Nail Cutting

Cutting your dog's nails can be a chore! My dog, Sadie, gets so excited when I get the nail clippers or even the nail grinder out that she almost races me to the mat. Why? Because she will do almost anything for a treat and now I can cut the nails on all four feet in about two minutes.

I started off by giving her a peice of a treat for each toe. This gradually changed to a piece of a treat for each foot.

Then, because I love Cesear Milan the Dog Whisperer, I started placing Sadie on her side and once she was relaxed I would do the nails on one foot. Every time she would lift her head I would stop and put her head back down and wait until she was relaxed again. I would then go on to the next foot.

Now she almost runs to the mat and puts herself into position when she sees the nail clippers or even the grinder. She still jerks her foot back with the grinder but I think it is because it tickles her foot.

It is just amazing what a bit of patience, time and consistency can make happen! So don't fight with your dog and get frustrated when it is time to do the nails. Take a deep breath and relax. Allow yourself plenty of time so your are not in a rush and that will make your dog more relaxed about nail time. Oh, and don't forget to have the treats handy!