Q: Please can you give me some tips for training a nervous dog to let you trim their nails at home?
A: Trimming the nails is always tricky, even with confident pooches. The tail and the feet are two of the most sensitive parts of a dog’s body, so many don’t like to be touched in these areas.
It may take months of perseverance and training but try starting with very gently touching the paw and feeding treats on a regular basis. Very slowly, begin to build this up to holding the toe, lifting it, positioning it for clipping etc. However, if your dog shows signs of stress like lip licking, looking away or panting, go back a few steps and start to work your way back up again.
Once your dog is more confident and allows you to hold onto the paw comfortably, you can slowly introduce nail clippers. Start by simply laying the nail clippers nearby and feeding treats. After a few weeks of this, progress to touching the nail with the clippers and slowly move towards gripping the nail in the clipper blades. It may take many months before you can apply pressure to the nail with the clippers, especially if your dog has previously experienced a painful nail clip.
If you are still struggling, talk to a registered dog trainer or behaviourist or visit your vet for further assistance.
