How To Help Your Dog Not To Hate Nail Trims

Trimmed nails are an obvious indication of your puppy’s health condition and cleanliness. Plus, they are an essential component of pet care. Nervous pet owners may hire expert groomers to carry out the nail trimming process for them. You should know that clipping a dog’s nail is a straightforward process if performed correctly.

Therefore, if you want to teach your dog obedience to help them stay confident and calm during a stressful nail-cutting ordeal, follow these guidelines to manage your dog’s fears and monitor its reactions. If they experience any challenges along the way, repeat those particular steps with them.

1. Accustom Your Dog To The Sight Of Nail Scissors

Keep in mind that your dog may be unfamiliar with such an instrument, or it may link it to a previous traumatic event that it went through. In any case, it must overcome the phobia of cutters.

So, call your puppy and take up the nail scissors. As soon as you have the clippers out, express joy and reward your dog with a treat. In the following weeks, do it, again and again, several times daily.

When you associate the clipper’s image with incentives and recognition, your puppy learns to be familiar with it. Therefore, when your dog begins being happy at the sight of the cutter, you’re ready to move to the next step.

2. Teach Your Dog To Be Accommodating To Paw Handling

Gently stroke your puppy’s back and move your hands towards its paws slowly when it’s calm. While softly rubbing its feet, soothe the dog down with a quiet voice for it to stay still. Even more, concentrate on its toes while squeezing each of them gently.

After that, gently push down on its nail. Suppose it’s frightened or draws back its paw; take a brief pause. And then resume when it’s calm. You can employ verbal incentives along with treats but can’t use them in exchange for them. When you see the puppy pulling back its paw, hold off on scolding it. Do this a couple of times daily.

3. Introduce Your Puppy to The Clipper Sound

It’s time for the clipper again! Initiate step one along with this new step. Open and shut the nail scissors while talking and rewarding the puppy.

Gradually, reduce the distance between the dog and the clipper while contacting the puppy with the clipper. Once you notice that its excitement is driven by the clipper’s sound, reward it with praises or treats.

4. Integrate Paw Handling With Clipping

In this stage, you’re supposed to get your dog accustomed to being touched by nail cutters. As such, sit down with your puppy calmly, in a similar way to the second step. Using a single hand, hold its paw as your other hand opens and closes the scissor.

From there, place the clipper on the ground. Redo the procedure, bringing the clipper nearer to your dog this time. If it remains calm near the scissors, softly stroke its toe with the scissors as you soothingly speak to it. If necessary, provide a goodie.

At this point, you can begin flicking every toe of the dog using the clippers as long as it’s calm. Consider pausing if it ever gets agitated or pulls back its foot. You can then wait for a few moments and attempt anew, this time with a softer touch.

5. Take Care Of The Nail Trimming

The actual toenail trimming begins here when the dog is composed. Take her paw in your hands and softly grip one of its toenails. After that, gently push down on its nails, you grab its paw, create the clipping sound, then press your scissors to its foot.

You should trim the nail’s very tip without moving deeply so that its quickness isn’t exposed. As soon as you’ve cut each of its toenails, laud the puppy and reward it. Do not feel obligated to finish all the feet in a single session because most dogs respond better to clipping in bits. Cut either one or two toenails before resting.

6. Sharpen Your Scissor Blades On A Routine Basis

Grooming with dull blades can be excruciating; try to sharpen your clippers as often as you can. Most puppies will eventually become acquainted with toenail clipping and enjoy it with time. But if your puppy exhibits symptoms of severe nervousness, like shaking, heavy drooling, pacing, snarling, or nipping, it’s advisable to seek medical advice. Forcing the subject may exacerbate your dog’s anxiety.

Additionally, don’t reprimand your dog if it draws its paw off or shows fear and anxiety. Disciplining it may not only increase its aversion to nail cutting, but it may also heighten the dog’s tension, which will not address the issue in the foreseeable future. The aim is to habituate the puppy to toenail cutting while keeping track of its acceptable limits without overdoing it.

After that, gently push down on its nail.

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