Need suggestions regarding cutting my dog's nails - Page 3

Fressa · ‎03-20-2012

My English Shepherd was terrified of the vet but he had health issues and was abused on the breeder's farm. We did one or two nails every so many days with him. It's important that they don't start to fear you when you hold thme or call them. It may take weeks but eventually you get all the nails done. I got lucky at times because it seemed like the back nails wore down themselves so I didn't have to trim them as often. Those front nails seem to grow overnight.

I've had the tech at the vet's office cut a nail too short on occasion so since then I don't fret about that so much now. I do small snips with my nail clippers and that works the best for me. It may take more time but neither of them are pulling that paw back as hard when I do it this way.

CrazyDaisy · ‎03-20-2010

@Constance2 wrote:
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the suggestions, and am going to try the recommendations that might work with my baby girl. She has both dark and light nails, but it's still hard to see the quick through the light ones. She loves treats, so I will definitely try that. I've done some research online and read that if you cut or sand the nail little by little, the quick will gradually move back. It may take forever with my dog, but I've got to do something.

Do any of you have a dog that is terrified of going to the vet? All of your dogs seem to be people and vet friendly for the most part.

When starting with the dremel, just touch the nail. Do not try to sand anything off at first. Some dogs need to get use to the vibration and noise.

I have a dog that was and to some extent still is afraid of many things. As suggested start making trips to he vet that are fun. Many offices will work with you and let you hang out, walk around, have the workers give her treats etc. Where I go, if they are not busy or even closed sometimes, you can walk around in the exam rooms and even take a tour of the back. They want you dog comfortable there as much as you do, just take it slow.

Someday, when scientists discover the center of the Universe....some people will be disappointed it is not them.

FastDogWalker2 · ‎03-10-2010

We have three dogs - the basset, a golden retriever and a husky malamute. The basset and the golden do get nervous at the vet but can cope, the big guy loves the vet and the tech,s but he is unpredictable in the waiting room with other dogs. Never a fun day!

doxie1 · ‎03-09-2010

@GingerPeach wrote:
Hi @Constance2
I no longer have good hand dexterity so I take my dog (multiple dogs in the past) to the vet to have their nails trimmed. Even the light colored dogs I've had all had mostly black nails, so I was never all that confident.

But your dog is so frightened, I understand this is not a casual visit.

If you haven't already done this, it can help to gradually acclimate the dog to the vet's office by perhaps driving there, walking around the parking lot, then leaving. Then later going in, just sitting, and then leaving without anyone doing anything to the dog. If the dog likes treats, offering small, but delicious treats when she shows signs of even slight relaxation should help as well.

The same technique can help by slowing getting her used to having her paws touched. You lift the paw a little, she gets a treat, you rub her paw a bit, she gets a treat, you bring a clipper close to her foot, she gets a treat.

You are probably already working with her using some of these conditioning techniques.

I am going to try something I just thought of. My dog's front nails are long right now. I'm going to place a large metal nail rasp on the floor, and simply rub her nails on it. I'll let you know if it helps.
I also just got the In the Company of Dogs catalog and they offer a "nail trimming mat." I haven't tried it so I don't know whether it works well.
http://www.inthecompanyofdogs.com/itemdy00.aspx?T1=D14275+55

I agree with homegirl. I had a dog that was rescued from an abusive situation and my neighbor had a chow that was not good about the vet. We did what homegirl said and the dogs loved going to the vet. We worked up to them going for play visits and they did not fight us to come home. It helped that they used two people to trim the nails and started with one at a time and treats and loving. The difference was amazing and I am grateful for the vet giving all this time.

We now go to the vet every 4-6 weeks and pay $5 for a trim. The vet tech can do it alone now. I was told if you work them up to the 4-6 weeks it would make the quick line receede.

doxie

fortune · ‎03-14-2010

My granddog, Jasper, didn't like getting his nails cut AT ALL! Now, he gets a treat. When my son gets out the clippers, Jasper runs to the bathroom ready to get his manicure and a snack!

June222 · ‎06-15-2015

I had an Irish Setter that would go NUTS if you ever touched his nails or feet...I would have to have him put under at the vets in order to cut his nail.......he lived to 14 years old. Did not have his nails cut..except a couple of times when we had his teeth cleaned and he was put out for that. You just do the best you can..... He had long nails....it was not probably good for him, but putting him under to clip them was more dangerous .

tkins · ‎03-26-2012

Hi Constance2,

One of our dogs is the same way. We also tried the nail grinder, thinking that would work, but the noise scared him more than the manual clippers (he does not like that noise either, it makes him jump and want to run away). Awhile back one of my friends posted a video on her facebook page about this very thing. We tried it the other night and it actually worked, instead of only trimming one or two nails we finished almost all of them. It takes two people, but it sure worked great and he didn't try to run away like he usually does. We stopped just before he decided he had enough and also gave him a lot of excited praise and a few extra treats.

Here is the link to the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWZUcLfHXLE

If for some reason it does not work just do a search for video of how to trim dogs nails using treats it will be listed as dog aggressive for toenail trim.

Hope it helps and good luck

tkins

Constance2 · ‎09-23-2015

That is a great video. Thank you. I will try what they suggest.

"I always have a chair for you in the smallest parlor in the world, to wit, my heart." --Emily Dickinson

Shopper Mania · ‎10-14-2015

I do my dog's nails very carefully.He has all black nails so it's hard to see where the quick is, but clip in FRONT of the curl if that makes any sense. That was told to my by a groomer. He has to know I mean business though, or he will try to make all kinds of racket!!

nagrom · ‎07-03-2010

I use a dremmel tool and have spray canned cheese on hand or peanut butter. I apply a generous amount of the treat on one paw and grind away quickly on the other. I make sure that it is done in small increments as the drummel does it hot. It takes longer but works well. One of the things I do is play a game of piggy goes to market touching every toe so he is used to having someone touch his toes etc. Starting the game from early puppyhood on and playing little games so handling becomes easy. My boy is a very big boy weighing in at 140 lbs so it is doable.