 Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
#161711 - 11/07/2007 04:38 PM |
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Reg: 10-08-2007
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Loc: Kansas
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Hi, again-
Are you all sick of me yet? I love this board! LOL. Yet another question: What methods to you all use to get your dog to be still and tolerate nail trimming? I've only trimmed Kodee's nails twice I think (about once every 4-5 weeks), and he needs a trim, as they're getting kind of long. The first couple of times, he was tolerant enough that I got the job done, the first time, I only did his front feet, the 2nd time, I managed to do all 4. Today I couldn't even get the first foot done. I tried distracting him w/a peanut butter filled Kong, but no dice. He's getting too big for me to hold him down, and frankly, I don't want to have to fight him (if I did, I don't think I'd win anyway).
Do any of you have any tips/tricks that you use to get your dog to cooperate? I personally would rather do it myself, as I feel that if anybody should be able to handle my dog, it should be me (vs. having the vet do it).
Input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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 Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#161717 - 11/07/2007 04:42 PM |
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Loc: Lombard, IL
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Lucy was a real pain in the butt. I finally found that if I put her up on a waist high table she completely calms down. Trying to do it on the floor like some people do I could get 1 nail done a night with my wifes help.
Up on the table I can get them all done in a few minutes. She must be afraid of falling so doesn't fight nearly as much.
Some people use a dremel instead of clippers too.
Oh, and don't cheap out with the clippers. The first pair I tried were from Target and wouldn't even clip Lucy's nails (25lb Beagle) even though they were labled as medium to large breed.
Keith Jablonowski
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#161718 - 11/07/2007 04:45 PM |
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Wear him out with a game first.....
I just had to cut my Mals nails for the first time the night before last. She is two years old now.
I took her out and played a fetch game with the chuck-it for about 30 minutes and then we went into the house. I got the clippers and a bag of treats.
I had her "platz" on the floor and sat there with her, I would hold her foot and the second she relaxed she got a treat.
To make a semi-long process short, she got a treat and a good rub for staying still and letting me snip two or three nails. Took about 45 minutes. But she was great. More of "pet me mom" than "NO I don't want to" than anything else.
Until The Tale of the Lioness is told, the Story will Always Glorfy the Hunter |
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#161719 - 11/07/2007 04:46 PM |
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Reg: 08-29-2006
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Loc: Central Coast, California
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Well there's that Rhino Glue you have...
Seriously, can you get someone to give you a hand? I've never been sucessful doing it alone.
Another thing is try to time trimming after a good workout when Kodee is tired.
True
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#161750 - 11/07/2007 06:24 PM |
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You could put a leash on and tie it up to something like you would see some dogs on a grooming table. Not choking him but enough to where he cant really lower his head. Then straddle him facing towards his rear and then raise a foot up and kind of brace his leg against yours and clip them. It looks similar to shoeing a horse, the bottoms of his feet are facing up and you can get a good angle with the guilotine style clippers. Also try gripping his feat as lightly as you can to hold him still. It seems like the tighter I grip the more mine tries to pull away. None of this is any help with getting him to tolerate you clipping them but I have had one dog out of five that was no problem doing his nails so this is how I've done the other four.
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#161752 - 11/07/2007 06:35 PM |
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You can do one at a time. Before he knows what you're up to, one more is over with.
For the future, you know that most (or at least many) dogs don't like their paws handled. So you can do all-over long-stroke massages at a time when he's relaxed (tired  ), and every few minutes you stroke the paw just for a second. After a while you build up to paw-handling and the association in his mind with nice massages. This is a good thing for all kinds of handling that might become necessary.
Then you can have a high-value treat ready for each occasion of the one-claw thing. Zip -- excellent treat -- all done.
By the time you have gotten to the third paw, he is probably willing to be calm for two claws. But if not, no big deal.
One of mine took six months to get to the point of being calm and submissive for all four paws, but still, all during that time, I was doing one at a time and it worked fine.
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: steve strom ]
#161753 - 11/07/2007 06:39 PM |
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... try gripping his feat as lightly as you can to hold him still. It seems like the tighter I grip the more mine tries to pull away. ...
Big ditto.
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#161768 - 11/07/2007 07:22 PM |
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Oh man, do I feel lucky. I started clipping my pup's nails to get her used to it pretty much as soon as I got her. She's no trouble for me now.
Clip just a tiny tip, give her treats and love on her and make her think it's the best thing ever.
And over time, I got less enthused once she was more cooperative about it, and now it's down to just the few treats when I'm done after I have her hop onto the couch with me and lay her paws onto my lap. It also gives me a chance to fuss with her paws a lot, check her teeth, and check her ears.
She'll give me a little trouble sometimes, but once I let her know I mean business, she'll straighten up but be quick to leave once I'm done.
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Amanda Stone ]
#161771 - 11/07/2007 07:25 PM |
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... I started clipping my pup's nails to get her used to it pretty much as soon as I got her. ... Clip just a tiny tip, give her treats and love on her and make her think it's the best thing ever.
Yup! That's the best way!
I have all pre-owned dogs, so the pup part wasn't an option. Nevertheless, the slow conditioning and the high-value treats always works eventually, at least enough to get it done. 
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Re: Need help trimming Kodee's nails....
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#161772 - 11/07/2007 07:33 PM |
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http://leerburg.com/308.htm There is a segment on this new dvd how I conditioned Dante to have his nails done.
I was a professional groomer for many years and started cutting his nails at a week old and he is a challenging young dog.
using markers was the key to getting his cooperation, without having to lose my cool. 
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