I've tried this trick with Lexx to no avail. we've done EVERYTHING and he still hates the dremmel. We try to remain as calm as possible about it and stop when he gets too upset, but honestly, nothing works.

I feel that i should add that he is absolutely 100% fine with everything up until the dremmel. He is also fine with the dremmel noise, sniffing the dremmel, having the dremmel held up to his feet, and for the most part, having some nails done, but honestly, he just panics sometimes, its very frustrating.

I also don't really think that I'm being cruel to my dog, but i would really like it to get better

 

I have to admit, it started out that way with us. The little stinker would sit calmly for the breeder, but once home with us, he squealed like a stuck pig as soon as we started. We live in a small lot neighborhood with little spacing between houses and it was embarassing - the yelping and wailing. We realized we were being manipulated and played - so we (mom and dad) changed our attitude and conveyed the message to Mr. Stinker that we meant business, this has to be done for the rest of his life, so lets everyone just get on with it. It worked. He doesn't 'like' it - but it no longer is a struggle either. He likes the groomy treats he gets when we are done, and then the play session with toys.

 

I guess i'm lucky but both my Dobes just lay there and let me trim their nails as long as we do it on the couch. My two little mutts are a different story, they absouletly hate their nails trimmed and it can be a real hassle.

 

well i'm glad to know that i'm not the only one. it actually makes me feel so bad for him when i have to do it, but lately i've made extra effort to remain very calm and leadership centered about it and he's really improved now that hes sure i'm not going to grind his paws off, plus, he gets an ENTIRE hotdog when we're done, and gets to chase his toys

 

You are definitely not alone. We inherited raptor claws when we got Cinny. She's 6 yrs old.. We have made progress dremeling them twice a week. We make her earn her dinner by cooperating.

She hates every second of it and shakes like a leaf. I feel awful but we really don't have the luxury of time to condition her as Tracy mentions or we will loose any progress we've made and they will grow back to the talons they were.

 

Thanks for the post DM!!! I have been thinking about starting to trim my dogs with a dremel but didn't know where/how to start. Thanks again!!

 

Our Dobie was fine with the nail trimming until a stupid groomer cut his nail to the quick. I could hear him crying when she did it. After that, we trained on the dremmel and he always was fearful with that particular paw. We always gave him extra special treats and he would be good just to get the treat. Never had to pin him down, just had to hold him gently by his collar.

 

My older boys were always great for their pedicures. If I started doing Walker, Wheeler would come sit next to us on his own wanting his turn.

The puppy started out just fidgeting and wanting down to play. I have a handful of treats beneath my leg and give one to him after each nail. He's doing fine now. Patience, fun and lots of praise help. Even if it's one nail today and another one tomorrow.

My dogs didn't like the pressure from clippers so I used the dremel. If I do it every 4 days it's over quickly and not an ordeal.

I used to have a show horse that the trainer always twitched to clip. When I brought him home, I tied him, played the Oak Ridge Boys for him and practiced two stepping around him. He was probably in total shock watching me but I never twitched that horse and kept him clipped. Tons of patience and rewards help.

 

Thank you for posting this info for all of us who struggle with wiggling puppies! I can say honestly, that now my two simply lay quietly by my side and enjoy their mani and pedi. It wasn't always like this believe me,but as you say - with patience it can be done.
I was also impressed with your website.

 

WOW. That upsets me to read about. Im lucky with Sebastian I guess. No problems. Im EXTREMELY cautious and have never hit the quick...he still is annoyed with it but I use those specially designed clippers.

 

I find that my dogs get nervous if 1) I hold the dremmel too long in one places (it heats up the toenail), 2) I get too close to hitting the spot that makes the toenail bleed. After 9+ years Fiddler has decided that he wants to fight me during nail trimming! So, we went backward in our training. I've gone back to clicker training, clicking & treating any time he lets me do stuff with the feet. So funny that after all of these years he's just now decided that he's not going to be such a nice boy with the toenails anymore! I find that I have to stay super relaxed and calm with him or else he gets all nervous. I put lots of treats out. Already training him to lay down and on his side has been especially helpful! He lays on the floor as I dremmel his toenails. If i try to physically force him to let me do it, the quivering lips come out! I figure if they can train whales to do tricks with clicker training techniques, then I can retrain Fiddler to be relaxed during toenail trimming! When I get so frustrated that I want to man-handle him, I just remind myself of the things that people have trained dolphins and whales to do by simply using positive reinforcement. Can you imagine trying to force a whale to "sit still" for a procedure? For me, positive reinforcement has been much more successful. The downfall, however, is that it CAN take a good bit of time to train (or re-train) them.

