Dobemom2b

Lestat absolutly hates to have his nails done. He has been this way since day 1 (20wks old) and until the last couple of weeks I have been able to trim one foot at a time while he napped on the couch before he would get up and move. I have tried using treats but more than a few and his stool gets loose so I have to be very picky about how many he gets (not actually even a treat but the natural balance roll food lamb & rice cut into tiny cubes).

During the last couple of weeks he has started trying to get up before I can get more than one or two nails done, if I try to force him to stay still by holding him down he is so physically strong that he manages to wiggle out of my grip anyway. Every time he gets loose it is only going to encourage him to try it again. Oddly enough he does not protest ear posting at all and it is usually done while he sleeps or lays in my lap.

He has never had a nail qwicked (?) since I have had him so I dont understand the battle this has become. I have tried putting him up on a table, didnt help and I have no one that can forcefully hold him but my daughter when she comes by and I dislike having her help because she is uncomfortable and nervous doing so and he has to be able to tell it.

They are not overgrown but they do need trimmed, I had been doing them twice a week or so. I can take him to a groomer or vet to have it done but that is only a temp fix it wont fix the long term problem since dobes nails should be kept very short.

I have also tried a drimmel, he isnt going for it either lol. It doesnt scare him in fact he wants to chew on it. The second you touch a nail he is history. Ive even tried trimming after a 2mile walk around the lake trail when he is tired and goes to sleep. I can touch his feet when he sleeps and routinely just handle them while he naps in the hopes that he will eventually stop being so sensitive and he does great until he sees the trimmers. I have tried 2 different sets of trimmers both new with new blades so it should not be pinching and have tried the dremmel.

Any suggestions? I have never had a dog that I could not trim the nails on, some didn't like it but they all took it. About the only thing I have not tried is what I do with cats, the blanket wrap.... not sure how that will work wth a 60lb dog

sebsyd

Have you talked to the breeder about this? He/she may be able to shed some light. I always have treats and give them a break after each paw. I know it takes longer but it seems to work on my male. My female has long "quicks" and it doesn't take much to make it bleed, but she is content to sit in my lap while I trim. Good luck.

Jenny

Isabelle hates having her nails done - has been that way since day one. Gives me the hardest time. Now she goes to the vet. She sits there like a princess holds up her paw like she's having a manicure! I gave up long ago. Plus the nail clipping thing kinda freaks me out anyway - I think she also realized that long ago too. Our vet is close & sometimes thay don't even charge me - prob because she's there all the time

Julie W

I've never had a problem with nails on a dog. I'm gentle but firm and I simply never give them a choice. I put them on a grooming table, put their neck in the grooming noose and dremel away. I have always trained all of my dobermans to jump up on the table themselves since they are too heavy for me to lift. When I am done they get lots of treats and crazy play time for a reward.

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dobesanddragons

Follow this site:http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merens...el/dremel.html

You have to take it slow, reintroduce nail trimming as a happy postitive no big deal experience. Don't move too fast and remember baby steps. He may never enjoy it, but he should learn to tolerate it.

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VaBtrfly

If any of this other wonderful advice fails.... do what I did. Enlist the help of a qualified groomer. I have a gem of one and Bane loves her to death. The last 2 times we went, I actually did his nails myself. Cut and dremmeled. I was so proud of him. Eventually, we'll be able to tackle it at home. Though I'll still go back so Bane can visit his favorite groomer, lol.

Good luck!

Dobemom2b

Thank you all!

Luvbirds59

Petey didn't like it either, now he sits and hands me a paw!....here is what I did, give a gold standard treat after you cut each nail! You can cut the treats in very small pieces. Start by just doing one or two nails, and then try again later and do a couple. It may take a couple of weeks, but I think if you make it very happy and pleasant, it will get better. Save those tasty treat just for nail trimming. Now I can do all of Petey's in one sitting, just in time too...he is stronger then me now. It is like a miracle....my last three dogs had to be sat on to be done!

Carol

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Colorado Dobes

I also didn't give Sadie a choice when she was a puppy. I held her in my lap and dremeled away. Now I go back and forth between clippers and the dremel. I also have a miniature dachshund who gave us FITS when it came to trimming her nails. The first time she ever had them trimmed was when my husband took her to the vet for a set of shots. They finished her shots, and said they would trim her nails, so he stepped out to go pay, and he said he heard this God-awful screaming coming out of the room. He ran in to see what was going on, and there were two people holding this tiny dog, who was pulling back, screaming, and pooping on the table. :-) With her, I just held her in my lap, talked to her in the most soothing voice I could (and never stopped talking to her), clipped one nail, and then just good-girled her to death after I clipped one. I think I usually did the front paws and then let her go play, and a little while later I did the back paws. She just lays on her back and lets me clip now. The key for me with both of them was talk, talk, talk to them while you do it. And when you clip one nail, tell them what good girls they are, scratch bellies, etc. After a few times she'll be OK with it.