giraffez Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Hi all Could you please share your tips on cutting your dogs nails. My dog hates it... initially he would just mouth my hand when i touch his nails. Now that he is bigger, he is starting to bite instead. He gets agitated even when i touch his nails with my hands. I tried the touch and treat method but he is not interested in food when it comes to touching his nails. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macka Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Hi Giraffez, Check out this you tube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgBvnQ71ss I used the method in the video and now I can cut both my dogs nails while they are lying upside down in my lap. If you knew what my girl used to be like before you would be amazed! If you don't have a clicker just use your marker word. Take it slowly at first - don't try to cut them all in one go. If you start getting frustrated leave it for another time. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) Wrong response to initial question sorry Edited February 19, 2010 by Kelly_Louise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giraffez Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 Hi Giraffez,Check out this you tube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgBvnQ71ss I used the method in the video and now I can cut both my dogs nails while they are lying upside down in my lap. If you knew what my girl used to be like before you would be amazed! If you don't have a clicker just use your marker word. Take it slowly at first - don't try to cut them all in one go. If you start getting frustrated leave it for another time. Good luck Oh my god.... i wish my dog would stay that still!!! Are you using a dremel or the normal clippers? My dog's hair is long so i've stayed away from the dremel incase the hair gets caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 We had similar problems with our pup mouthing whilst clipping nails... after some thought i remembered how well behaved he was when the vet clipped them so that got me thinking. the only thing the vet did differently was to have the dog sitting on a bench rather than the floor. So i put our pup on the table the next time i clipped his nails and guess what, he didn't move a muscle!! now we put him on the table to clip nails, groom, apply spot flea treatments etc and he is generally ok. worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Isn't it amazing what happens when you stop and try to see things from the dogs point of view! Well done on sussing this out Sounds like he associates being put up on the table as "serious business" while grabbing his feet on the floor is "play time We had similar problems with our pup mouthing whilst clipping nails... after some thought i remembered how well behaved he was when the vet clipped them so that got me thinking. the only thing the vet did differently was to have the dog sitting on a bench rather than the floor. So i put our pup on the table the next time i clipped his nails and guess what, he didn't move a muscle!! now we put him on the table to clip nails, groom, apply spot flea treatments etc and he is generally ok. worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I have a dremel and use it on my long-coated breed. Just have to carefully hold all the hair back. I think the key is to be very very gentle. They are quite sensitive around their feet. My pup is still being counter-conditioned to the dremel. I keep forgetting to work on it. He's fine right up until it goes on. He doesn't like the noise it makes. Actually, he's fine if it's on and I'm lightly rubbing the base over his body and holding a paw, but he's very unsure about it getting near his feet when it's on. He was doing quite well with the food earlier, but then he was starting to slap his paw into my hand and wait like a coiled spring for the reward. It was a little bit too energetic, so I down-graded to pats and scratches for rewards. Takes longer, but at least he's not slamming his paw into my hand then slamming it again and again and generally just getting excited about it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giraffez Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 We had similar problems with our pup mouthing whilst clipping nails... after some thought i remembered how well behaved he was when the vet clipped them so that got me thinking. the only thing the vet did differently was to have the dog sitting on a bench rather than the floor. So i put our pup on the table the next time i clipped his nails and guess what, he didn't move a muscle!! now we put him on the table to clip nails, groom, apply spot flea treatments etc and he is generally ok. worth a try. haha I tried that also but he still doesn't like it. I put him on top of the washing machine - he is used to it as this is where he get blowed dried and groomed. I actually tried what the youtube video did. He doesn't mind me touching his nails or putting the clipper on his nails now which is good... but as soon as he senses the clipper cutting down, he will mouth me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 haha I tried that also but he still doesn't like it. I put him on top of the washing machine - he is used to it as this is where he get blowed dried and groomed. I actually tried what the youtube video did. He doesn't mind me touching his nails or putting the clipper on his nails now which is good... but as soon as he senses the clipper cutting down, he will mouth me.... So show him you are in charge and being up here on the table/washing machine is serious business. If he mouths you then gently but firmly move his mouth away from your hand and say "no" in a gentle but firm tone. Keep doing that and treat him (like in the video) when he doesn't mouth you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwynwen Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 There's some useful info on this page. http://clipperbladesharpening.webs.com/dogspanailcutting.htm (at the bottom - after the info about the dog bath) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Make sure you are using the clippers correctly and that they are sharp enough, the clippers maybe pinching his nail before cutting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giraffez Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 (edited) Make sure you are using the clippers correctly and that they are sharp enough, the clippers maybe pinching his nail before cutting it. Its a relatively brand new pair of clippers that was recommended by other dolers on this forum http://shopping.ninemsn.com.au/specs/shear...clippers-16-5cm I've only used it about 4 times so i think it should still be sharp enough. How can i sharpen it just to make sure? Edited February 22, 2010 by giraffez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Do you cut front to back or side to side when trimming? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 In my opinion the Clicker is the way to go, a verbal marker isn't accurate enough imo in this case. The link posted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgBvnQ71ss is of a great clicker trainer, I've learned alot from her other videos. When cutting I do make sure that I hold the nail firmly so the pressure of the cut doesn't feel uncomfortable to the dog, I tend to snip both sides of the nail and then an across cut, less stressful than one big clip that can cause discomfort if the nails are super hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 We had similar problems with our pup mouthing whilst clipping nails... after some thought i remembered how well behaved he was when the vet clipped them so that got me thinking. the only thing the vet did differently was to have the dog sitting on a bench rather than the floor. So i put our pup on the table the next time i clipped his nails and guess what, he didn't move a muscle!! now we put him on the table to clip nails, groom, apply spot flea treatments etc and he is generally ok. worth a try. haha I tried that also but he still doesn't like it. I put him on top of the washing machine - he is used to it as this is where he get blowed dried and groomed. I actually tried what the youtube video did. He doesn't mind me touching his nails or putting the clipper on his nails now which is good... but as soon as he senses the clipper cutting down, he will mouth me.... I would go right back to basics on the clicker work so he accepts it, if he's still fussing he's not there yet. I had a dog that would bite hands also with nail trimming and the clicker worked, just don't feel you have to rush the clicker work. I'd go with the nail file and work up to the nail trimmer and maybe get a different one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirst_goldens Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 (edited) bigger dogs are harder as their nails are like concrete!! but for little dogs i tend to just tell them off.. and i DO NOT accept mouthing or biting! setting urself up for trouble if u allow this. Being a groomer i have to be strict otherwise i will get bitten or mouthed a billion times a day!! If i am getting bitten i hold the dogs mouth shut for a second and say no then release and continue usually only takes maybe twice and they see that they are not to bite, some will still try it on but at this stage i just make a loud noise like arrgghh or dont u dare and look away sheepishly like sorry i only have one really bad dog for feet and the owner has been working on playing with his feet and in 3 months he has gone from not able to touch his feet unless there was three people holding him down (he is a westie sized dog!) and now i can say paw and he hands me his foot and away we go Some dogs are harder of course - as for ur danes nails try doing them in the bath or right after as the water will soften them, if u need them done and u are not bathing them soak them for a little while should hep u get through then easy peasy and as said earlier sometimes if u put pressure on the dogs nails with ur hands the pressure from the clippers seems less and the dog will be less affected by it. Edited February 23, 2010 by kirst_goldens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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