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I’ve had a number of people writing in lately asking for help and advice for dogs who growl or bite when either having their nails trimmed or having their paws cleaned after being outside. So I thought I’d write about why dogs do this and how to best help them to make nail clipping and foot cleaning a much better experience for everyone.
Contrary to what many people believe, our dogs aren’t being willful or stubborn when they aren’t compliant with what we ask of them. In the case where dogs bite or snap or growl when we’re trying to handle them in a physical manner, they’re simply expressing their discomfort in how we’re handling them. Their growl, snaps and bites are their way of telling us that they’re not comfortable with what we’re doing, and that’s how they ask us to stop. Because these simple actions of either wiping feet or clipping nails scares the dog. Please don’t punish your dog for growling or snapping.
What usually bothers these types of dogs is the actual handling of them. That we’re physically holding them, or their paws, still so that we can do what we need to do. When we’re clipping a dog’s nails, we often not only hold onto the paw, but hold onto each toe separately to hold it still so that we can clip the nail properly. Many people believe that the dog hates the nail clipper, and while this may be true, they learn to not like the clipper because they don’t like what predicts the clipper…the holding of the toe.
Many animals get uncomfortable when they are held still. This can be for nail trims, paw cleaning, ear cleaning, giving eye or ear drops, or general grooming. The less control a dog has over its own body, the more concerned they usually feel. It boils down to feelings of safety. Even though we need to sometimes clip nails or clean paws, or give medication, the dog doesn’t know that we’re doing this for their own good. They don’t understand and it makes them nervous.
To help dogs like this learn to handle and even enjoy getting their nails clipped, or any other grooming needs, we need to take the time to help make positive associations with what they’re frightened of. And we do this with things that the dog loves, usually high value treats, though we can use anything that the dog really enjoys. This can also be a short game of tug, or chasing a toy. Praise is not enough in situations like this.
Desensitizing is a process that can take awhile, so we shouldn’t have any time frame expectations when working on it. When planning on a grooming session, I prefer to do what the dog can handle, be it one nail trim, or just cleaning one paw in one session, as opposed to clipping all their nails or cleaning all their paws.
When desensitizing, it’s important not to hold the dog against its will. The more choice you give your dog, the more comfortable she will feel. It’s also important for the behavior of the handling to predict the amazing thing that the dog loves, such as a small piece of hot dog.
I’d suggest starting with asking the dog to give you a paw. When it does, then give the dog a treat. After a few repetitions, I will then want the dog to leave his paw on my hand for a longer amount of time. I will gradually work up the time the dog leaves his paw there. I won’t rush this at all. It’s important to work at a pace that the dog is comfortable with.
Once the dog can happily leave his paw on your palm for about 10 to 15 seconds then I’d work on handling the actual toes. Holding one toe for less than a second, then treat the dog. It’s also important to let the dog decide when he’s had enough and wants to stop the session. So work on second intervals at a time, I work the dog up to a number of seconds of me holding his toe. Then I gradually work on holding the toe a little firmer, as this is what we tend to do as we actually start clipping the nails.
Once we’re ready to introduce the nail clipper, we again start slow. With just the clipper touching the nail. We don’t even start clipping straight away. We need to make sure the dog is ok with the clipper touching him before we can start trimming.
Once we work up to having the clipper touch the nail for a couple of seconds then we can start with small clips of the nail. Release the dog’s paw after each clip, even if you haven’t cut off all the needs to go.
At the beginning you may only be able to clip one nail at a time. This is totally normal and alright. Most dogs do better with their front paws than their back paws at the beginning.
Positioning of the dog also matters. I find it best for front paws if the dog is sitting in front of me, so they can offer me their paw. For their back paws, I find it easiest when they’re standing, and you lift the paw backwards.
This process can be done to help a dog learn to accept many forms of grooming and husbandry behaviors. You just need to pair something amazing with what the dog doesn’t enjoy. Be mindful that the pairing should be a high valued item to the dog, say either liver treats, hot dogs or even small pieces of cheese. Don’t cheap out when it comes to the treats.
Some dogs do better with a Dremel tool as opposed to a clipper. Some dogs can also be taught to file their own nails on a large scratch board (board you’ve lined with sandpaper) instead of using a clipper. Just find out what your dog likes best and go with that.
Keep it slow. Slow and steady wins the race to help dogs feel more comfortable. Also remember to give the dog as much choice as possible. Dog wants to stop the session? Stop the session. If you do it properly, then soon you’ll find your dog offering his paw for either a nail clip or a paw cleaning. All because you took the time to make it an enjoyable experience for the dog!
If you need help with any of the desensitization please feel free to contact a local qualified force free trainer. If you’re concerned about how short to cut a dog’s nail and want to avoid cutting their quick, then you can contact a local groomer, or your vet to learn about how short to cut nails and how to identify where the quick is.
Now let’s get clipping! Good luck and Happy Training!
Meira
