🐾Training Tip!
💅Cutting a dogs nails is not easy and there are two ways of getting it done.
The first is the ideal way. The slowly desensitising them to the clipper, to the sensation of the clipper on their nails and to the actual cutting.
For this you start by presenting the tool, far enough from the dog that they look at it but don’t react. Say yes, or good, take the clippers away and give a treat.
Slowly progress to bringing the clippers to your dogs paw. Saying good or yes, removing the clippers from sight and giving a treat. If your dog reacts then increase the distance until they are comfortable again.
The reason we only treat once the clippers are out of sight is so that we don't have to keep giving treats for the whole procedure. We want our dog to do the task and get a treat at the end, this helps build duration and is a bit more practical.
I did try the lickimat in the bath to distract her and continually reward her while I attempted to trim her nails but she couldn't eat, it was too much. Nova did much better with a super short session, leave the environment and then get a treat. See which works better for your dog.
By ‘reacts’ I mean, turning their head away, attempting to bite or mouthe the clippers, barking, or showing whale eye. Or anything else other than being nice and calm and totally unfazed by the appearance of the tool.
The trouble with this process is it takes a long time and you dogs nails will likely need trimmed long before they are completely comfortable with the process.
So, whilst I do recommend doing this process, I also pair it with a management strategy.
Now, this depends on just how worried your dog is. If they simply aren’t a fan, and would rather not. This is perfect for them.
If your dog actually panics, is frantic and clearly scared, then this is not appropriate and please see your vet for help, your dog may need some sedation to get their nails clipped while you work on desentisation.
My own dog, nova, does not like having her nails trimmed, but was never outright scared. She’s pull her paw away and try to walk away. But she wasn’t mouthing or biting, she didn’t run away or cower, and she didn’t hide when I brought the clippers out, just kept her distance.
And her nails really needed trimmed.
So, what I did was put her in the bath, something else she isn’t a fan of but also wasn’t scared of. And I would trim a nail or two, whatever I could get away with before she really started to try in earnest to get away.
And then I would let her out, put the clippers away, and get her a yummy treat for being such a good girl. ❤️
At first, she was worried for a little while afterwards, perhaps thinking that I was going to try again. But I didn’t. I only trimmed her nails in the bath. After a few more rounds, a maximum of a couple of times a week, she realised that it was only going to happen in the bathroom.
In this way, I contained the anxiety-provoking activity to a set space, avoiding the possibility of Nova becoming worried all the time about her nails being cut.
This got the job done, and contained the emotional fall out.
She did become worried about going into the bathroom, thankfully she doesn't need washed very often at all. So that wasn't a problem for us.
And over time, I was able to cut more of her nails in one go.
When she sincerely tried to leave, I would let her, and finish the session. This element of choice, Nova learning that she can leave if she wants to, helps to negate the stress, gives her some control over the situation.
Over the course of her teens I kept up this protocol and now she is 3.5 years old, and I can trim her nails, anywhere in the house and I can do two paws in each attempt!
She calms down very quickly afterwards, she knows that it's done and she can relax. And I can trim her nails without the need of a groomer or vet.
I do her front paws one day, and her back paws a few days later and that's her for another month or two!
I'm not sure exactly when I was able to transition from the bath tub to anywhere in the home. I just took an opportunity when she was chill, at the end of the day after a good walk, and did the same thing, just a nail or two and then stop.
Nova will never love having her nails trimmed, she does fidget and would rather not. But it is pretty easy to do and our relationship is in tact, if not stronger due to this building of trust.
The key is to monitor your dogs body language carefully and not to push too hard, quite while you're ahead. If you've managed one nail fairly well, but now your dog is trying a little harder to move away, stop the session.
These days, it's only after the 8 nail or so that Nova decides she's done. Usually one or two of her nails doesn't need cutting so that's two paws! And I stop there.
I have found this works very well for most dogs and is a good balance between getting a necessary thing done, and not causing too much stress.
Perhaps one day I will be able to all of her nails in one go, but if not, I'm very happy with our current set up and I'm not going to push.
Have a go with your pup and get in touch if you'd like advice and tips! 🐾
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