# trimming nails-need advice!



## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Does anyone have any good tricks for trimming nails? Rufus has always been touchy about it but I thought we were making progress. This week he has out and out refused to let me cut his nails! He's growling at me just as menacingly as possible. He pulls his feet and struggles and gets sweaty and I just can't get them done. We were doing them every week and each week he was getting better about it--honestly! I have never cut him or even gone too short. *I cut all the nails in the house and no one has ever had a problem like this. I don't want to make him afraid of me. Should I give up and take him to a groomer? Are there any good tricks y'all could share? I even tried a blindfold--since he seems fine unless he sees the cutter. That didn't work either. :nono:


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Sorry, I don't have any tricks for you. I do it with them standing never give in to them pulling away. My guys try to pull away a couple times and then give in. If he has black nails, I personally would not trust anyone else. I think he will come around. I only cut my guys every other week, but they could probably use it every week.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Christy, I feel your pain!!! Jasper acts as if he is going to have a heart attack if we try. (I mean literally, he thrashes and gets sweaty and whines and pants) The vet was able to do it. But that was $30 a pop. Finally this summer, I have been taking them every other week to the groomers ($8.00)- there is one guy who can do Jasper and the last time we went Jasper didn't make a peep. Usually Jasper starts whining in the car when we go to the groomers (once he realizes we've gone past the park) but he is getting better at that too. 

When I posted the same question months ago-- the wonderful forum suggested tiring him out with a long walk first and then wrapping him in a blanket and taking out one paw at a time- that is a two person idea and it only worked one time for us. 

I don't know if he would let me do it now that he is more used to it-- but for now Josh at the groomers is my answer


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## dboudreau (Jan 12, 2007)

Christy, Sam did the same thing. He was fine with his nails, then one day out of the blue he pulled his paw back and started growling. I couldn't let him get away with that, I held him down until he stopped struggling and just cut one nail and let him up. From then on it has been a battle. But it is getting better, I lay him on his back on a towel on the kitchen table. If he starts to growl I growl right back and say no and continue to clip. After we are done he does his RLH and gets a yummy treat. Good luck.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Jasper sounds just like Rufus was acting last night.  Debbie, You sound just like me! I managed to get the back ones done for the most part last night but we were both unhappy by the end of things. I decided it was best to let it go and wait for another day so we could have a fresh start. I tried everything I could think of... the blindfold~~smiling and being cheerful while pressing ahead~~another bath to soften the nails and calm him~~I laid out all the scissors, clippers, combs and let him "see" them~~I let him watch while I did Ayla's nails~~ ?? Nothing really helped. It's only the nails that is making him act this way. He allows me to bathe him and blow dry, comb brush, put in his eye drops, he even lets me trim between his pads with no fuss. I'll try again tomorrow, but I might also call the groomer and see what they charge just for nails. I hope mine only charges $8.00 Missy!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Oh, stinker! It sounds like you're doing things well, Christy. Do not let him get away with growling.

Can you get your husband or son to help hold?


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## radar_jones (May 6, 2007)

I find the best time to do Radar's nails is at night when he's rather sleepy. What I do now is I get My Wife to hold Radar and I put some warm water on his paws to expose the nail and then I just clip away but unfortunately some accidents happen. I clipped Radar too close the other day because he was moving alot and almost really drew alot of blood but he was good with it after a while. You just have to really be consistent with it. Give treats after each paw and sometimes you may find that they need to have them done over the course of a couple of days...one paw at a time or two at a time sometimes.

Derek


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Would filing instead of cutting be an option? I know it takes a lot longer, but perhaps he'd be more cooperative. Just a thought.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

You guys are so supportive! :biggrin1: Larry and Bo are river rafting this weekend, so no help there for now. Derek, I'm going to try the treat thing today. I just opened a roll of Natural Balance Turkey flavor and he's crazy for it, so we'll try cut and treat! Leslie, I've tried the Dremel and the trimmers and I also got some heavy grit acrylic files. He pulls his foot back from the files and the trimmer. I couldn't use the Dremel at all. By the time I separate out his toenail and get the tool to his foot he yanks it away! :doh: 

He's napping right now, so we'll give it a try later. Wish me luck!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Good luck!

We have had a similar problem. She WAS cooperative for months until she pulled once while we were clipping and now she fights us. 

It takes TWO people. I usually hold her firmly and lovingly, rubbing her head w/ one hand and holding her paw steady with the other. I try to keep her head turned so she doesn't see the clippers.

She is more cooperative RIGHT after her bath when she is a towel. It also makes it easier to cut as the fur is wet and not in the way.

And after that, she gets a nice few bites of cheddar cheese 

Let us know how it goes.

