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At my wits end!

jax's_mommy

jax's_mommy

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Oct 16, 2012
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Jax
(not sure if this in the right area)

So, when I take Jax to the vet, he is a great pup when getting his nails clipped. He stays still like a good boy and is a complete angel.

Well, when I try and do it at home. Its a whole other dog. He's such a wiggle worm!

I tried using the stay command (which he hasnt mastered yet -_-) I've tried treats. I've even waited till he was sleeping soundly. But the moment the clippers barely touch the nail. He wakes up and it's trouble all over again. :(

He doesnt act afraid of them. He sniffs it, and even licks them.

His nails are growing, and I don't have a concrete area for him to walk on to smooth them naturally.

Any advice will be really appreciated, because Im going nuts!!!:D
 
I have the same problem with Arelus...he's a two person job when it comes to clipping his nails. He HATES having his nails clipped and it's not from lack of playing with his feet or touching them. I've done that since day one. I've never quicked him (cutting the quick and making them bleed) so I'm at a loss too.

Though I have heard from a groomer friend of mine, that dachshunds and some other terrier breeds are hard to clip nails because they are the original "earth dogs" She said that since they dig to hunt their prey that they may see any type of touch/manicure as damaging to their hunting - because they use their feet to do it. Sounds legitimate to me...but man, it's certainly nerve wracking when nails HAVE to be done :D
 
We gave up on do-it-yourself with our dogs, after trying clippers, the little dremel thing that's supposed to work wonders, etc.

Our vet takes care of it now. Like Steph says, it is a two person job. My wife refuses to go in when we take the dogs for their nail clippings. She's convinced she will just make it worse with her own anxiety.

It is also a good time to get that other job we don't like, and have never mastered: Anal gland expression.

So, every 5 or 6 weeks, our dogs go to the vets for Anals & Nails. The vets accept us into their office, and let us know this is not their favorite task, either.
 
With Jax, it's like a 4 person job lol. My husband tries to hold him and he still moves paw just enough so i cant get it, the little pain lol He's only 14 weeks old, and probably 6-8lbs. I can't imagine what it will be like to handle him for that when he's full grown.

I've been touching his paws since the day I got him. He doesn't mind it at all, until I grab the clippers.

I gotta take him to the vet here in the next week or 2. So I suppose Ill wait till then :)

Yeah, I don't care for the anal gland expression task either. I've yet to have to do that. Hoping I never have to, I would be leaving that for the vet as well.
 
I have the same problem with Nola! It's ridiculous and very frustrating. I've been working on CCing her to nail trimming, and it's gotten a bit better but not as easy as I would like it to be.

For the anal gland issues, you can feed a TBSP of pureed pumpkin (NOT the pie filling!) daily, or (I have not personally tried this) give dried prunes 1-2x a week. Nola gets pumpkin and I've never had any gland issues with her.
 
I have the same thing with Noods... I can not get near her with clippers, but the vet can!! BUT BUT BUT I CAN dremmell her nails and do it weekly... she does not like it and will attempt to squirm but when she relizes that she is getting dremmelled she settles down pretty good.

As for the anal glads... Noods is 10.5 and I have had her since she was 6 and I have NEVER had hers done or had to do them... thank god I heard it is GROSS!!!!
 
I agree with WM and the others. Although my good friend down the street, dremels her standard dachshund herself, I find it's just easier at the vets or groomers (groomer we use for our pekingese).

I think sometimes that we transfer our anxiety onto the dog and that compounds his fear. But then again, I'm not a canine psychiatrist!:eek:
 
We started using a Dremel on our 2 dogs, we spread peanut butter thin on a wooden spoon and my husband holds the dog and let them lick the spoon to occupy them do there nails. We really like the dremel so much better then using the clippers, less stress for all of us including the dogs.
 
hmm, I've never thought about using peanut butter. That might work with him.

Thank you to everyone! :) he's such a pain, he's the only dog I've ever had issues with on nail clipping.
 
I have to put Baby on her back, on my lap just to get her nails. I'll be lucky if I get one set. She usually snips or starts licking my hand excessively or do a high pitch whine that just makes my heart crumble! I usually start out by laying her on her back and massaging her for about 10 minutes- then I have to sneak in the clippers! A Dremel (sp?) is really good to use and occupying him with peanut butter. Also you could try a nail file on his nails. Best of Luck to you!
 
Most importanta - dont make it a fight. Clip one nail or one paw and then let him go, do one next day. That makes the prosedure easier.
At the same time, he cant win, he must put up with you cliping them.

How is he when you touch him? Are there areas he doesnt like to be toucht?

We started with massage and just make ALf used to us touching him everywhere. He has to put up with that if he gets an injury or something. So start with positive experience of beeing touched, even paws.

Make it a calm place to be laying down in your lap or wherever you have him when cliping his nails. Talk to him calmly and dont hold him still, that makes it a fight. Just let him go and try again in a few minutes. Reward laying still! Lots of praises :)

Good luck!
 
Thank you!

So far, I haven't found a place he doesn't like touched. Since the day I got him, I've touched him everywhere. I didn't want him to be fearful of being touched, or not like it. He's perfectly fine with me touching his paws, I even spread out his toes from ti e to time to check for anything, but soon as the clippers are it. Its a different story.

I do massage him to relax him before hand. He loves laying on my lap, sometimes its a hassle to keep him off lol :)
 
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