dog nail clipping trouble...any advice?

8072 · Feb 5th 2014, 12:57am

First of all she is now 8 months old 
 
Okay well in obedience class we were taught to do this thing where we touch her paws, her tail, her mouth just so she is used to it. And she has never had a problem with us doing this before. 
 
Okay our Sasha used to be very tolerant of these kinds of things. And for the most part she is tolerant of everything. But suddenly she has decided she doesn't like getting her nails trimmed. We trim our poodles ourself and we have been trimming hers. 
 
Well now its taking the 2 of us to hold her still and another person to attempt to cut them. Yesterday she got so upset she was ready to bite after about an hour.. this dog doesn't have an agressive bone in her body. And she has never tried to bite before in her life. Needless to say she didn't get her nails trimmed. 
 
I'm thinking we are going to have to throw in the towel and have the vets office start trimming them. This little girl has strength on her side when she doesn't want something done. 
 
Now we stopped because we didn't want her to be afraid to have her nails trimmed and we didn't want to push her because she was getting really upset. 
 
Do you think taking her to the vets office to get them trimmed would be best? 
 
And also any tips for showing her that its okay and to be calm. 
 
She never had this issue until we tried to trim them the other day and she wasn't having any of it. We've been trying for 2 weeks. 
 
I don't know why she is so scared of it now. She has never been hurt getting her nails trimmed. She used to just sit there like a bump on a log when they were trimmed. 
 
We thought about getting one of those trimmers on tv..I can't remember what they are called but they gently file the nails but now it would probably be a waste of money because now she doesn't want us anywhere near her paws 
 
She is a 22 pound Jack russell Terrier mix and very strong when determined and can knock you down if she is trying to get away. She is an indoor dog so I know some dogs tend to wear their nails down outside but she only goes out to potty and walk for an hour a day. Sometimes she plays outside. So that doesn't have an effect 
 
Any tips to keep her calm or should we just take her to the vet

Alana1263 · Feb 5th 2014, 12:57am

Get a Peticure or Pedipaws. (they're about $30) when you get it, let Sasha see it, let her sniff it and stuff. let her touch the trimmer and talk to her in soothing tones. When she seems ok, turn it on so she could hear the noise - she might get jumpy but you just stay calm and comfort her and let her get close (non-filing end). It might take some treats and a little time, but when she gets comfortable with it, then put it near her paws just pretending a couple times with it off and then on so she knows its ok. Good luck!

2909 · Feb 5th 2014, 12:57am

I'm sure this is a million dollar question, lots of people have the same problem. I work at a vet and for the most part the dogs are much better for us than for you. They do better without the owners in the room too. That doesn't mean that you can't try to do it at home but it is difficult to get past that fear. Did she ever have them trimmed just one little itty bitty time that she bled? They seem to remember that and it only takes once to put the fear in them. You should try to make it a fun thing and most of all, you need to be relaxed and happy, the dog can sense your anticipation/stress. If you can get one nail a day done without freaking her out then it will just take you a little longer but you can show her that it isn't bad anymore. Sometimes the more restraint you use the more scared they are so try different holds but if all else fails the vet can always get it done;)

Bindi 2643 · Feb 5th 2014, 12:57am

If she never minded before, I wondering what's causing the change now. Have you checked her paws for any irritation or small wounds? I know when it gets hot around here, my dog's pads can become very sensitive from walking. But if all is clear and it's just her being silly, I might have a few recommendations. 
 
Take a few moments out of the day and reacquaint her with having her feet handled. Keep it short and sweet for the time being. I would just grab some treats, take her foot and touch it a bit, then pop a treat in her mouth and walk away. She might be associating that every time you go to touch her feet, she's getting a nail trim. After a little while, bring out the nail clippers and do the same thing. Just touch her feet and treat her. That's all. Show her that just because you have the nail trimmers, doesn't mean you're going to tackle her down with two people and cut her nails. Generally go through your usual routine as if you were to cut her nails but don't. Keep it short and praise her after. 
 
Now, when it is time to cut those nails, space it out. Just do a little bit at a time and take little breaks for treats and praise in between. Instead of making this a stressful ordeal of holding her down and all that fuss, make it easy and positive. If you let me cut a nail, you get a treat. Sounds like a good deal to me. 
 
But if no matter how slow you take things, nail cutting is just too stressful for the both of you, it might just be easier to take her to the vet or a pet grooming salon to have her nails trimmed. 
 
Hope this helped. Best of luck!

branden · Feb 5th 2014, 12:57am

You may want to consider using a nail grinder instead. Most dogs hate nail trimming but they will let me grind their nails. I currently use the Dremel Minimite because it is cordless (don't have to worry about your dog chewing the cord) and small (this allows for better control while grinding and shaping a nail). 
 
I really like grinding because you take the nail down slowly, and there is little danger of hitting the quick, unlike nail clipping. The two times I clipped my dog's nails, I got his quick and made him very sensitive towards handling. After much counter conditioning, he is better now, thanks to the grinder. You can also shape the nail better with a grinder, i.e. no cracks or sharp edges. On the down side, it will take you longer to get your dog's nails done. Also, do not work for too long on one nail because too much heat may be generated and it can get uncomfortable for your dog. 
 
While doing nails, I start by making my dog lie on his side. First let your dog smell the grinder, treat, and praise. Then turn the grinder on and let your dog get used to the sound of it. Treat and praise your dog for remaining calm. Next, I grind one nail, feed him something really good (e.g. cheese, mackerel), and repeat. Initially, just do one nail in each session. You can slowly increase the length of the sessions as your dog gets more comfortable with it. Stop before your dog gets agitated. 
 
You are right in that it is best not to force grooming on your dog or they will grow to really dislike it. When my dog has had enough, I let him leave and just pick it up later. He will usually let me do it later when he gets hungry enough and really wants the yummy food that comes with the nail grinding.