Nipping a ‘nail clipping’ phobia in dogs

I read a very interesting article by Andrea Mckeeby, a noted pet expert on how to trim your dog’s nails the easy and perfect way. So, I thought of sharing these helpful tips with my readers.

Maintaining a healthy regimen for your pal not only entails keeping his body parts clean, but also taking good care of his nails. In some dogs nails wear off naturally, but in others they have to be trimmed. Sometimes the nails also develop sharp edges which if not nipped may cause injury to both the dogs and their owners. But this task generally seems to be a long and arduous one because most dogs are not amenable to the idea of cutting their nails. What normally happens is that in the commotion to cut their nails too short, we end up inflicting pain on them which puts them off completely.

So, here’s a list of things we should keep in mind while trimming their nails:

1. Be careful about the flesh- While trimming the nails we should be careful not to encroach into the ‘quick’ or the pink fleshy part. We should only cut off the dead cuticle. But normally the ‘quick’ is not easily distinguishable from the dead part. Dogs which have light nails provide an easy view of the flesh beneath, but with the darker nails it’s indeed a challenging task. So it’s always advisable to trim a small portion of the nail from time to time.
   
   
2. Keep your doggy’s first aid kit handy- No matter how careful you are mistakes can happen. So, its necessary that we keep tissues and blood clotting powder like Kwik Stop Styptic handy.
   
   
3. Don’t persuade the staff at the vet clinic- Some people take their buddies to a clinic to get their nails trimmed. The staff at the clinic being well trained clip off only the dead parts. But we sometimes persuade them into cutting their nails too short so that they don’t grow back quickly. This process can be excruciatingly painful for the dogs. They cannot communicate verbally but from next time onwards you will find him petrified even at the sight of nail clippers.
   
   
4. Take him outside- In case your dog has developed nail trimming phobia, you have to help him tide over this by not cutting his nails initially. Instead make him walk on the road outside so that his nails wear off naturally. Remember to check the claws for splits, brakes etc.

You have to actually instill in him a love for the nail clippers. But how will you go about the process.


Here are a few suggestions:

1. Always associate the clipper with something exciting- Try to build an atmosphere of excitement and then rush to the place where you keep the clippers. This will at least make your buddy believe that it’s not frightening.
   
   
2. Allure him by offering tasty treats- Next what you can do is pick up the clippers and immediately treat him to something very delicious. After he has lapped it up in great delight put the clippers back where he can’t locate them.
   
   
3. Repeat the act several times- Every time you pick up the clippers follow it up with something exciting. You have to repeat the activity for quite a few times of the day during the first 2 weeks till he is convinced that the clippers are indeed associated with something fabulous. However, there shouldn’t be any fixed time for this. Choose any time that you feel would be suitable for your buddy.

Now, our next task at hand is to make him comfortable when you touch his feet.


What are the quick guidelines to follow?

1. Make him sit in a comfortable position- Allow him to be comfortable and then touch his feet gently. Talk to him softly, pat him on the back and stroke him gently.
   
   
2. Slowly touch his paws first- Touch his first paw gently and then follow it with a treat like you did in the first step. Repeat the act several times. Also reiterate the same activity with the second paw.
   
   
3. Touch his toes- Now touch one toe at a time and follow it with tasty treats. In case your dog expresses his dissent don’t give him the treat anymore. Try touching his toes but reduce the time span. You can also give him treats while touching his feet but withdraw them immediately as soon as he gets used to your touch.

We have finally arrived at the last but the most challenging juncture.


So, how will you go about this lengthy process?

1. Pick up the clippers first- Touch his toes gently, then pick up the clippers and place them on the table or floor. Follow it with a treat. Repeat the same act in both the toes.
   
   
2. Take the clippers in hand- Touch the toes with one hand and hold the clippers in another. Follow this with a treat. Don’t bring the clippers near your doggy. Repeat the act several times till he allows you to touch his toes without any condition.
   
   
3. Bring the clippers close to your pet- Try bringing the clippers near your dog but don’t touch his nails with it. Keep the clippers on the floor and give him tasty treats. Keep doing it till the clippers stop bothering him any more. Then touch his toes softly with the clippers. But make sure not to cut his nails. Follow the same rule of giving him yummy treats. Reiterate the activity until he is no longer frightened by the touch. Now touch each one of the nails with the clippers followed by a treat. After you have repeated this act many times see if he has been able to conquer his fears.
   
   
4. Place the clippers on one of the nails– This is perhaps the greatest challenge. Hold one of the nails and place the clippers on it. His immediate reaction would be to withdraw his paws. Don’t try to hold back his leg forcibly. Instead be very gentle and polite with him. However, this time don’t offer him treats. Keep doing it till he allows you to do this uninhibitedly.
   
   
5. Trim one nail- Now cut one nail very carefully and give him an impression of how brave he is. During the course of the day bring the clipper close to his nails and even position it on them but never try to cut another nail on the same day.
   
   
6. Try cutting a second one the next day- If you find him comfortable try cutting a second nail the next day. Spend at least a week trying to trim only one or two nails. Then proceed with the remaining ones over the next couple of weeks.

Our aim here is help our buddies overcome fear by making the ‘nail-clipping’ process painless.