Huntia Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hi. I have a 16 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback male that I am struggling with when it comes to trimming his nails. He hates it. When I try and trim his nails he stresses. He has a high pitch cry, and mouths. His mouthing starts of gentle but gets harder as I try to persist with the trimming. He has never broken skin, and stops when I admonish him for it, but starts mouthing again as soon as I start to try to trim again. Tonight the "process" when on for at least 30-40 min resulting in a tiny bit of 1 dew claw trimmed and my left hand well mouthed!! I have tried sitting with him and just playing with his paws and nails, and treating him when he doesn't mouth, and he will tolerate this to an extent. But as soon as I try to actually trim... the crying and mouthing starts again. This has been going on since he was a pup, but he is getting worse the older he gets. I have thought about muzzling him, but I don't like the idea as I think it would make him more stressed by the experience. We live on a farm so there is no bitumen near bye to walk him on to wear them down, and no concrete and very few paved areas in the yard. Any advice on how I can trim my poor boys nails and not stress him out would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 (edited) 1. Exercise the dog before hand. 2. Be calm no matter what happens, you don't need to say anything, sometimes not saying anything is better. 3. Consider Clicker Training the dog to accept handling with the Gotcha game: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=6jaxuTuH2ow 4. Consider Clicker Training the dog to accept nail clipping http://www.youtube.c...h?v=LHgBvnQ71ss 5. Consider densenitising the dog to a Dremmel, many seem to like it much better than having their nails clipped. http://homepages.uda...mel/dremel.html Edited September 17, 2011 by MEH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dju Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hugo was impossible to cut his nails, he squealed when I touched the clipper against his toenail. I found that I could handle his feet otherwise quite easily though and he was getting freaked out over the item that caused him discomfort, not me handling his nails. Getting the dremel (the electric nail file thing) was the best thing I did. I don't use anything else and I can file down his nails to a point where there's no jagged edges and he doesn't cut my legs up when he crawls over me. Of course he still doesn't like getting his nails cut but it's more of a sulking thing. He'll sulk in my lap when I'm dremeling his nails, but he's no longer squealing and writhing uncontrollably in my lap when I need to trim his nails. Of course by all means train him to accept the nail clippers if you want but I found it was just easier (and more convenient) to get a $20 Dremel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 buy a muzzle ,the reason it takes so long is because you are addessing the mouthing . It wont stress him anymore but make the job safer for you & get it done quicker/ What type of nail trimmers do you use(some are awful on the nails),how do you trim(lying down/like shoeing a horse ?/)Does someone help or are you buy yourself? How often do you trim the nails?? It is often easier after a bath as the nails are soft If you have someone to help hold it will make life easier but at present he is playng the game,some dogs hate it & will never change but the quicker you can get it done the easier. If trimming by yourself then get him in a corner & press him against the wall lift foot & trim. You could also try using a bastard file & filing them which many dogs prefer . If you can get someone to help then that would be the best option as the loner you leave trimming them the longer the blood vessel grows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Some good suggestions here. I would try the muzzle first. I have had dogs that simply give in as soon as the muzzle goes on. Try the dog in different positions as well to find out where he is most comfortable. Some stress if you roll them over but will sit or stand up happily, others are impossible unless rolled over on their side or back. I also suggest trying all the different methods. I have never yet had any dog let me do nails with "dog" nail clippers. They all hate them. Depending on the dog I have had more success with human nail clippers, files and a dremel. The human nail clippers are the ones that you turn the top around to get leverage. I clip the tip of the nail then each side until it it short enough, so never actually put any pressure on the centre of the nail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 If I try and do Moose's he cries, then I cry and it's a whole emotional affair so I just get the groomer to do his when Zoe goes in for grooming. He let's her do it, little so n so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Zeddy hates her feet being touched, but finally at 12 years old, she will grudgingly let me trim her nails - used to be she would only allow her favourite vet to do it. I now just walk up to her while she's lounging on the couch and take her paw and clip the nails - no hesitation is the key here - she doesn't like it, but won't mouth me any more. It's as though she's finally worked out that the more she plays up, the longer it's going to take... *grin* T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Muzzle the dog and tie him up to a post so he can't back away from you. Start with the back feet and pick them up as though you are trimming a horses feet. For the front, let him back to the end of the lead and then lift his foot and cut his nails. Get in , get the job done and don't take crap from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog geek Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 When I finally had my two imported Poms here at home with me, I used my nail clippers on them - and knew at once that they were not used to it. Their eyes went wide, and they were very unsure about it - flinching each time, and by the last couple of nails I could barely do the dog's as he was starting to really resist - so of course ended up cutting the last nail too close and drawing blood. The next time, it was a disaster - the dog in particular went bananas as soon as I tried to clip his nails. So, I just went down and bought a Dremel, came back and set it up, picked up the dog and after an inital nervousness (along the lines of "are you sure that is the Dremel, and not Those Torture Implements Of Doom??") was able to dremel his nails with only minor difficulty. Raally - it is that different for them. And my new pup is adjusting to having his nails dremeled too - again, initial crankyness, and I am careful not to have the setting up too fast or hold the nail against it for too long or it gets way too hot. So I am a convert!! Truly the best money I spent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Muzzle the dog and tie him up to a post so he can't back away from you. Start with the back feet and pick them up as though you are trimming a horses feet. For the front, let him back to the end of the lead and then lift his foot and cut his nails. Get in , get the job done and don't take crap from him. