Cooperative Care for Your Pup
Nail Care
Imagine your dog coming running as soon as you get the nail clippers out, giving you his paw in anticipation of a nail trim, holding still until you were done trimming all his nails, all the while being happy about it. This can become your reality even if both of you hate nails trims at the moment.
The Importance of Nail Trims
Nails should be trimmed at least once a month. When dogs are walking around on long nails it can disrupt their gait and actually be painful, like a person wearing show that don’t fit. Overly long nails can cause joints to become arthritic even at a really early age.
It makes me cringe when I see long nails on a dog, or when I hear my own dog’s nails clicking on the floor. Unfortunately, none of my own dogs came to me loving nail trims, but now they come willingly, give me their paw and let me do it. Some even start drooling as soon as they see the clippers or Dremel. Why do they drool you ask? Because nail trimming in my house means lots of yummy treats!
With some dogs it may take a long time to get to that point, but it is so worth it. Not just the amount of money you will save by not going to the groomers, but mostly because you will not be stressing out about it, not you or your dog.
If your dog has learned that biting is a good way to get out of nail trimming, you will need some professional help to get you there. Make an appointment with us if your dog has issues with being handled and we will find a solution that works for both of you.
If you have a dog that hates nail clipping already, it is not a good idea to just wrestle him down and get it over with. At some point your dog will likely decide that he will no longer tolerate what you are putting him through.
Alternatives
One option for trimming nails to teach your pup to do them himself! You can make a scratch board and teach your dog to scratch his nails on it. A scratch board is a piece of wood with some sandpaper attached. You can teach your dog to scratch it by rewarding any swiping motion with their feet.
If you have a dog that is very fearful of nail trims and you don’t have any luck teaching a scratch board, you may have to get your vet to do his nails under anesthesia until you have counter conditioned and desensitized your pup to the trimming.
There are many more husbandry behaviors that will make your’s, your vet’s and especially your best friend’s life so much easier. I will tell you about them in the next post.