could control her head and her feet at the same time with only two hands. She did not struggle or it might have hurt her neck so be careful if you try this. With current puppy I find if I throw a towel over his head he can't see when I'm about to clip and is completely relaxed. He has even bitten a hole through the towel so I allow his little muzzle to poke out the hole and he gets a treat as soon as I clip. Again, I can't control wiggling, squirming puppy and his feet at the same time with only two hands. He thinks the clipper is a chew toy and tries to bite it and I can't see what I'm doing.

[Frenchy]

I didn't use treats with Nelly , she would eat them and run away I also didn't want to make a big deal out of it , I wanted her to know this is the way it's suppose to be.

If she ever does back flips , she'll get special treats

[CearaQC]

I did the treat thing with Linx because he would growl and growl. He never squirmed, scratched or bit, but would just growl. It was funny. But after claw trimming, then the treats would come out. He doesn't growl any more, just sits and takes it.

I don't give treats to the dogs for nail trims but it might work for yours.

Maybe a glob of peanut butter at the roof of the mouth to keep him occupied for a few minutes?

[julieV]

My boxer Lily doesn't like getting her nails done either. Sometimes I find that if I wait until shes asleep while were watching tv in the evening I can get them done quite easily. I might only get a couple done before she wakes up so I wait until shes asleep again and then do a couple more. If that doesn't work the vet will do it for a small fee. Good luck, JulieV

[Puppy_Pal]

I had a good suggestion from my puppy's trainer that worked great for me!!
Layla needs to be brushed fairly often and doesn't like that OR nail clipping.

Try putting him on a table that's too high to jump from. Make you are there with him so that he can't fall off though. I can't brush her or clip her nails without putting her up there, but once she's up there, I can do as I please. I've even groomed her for up to half an hour. I give her lots of treats too while she's up there. If she decides to get a bit rammy, I just give her a little tug towards the edge and she remembers she's high and just sits still again.
I know it sounds mean, haha, giving her a little scare, but it's harmless and she relaxes with the treats and let's me do my thing. I mean, at the groomers, they are on a table, and the vets too. I don't think they'd have luck chasing a dog around the floor either
Give lots of treats and make it fun. Good luck.

[SnowDancer]

My American Eskimo has the claws and jaws of death. No way could I do them - heck it is hard enough for the groomer - and of course he feels that someone is out to get him as they are trimming his nails. His idea is to scream before someone touches him, just in case. He loves to have his paws and feet rubbed - along with his belly - but forget nail trimming and forget his boots that are still hanging brand new in the closet as he approaches age 4. To think that 13 weeks the vet trimmed his nails with the cat scissors - well a month later, out came the super trimmers. Hope you have better luck than I do - and his nails do not wear down on the pavement, unfortunately.

[allymack]

ooo! great success! tonight i got some of enzos nails done!!! i used longblades advice and it worked great, well, other then the fact that i had to have another person help mee and we had to restrain him greatly for the first few, we had his head halti(which we kept very light pressure on, so he couldnt turn around a bite me) on with one leash attached to it, and his martingale with another leash attached to it, so between a few snaps on the martingale and a light tug on the halti, we could get him to stand still mostly without complaining, we gave him a check each time he snarled or growled, and my friend clicked and treated, i would say 'ready with the clicker and treat?' and they would say 'yes' and i would say 'ok, click' (planned so it was clicking while i was clipping) and then when we did one nail he got a nice piece of hot dog and a quick game of tugand the bit of pressure that was on the halti got released, we got all his nails done on his front paws and 1 nail done on the back, becasue the last nail on the front didnt go so hot, i did one in the back which he was fine with so we could end on a good note, and after that he got to finish the hot dog, a another small game of tug, tonnnnnssss! of praise, and he was set free.

[the gang]

good for you, thats great i have one that hates the nails done, i now lay them on they side on the dog bed and get down on my hands and knees and use a dremel, brenda and the pins