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Ask the vet to help u next time you are there. I had a ridgeback that hated having her nails done, and they are so stubborn when they decide they dont want something done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Ask the vet to help u next time you are there. I had a ridgeback that hated having her nails done, and they are so stubborn when they decide they dont want something done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Ask the vet to help u next time you are there. I had a ridgeback that hated having her nails done, and they are so stubborn when they decide they dont want something done But it's not the dogs choice, it's yours as an owner and the dogs need to comply with it. It's part of everyday handling and routine care of the dog. I'm amazed, although I shouldn;t be, at the number of owners who allow their dogs to get away with such things. Brushing and nail clipping are the simplist of tasks, yet many dogs seem to rule the roost when it comes to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Ask the vet to help u next time you are there. I had a ridgeback that hated having her nails done, and they are so stubborn when they decide they dont want something done But it's not the dogs choice, it's yours as an owner and the dogs need to comply with it. It's part of everyday handling and routine care of the dog. I'm amazed, although I shouldn;t be, at the number of owners who allow their dogs to get away with such things. Brushing and nail clipping are the simplist of tasks, yet many dogs seem to rule the roost when it comes to them. Add medicating to the list too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 (edited) I used to be able to do 1 nail at a time and that was it. But I used one of those clicker training videos Meh posted initially to desensitise him to the process. I also started to look at it as something which he simply had to accept and he soon realised that and let it happen. He now lies there and barely even moves when I do all of them in one go. LOL Crisovar - we also used to have issues on that! He had me well trained by going into shutting down and avoiding behaviour. Now he sits, lets me open the mouth to pop the drugs in and waits for his treat. Edited September 17, 2011 by Danois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 It's not so much letting him get away with it for me, it's more that I'm not 100% confident doing it either so it just exacerbates both our stress levels! Moose's nails are tiny and I live in fear of cutting them too short, splitting a nail, breaking his chicken legs while holding onto him etc. Easier for both of us to let the pros do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blakbelgian Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 I just purchased PEDI PAWS off ebay $10 and if my black dogs with black nails prefer that over the guilatine type nail clippers then I might look into the Dremmel. Also on Ebay for a variety prices. Did see them in a $2 shop brand new for $12 in my area. We had a boy who hated his feet touched right from the time he was puppy, we even drugged him once but even then he was still too strong and carried on. (perhaps we waited too long or not long enough who knows. Did wait 40 mins). Good luck BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huntia Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 (edited) Ask the vet to help u next time you are there. I had a ridgeback that hated having her nails done, and they are so stubborn when they decide they dont want something done But it's not the dogs choice, it's yours as an owner and the dogs need to comply with it. It's part of everyday handling and routine care of the dog. I'm amazed, although I shouldn;t be, at the number of owners who allow their dogs to get away with such things. Brushing and nail clipping are the simplist of tasks, yet many dogs seem to rule the roost when it comes to them. Add medicating to the list too! Thanks everyone. There are some great ideas being presented and I will read through them all and try some of the different techniques. Medicating and grooming are non issues with him thank goodness. He was vaccinated 3 weeks ago and he just sat through the process... the proheart needle, the other needle and the Kennel cough serum up the nose... didn't move a muscle He is my third Ridgie, and I have never had the same problems with the previous 2. They didn't like, but they accepted it. Edited September 18, 2011 by Huntia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Ask the vet to help u next time you are there. I had a ridgeback that hated having her nails done, and they are so stubborn when they decide they dont want something done But it's not the dogs choice, it's yours as an owner and the dogs need to comply with it. It's part of everyday handling and routine care of the dog. I'm amazed, although I shouldn;t be, at the number of owners who allow their dogs to get away with such things. Brushing and nail clipping are the simplist of tasks, yet many dogs seem to rule the roost when it comes to them. Add medicating to the list too! Thanks everyone. There are some great ideas being presented and I will read through them all and try some of the different techniques. Medicating and grooming are non issues with him thank goodness. He was vaccinated 3 weeks ago and he just sat through the process... the proheart needle, the other needle and the Kennel cough serum up the nose... didn't move a muscle He is my third Ridgie, and I have never had the same problems with the previous 2. They didn't like, but they accepted it. I was actually thinking more along the lines of owners who cannot dose their dog with tablets. All part and parcel of pet ownership and dogs need to be trained to be accepting of it from puppyhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 http://homepages.udayton.edu/~jmerenski1/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html I found the above site very useful though she says to link through this site www.DoberDawn.com She's made her webpage so you can't link the relevant bit. sigh. Anyway, the clippers guilotine - hurt the dog when you clip, even if you don't get the quick, the squeeze action makes the dog flinch. I had clicker trained my dog to lie perfectly still upside down in my lap, with a lot of little bits of roast lamb and several sessions over a few days, and so i could get a perfect shot at her nail and she still jumped when I clipped. So I got a $20 finger sander from a hardware store. And when I'm watching telly and she's on the couch with me I do a bit of sanding with an ordinary nail file too. She's pretty good about that. The sander does not squeeze the nail and hurt. You can cause a heat burn if you use the wrong attachment or hold it against the claw too long. Don't do that. And only do a little bit each time - becuase as the the nails get long, the quick gets long and if you hit that with any clipping/sanding system - it's going to hurt the dog. And I'm not sure how much clicker training it would take to make a dog happy about being hurt. Or if I even want to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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