 

I think the biggest mistake is people holding their dogs down or "pinning them". You want to get them on their side, then let go. If they try to get up then reset them and let go again repeat repeat repeat. This allows them to deal with whats happening on their own terms, instead of being "forced". This goes for many things. Never hold the dog back, tell them to stay, and if they don't, make a correction.

 

Q has talons. I'm terrified of cutting him. I paid someone to come to my house and trim once and am thinking of doing it again. I bought some clippers and have done a nail here and there but it does not seem sharp enough. I think I'll try the hand file thing and then look into buy a dremal. I have a cheap human electric file I bought years ago, wonder if that will work?

 

Good post, dragonman. Except I don't stop when they stuggle (cats and dogs included) - I only stop when they STOP stuggling. If you stop when they are stuggling and squirming, that is reinforcement to keep struggling because they know you will stop they if do. But if you only stop when they are still and calm, you will send the message that struggling doesn't do any good - only being good and still will get me to stop and give a treat.

I've used this technique on all my cats and dogs and it's never failed yet

 

My boy has always been good about his pedis but my girl would Wail and bark and everything that she could to get away... So we would just lay her down on her side and I would lay down next to her with my arm around her (not forcing her to be down) and then my husband would start clipping the nails. When she would start to freak out he would stop and then I would lay there with her petting her etc and then we would start again. Then I just started laying her down and having her lay there on her own and she was fine.... But it was REALLY embarrassing when she was younger cause she would make a scene to no end!!!! :exclaim:

 

I agree with Burns as well that I did not let my girl get away with struggling when I was laying down next to her. I would hold her down with me when she would start freaking out and then we would continue again when she stopped.... Gotta let them know who is boss to some degree.

 

I was always afraid to use the dremel. My husband travels a lot so we would do his nails every two weeks. Prince hates his nails done and it was always a struggle and yes i had to help him. Over a year ago I got fed up his nails were long and clicking on the floor. I decided to do his nails. He refused to lie down and had a heck of a time. I put him in his crate so he couldnt get away and slowly did his nails, I only took a tiny bit off. We did this for while and every time he got better. He still wont lie down, he prefers to stand or sit while I do his nails. Hes funny when I call him and tell him its time to do your nails he comes down sits by the door and give me the saddest look, and when were done he gets a case of the zoomies.

 

Yes I know that look. My Magnum did that. He was vWd affected so I had to be very careful and clipping his nails. I often hit his quick (OUCH) so we took to dremeling. Yes by all means don't just hold the dremel down steady on the nail and file away, it does heat up. I usually go over them twice and at the slower speed and take my time. I only hold the dremel to the nail a couple of seconds at a time so it won't heat up.

Nails that are too long can hurt your dogs feet over time actually. They can make an older dog with arthritis more painful because the are constantly jabbing the joints when they place their foot. With weekly dremeling you're just touching up that point and not have to cut off a big curled end. Also you can see the quick coming as you carefully remove nail with the dremel. There will be a whiteness to the nail before the quick. I always stop there.

I think the most important thing is taking the time to train your dog to be still so this is the least bit traumatic as possible. Trust and respect are very important factors of any relationship. Now this doesn't mean they have to totally enjoy it, but at least tolerate it and be respectful of you to take care of them in this manner.

Good luck everyone, and thanks for the wonderful posts on this thread.

Tracy

 

My puppy also likes to sit for her trim with a Dremmel. She sits without fighting but she obviously is not relaxed. She gets very stressed if I try to get her to lie down for trims but that is a clicker goal we have.

 

Apollo, when he was a youngish puppy, hated having his nails done! I played with his feet from day one and he was and still is totally fine with that, but "pawdicure" time - oh, how I dreaded it! He even gave my boyfriend a bloody nose once when he flailed his head around!

We just stayed calm and matter-of-fact about it and he outgrew the little freakout stage. I did and still do bribe him like there's no tomorrow, shoving cookies in his mouth for every third nail or so. I don't mind having the dogs crunching away because it makes pawdicure time so much more pleasant for everyone involved.

Our rescue husky hated having her feet touched and it took a while but now she's a total doll about pawdicures. Apollo is very good, too. The only sucky part is that Apollo has those horrible black nails and I've quicked him like three times, though never seriously. I always feel horrible, though.