By Kendall and Chandler Brown
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Dear Kendall,
We need help! We have a five-year-old Australian Shepherd named Misty who hates having her nails trimmed. She won’t let us hold her paw and we can’t even pick up the clippers without her bolting for the door. It makes it very stressful for everyone because we just want to help keep her healthy! We are at a loss! Help!
–Paws Off Limits
Dear Paws Off Limits,
It is very common for dogs to dislike having their nails trimmed, and I applaud your efforts to make the event less scary for Misty.
First, slow down the entire process and make smaller goals that can ideally be achieved without stress. Begin by touching Misty’s paw briefly, then removing your hand and praising her. Then touch her paw for several more moments, withdraw and praise. Work in this fashion using short, frequent sessions with an abundance of praise and tasty treats until she will allow you to touch her feet without running away or showing signs of stress, such as licking her lips, tucking her tail, trembling or growling.
Once Misty is happy to have her paws touched, now it’s time for the next step. As a dog trainer, I prefer my dogs to willingly consent to necessary procedures such as combing their fur, brushing their teeth and clipping their nails, so you will want to teach Misty to offer you her paw.
To build this skill, sit on the floor in front of Misty with some treats and hold out your hand. Say “paw” and then reach down and gently touch her paw above the pad at the back of the ankle joint. Apply a tiny amount of pressure toward you until she lifts her foot off the ground, and then reward and release. Repeat until you no longer have to prompt with touch and she is raising the corresponding paw toward you as you extend your hand.
Next, build out the duration by rewarding her only for longer periods of keeping her paw placed in your hand. At first she may only give you her foot for a second or two, but once she learns the game, she should advance rapidly. This is an important detail to learn because nail trimming can take a couple of minutes and Misty should remain still and patient throughout the process.
While you are working on her paws, you can also recast the nail clippers as a wonderful, treat-dispensing tool. Begin by putting the clippers on the ground and scattering high value treats around them to encourage her to approach. When she sees the clippers and begins to wag her tail in anticipation of a forthcoming reward, you know your efforts have been successful.
Once Misty is delighted to have her paws handled and the clipper is a source of awesomeness, you are finally ready to mimic the entire process of nail trimming. Sit down with your clippers and ask for her paw. When she complies, take up the clippers and touch her nails but do not clip them. Reward and repeat the action, touching each nail and building up to opening and closing the clippers near her nails and finally actually trimming one nail. Proceed in this fashion, one nail a day, until you can trim all of her nails in a single session with her remaining calm and happy.
It is wonderful to take ownership of your dog’s grooming needs whenever possible, and by following these guidelines of gradually redefining the nail trimming process, you will soon be able to help Misty remain healthier and happier.
Kendall and Chandler Brown are owners of Custom K-9 Service Dogs, a dog training business serving Minden/Gardnerville, Carson and Reno. For information go to customk9servicedogs.com or email customk9servicedogs@gmail.com.