Hugs,
Kara


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I got 7 more trimmed today!! 3 more to go and we're done for the week! :whoo: The treats _really_ helped. I gave him just a taste first and then would set the treat where he could see it until we trimmed a nail. Then he got the treat! It worked pretty well, even though we didn't get them all done, it was sooo much nicer not to have to fight him. I think we made some headway! eace:


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## EMarie (Apr 11, 2007)

I would have someone hold him belly facing out toward you. They need to put one had like on his belly so all four feet come out around it...I will get pictures for you. Then you can clip the nails and they can control his head. He will learn that no matter how hard he pitches a fit he is not going to win and you are not going to stop. No matter how you do it never let him know that if he fusses enough you will stop.

Erin


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Yippee!! I got the last three daone with treats!! I should have known...DUH! Kimberly's dogs are driven by food!! :hungry: :bounce:


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## LuvMyHavanese (Apr 13, 2007)

EMarie said:


> I...I will get pictures for you.
> Erin


Erin, pictures would be GREAT! I am so bad at visualizing anything. Now that i have 3 pups, i need to trim them myself($$$$). Any tips on how to cut black nails?


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Christy, you are my hero!!!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

LuvMyHavanese said:


> Erin, pictures would be GREAT! I am so bad at visualizing anything. Now that i have 3 pups, i need to trim them myself($$$$). Any tips on how to cut black nails?


Hi Shannon:

I try to look at the black nail next to the white ones and judge how much to clip. But I also only clip a little off the black nail at a time....it is always scary!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

I really want to do Kubrick's nails myself but I'm also really scared since they're black. He desperately needs it, though, as he is only getting them done every two weeks or so now by the vet and his nails grow so fast I think they need to be done a little more often than that. Plus, in a little bit he won't have to be in and out of the vet for random visits anymore and then what will I do?

I really would love any tips on doing black nails as I can't compare them to clear ones since I don't have any other dogs!

Also, what kind of clipper do you think works best?


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## Obiwanhavanese (May 29, 2007)

I've been really hands-on about Obi's grooming and maintenance. From a very early age I kept holding his paws, touching his ears, etc... Now although he resists having his nails cut, he eventually gives in and lets me do it. I'd suggest to keep at it, it's never going to just get better on it's own. I think the dogs have to learn that you're not out to hurt them and that touching their paws is no big deal.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Lina said:


> Also, what kind of clipper do you think works best?


I use a claw type clipper. Don't waste you money on the Quickfinder one. Several of us tried it and didn't like it. It was a waste of money.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Missy said:


> Christy, you are my hero!!!


Hahaha!! Funny!


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

I now use a small trammel. It was only about $20 at Walmart. Rechargeable with 2 speeds. It took me about a week to get her to stand for it. Touch and Treat, Touch and Treat. I ran the motor all over her feet. I do the nail from top to bottom on my grooming table, so I do not care it it runs off. Doing them this way makes the quick receed and is much easier to keep them short. You do have to be extremely careful not to get the hair. 

Whichever method you use Treats are the way to go.


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## EMarie (Apr 11, 2007)

Ok, I know pictures...I just got more batteries for my camera....I will get it tonight..Sorry guys...Black nails are daunting..but just tip them...eventually you will get used to it.

Erin


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

I trim all four of my dogs nails and a guinea pig. I have to say the lab and the guinea pig are the best about it. 

For the boys, I find it works best if I sit and hold them with their back to me for the fronth paws. That put's them in a sitting position too. Cut a nail give a nibble of treat, cut another, another nibble. This way they are more concerned with the treat. 


For the back paws, I lay them on their backs, between my legs, again cut, treat, cut, treat. 

This way they associate nail clipping with getting a treat, it does take time for them to get used to it, but I always use treats when grooming, my guys don't like it, but it has to be done and done often.


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## EMarie (Apr 11, 2007)

ok, I can't get pictures...it was NOT the batteries, something is wrong with the actual camera. It is now at the shop...Sorry all.

Erin


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

oh no! Bummer. I hope it's an easy and cheap fix for your poor camera! Once it's fixed I expect plenty of "test shots" of your dogs! :biggrin1:


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## whitBmom (Nov 27, 2006)

Christy, congrats on your success! I have also learned the treats work well with Oreo. He does not like the nail clipper, but he will put up with it because he knows that after ANY grooming session he gets a treat.  They are so smart that way!!


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## jimandjudy4321 (Aug 13, 2007)

When I clip Annie's nails, I first get her relaxed with a belly rub, usually on the floor with my husband rubbing her belly. I then gently lift her paw and clip away, just beyond the pink part of her nail. Thankfully, her nails are white and I can see where to clip. For anyone who is afraid they might cut too short and cause bleeding, don't worry, if you keep the corn starch handy, and just pack that into the nail, it stops the bleeding. This is a trick groomers use. And before she knows it, Annie's nail are all clipped.


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