The Art of Clipping Dogs’ Nails
My first fearful dog, Gracie, had the black and tan markings typical of Rottweilers, including coal black toe nails. She was touch sensitive and really, REALLY did not like her paws handled. Add my inexperience, a pair of cheap guillotine nail clippers and a dollop of fear (mine and hers) to the mix, and it was pretty much a set up for failure.
She took one look at my shaking hands the first time I approached her with a pair of nail clippers and growled a very polite warning, which I heeded immediately. Since it was abundantly clear that Gracie was not going to endure my inept attempts at a manicure, I needed to figure out a different approach. I certainly did not want to abdicate responsibility to a groomer or vet, nor was I willing to use brute strength (which almost guaranteed a fractured relationship and physical injury) but I was at a loss as to what my options were.
I started researching the art of clipping dogs’ nails and narrowed my choices down to three: Shirley Chong’s giant emery board, training Gracie to enjoy handling then clipping one nail each day, and training Gracie to enjoy handling then introducing the Dremel (and filing one nail every day).
1 — Shirley Chong’s Giant Emery Board
It’s exactly what it sounds like. You can make your own giant emery board (sized larger than your dog’s paw) with inexpensive materials from the hardware store, then teach your dog to paw the board while it lies flat.
At first, you will reward with food if her paw comes near the board, then reward only when her paw touches the board, then reward if she uses a digging or scratching motion while touching the board. Ultimately, you are looking for your dog to paw the board for several seconds at a time while you hold it at an angle that works best for filing her nails.
You can train her to file her back feet as well as her front feet and it’s a fun, silly trick that doubles as a stress free way to keep your dog’s nails trimmed with no drama.
I didn’t understand the concepts of counterconditioning or desensitization back when I had Gracie, so I never got her truly comfortable with having her feet touched, but whenever I brought out the giant emery board, she would dance with joy and knock it right out of my hands in her excitement to play the game.
Click here fore more information on the giant emery board technique.
2 — One and Done
We adopted Willie, a big, beautiful pure bred Rottweiler a few years later, and he (thank goodness!) had less of an aversion to having his paws handled. I was also a little more knowledgeable about behavior modification, and decided that I wanted to try to use a traditional dog nail clippers for his “spa treatments”.
The first thing I did was massage Willie’s shoulders and legs briefly, once or twice a day. I used a version of Linda Tellington Jones’ Ttouch for horses, and paid very careful attention to how he responded to my touch. Over time, Willie would relax his legs into my hands and allow me to start long strokes from his shoulders all the way to his toes. Once he was comfortable with that type of massage, I would stroke each individual toe, again making very sure that I didn’t overwhelm him.
Within several weeks, I could ask him to lay on his side, massage his legs and gently hold a toe steady while I pretended to cut his nail. Every single time he saw the nail clippers, I made sure that he was rewarded handsomely, so on the fateful day that I finally got up my courage to cut one nail, he literally did not twitch a muscle. Immediately after I cut his nail (yes, only one nail) he received a jack pot of treats. He watched me put the nail clippers and the treats away with great regret, and he learned that the sight of nail clippers meant the best treats ever, and putting them away stopped the fun and the food.
In hindsight, I probably could have worked up to cutting all his nails in one sitting, but I found that both he and I were more comfortable doing two or three nails every few days.
Click here for more information on the “one and done” technique.
3 — Less Is More
The third option for a stress-less manicure is the Dremel, a small electric hand held rotary tool that files the dog’s nails, as opposed to cutting them. You still need time to counter condition and desensitize in order for your dog to feel comfortable having her paws handled. You’ll need additional time to dedicate to desensitize your dog to the Dremel itself.
Start with the tool switched off and away from your dog’s feet and treat when your dog looks at it. Then treat as you bring the Dremel closer to her feet over several days or weeks. Once your dog happily accepts the unplugged Dremel touching her toes, start the whole process again, with the tool switched on at a safe distance from your dog, treating every step of the way.
Click here for more information on the “less is more” technique.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Ready to give it a try? Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you start with any of the techniques above.
Don’t rush any part of the process. You must be systematic about every step, or you risk an even greater aversion to nail clipping.
The quality of your equipment is vital to the success of the manicure. My vet suggested that I use a plier style of trimmers as opposed to the guillotine trimmers, which tend to crush nails and can be less precise. Use what you are comfortable with, but invest in the best quality you can afford. And buy new equipment as needed; dull trimmers can splinter a dog’s nails.
Trim just the tips, but trim more frequently to keep nails at a safe, attractive length.
You can also use a metal file (found in the hardware store) or a personal emory file to file away rough edges, but please counter condition first.
Use super high value treats to make the experience a positive one. My dogs will practically stand on their heads for a taste of some wet cat food, so that’s what I use for manicure treats.
You must be calm and confident in order for your dog to trust you. Be conscience of your breathing; if you hold your breath or breathe shallowly, your dog will definitely pick up on your anxiety.
It’s ok to hire a pro. If you decide that you would rather have a professional trim your dog’s nails, please make sure that they use humane, force-free methods to get the job done.
Use their safe place. I ask our dogs to relax on their beds as I trim their nails. We have conditioned their beds to be safe places where great things happen, and I want manicures to be high on their list of great things.
You need to dedicate time, effort and patience in order to get your dog to trust you enough to trim her nails. There is no quick and easy solution.
Question: Which nail-trimming technique works best for you and your shy and fearful dog?
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