# My dog is terrified of getting her nails clipped



## barqui (Sep 6, 2011)

I'm afraid of holding her too firmly as she is always tugging and crying. I don't want to break her leg... she has long spindly legs like those of a little deer...

Anyone with their own experience to share? How did you overcome this fear in your dogs??


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## Wicket (Aug 21, 2011)

Hey there, I used to have this fear when I first got our lil pup. I worked really hard to desensitize Wicket to whole process so at least several times a day she would have to "deal" with a piece of the nail clipping process. When she was younger, and even now, I constantly touched and held her paws and played with her toes and nails. I would always have the nail clippers around and randomly fiddle with them near her throughout the day. During training and play, I used to lightly pinch the tip of her claws and reward her for not pulling her paw away. I would "clip" near her claws, and even would just sit with her in my lap, the clippers in my hand, and watch TV. I used to clip her claws in her sleep, but now that she's older and a lighter sleeper she is more wary of what I am doing. When it came time to clip her nails fully awake, I would exercise the hell out of her and then use real meat to reward her for being brave. Now that she's all grown up, she still doesn't like clipping her nails, but she will put up with it. She struggles a tiny bit in the beginning, but then gives up within a matter of minutes, LOL.


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## Jenngun (Oct 15, 2013)

I clip my dogs nails, i used to be an easy thing. She would lie in my lap and just chill until i was done. But lately she freaks out whenever i take the clipper out of the drawer. I dont know how to calm her down.. i tried speaking to her, trying to calm her down, be firm with her and give her treats when i clip, but nothing works.. she cant walk around with long nails, and its super expencive to clip her nail at the vet here in Norway.. she has no problem with me putting nailpolish on her nails or just me touching her nails, and i dont cut her nails to short, so i dont understand why she all of a sudden got so afraid to clip her nails...


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

Jenngun said:


> I clip my dogs nails, i used to be an easy thing. She would lie in my lap and just chill until i was done. But lately she freaks out whenever i take the clipper out of the drawer. I dont know how to calm her down.. i tried speaking to her, trying to calm her down, be firm with her and give her treats when i clip, but nothing works.. she cant walk around with long nails, and its super expencive to clip her nail at the vet here in Norway.. she has no problem with me putting nailpolish on her nails or just me touching her nails, and i dont cut her nails to short, so i dont understand why she all of a sudden got so afraid to clip her nails...


My dog was fine too until one day he just... wasn't. 
Until a week ago, I was pregnant, so fighting with him to get his nails clipped just wasn't worth the effort... we take him to PetSmart and have them clip his nails, it's only $11.00 (he's 40 lbs).


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I have never had a dog that I could not clip the nails on till I got Kris. Even though I have worked on it from the time she was a pup, it always seems to be a battle. I finally broke down and took her to the doggy daycare and had them clip her nails. I know the woman who works there so she was fine with me feeding her treats while she clipped her nails. I had been trying to do it at home on my own and it is hard to treat and clip at the same time. I am hoping after a few times she will get better as it is $14.00 a time to get them clipped but would rather pay that than let her nails get too long.

Susie has never needed to have her nails clipped ever and she is ten next year but I know I would not have a problem with her anyway. The small dogs I have never had a problem with, they all just sit there and let me cut their nails.


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## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

Try readapting the dog to clipping nails...

By having them relax by you (dog trusting you),
take out the dog clipper and clipping your own nails... 
(or pretend but really clipping it is best, sometimes one can't just fool the dogs)
Treat yourself with say (peanuts Roman adores peanuts; same stuff your dog can eat)...
Then treat the dog with that same treats.

Next time, repeat but touch the clipper to the dog's nails but do not cut it, again cut your own.
Treat the same way again.

Repeat process till you can clip one nail and then more & more.

P.S. have the habit of touching your dog's leg every opportunity you get in between (do not relax and forget that even after your dog has let you successfully clip the nails). I also have the habit of smearing PB, CC on his feet for him to lick.
Also remember never to clip too close to the quick. My motto is some nail is better than a bloodied nail... so I do cut them long (yah, my eyes aren't that good too).


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## RabbleFox (Jan 23, 2013)

It may just be worth it to get them professionally done by a groomer. You can work on desensitizing her at home but having her cry and struggle with you just sets you back in training. Leave it to a pro until you can handle her feet easily!


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## w8ing4rain (Sep 4, 2008)

Trimming Dixie's nails takes three people an hour and involves lots of terrier screaming. It takes the groomer a couple of minutes and no screaming. I have given up trimming them at home. I consider it money well spent to have someone else do it.


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## Majide (Oct 22, 2013)

We just clipped Abby's nails last night. They were _waaaay _too long. It looks like nobody took care of them at all before we got her. We tried to do it before, and she just wiggled away and wasn't happy about it. So we've slowly been getting her used to us touching her feet, and she doesn't really mind that too much.

But last night was just awful.

First I trimmed the fur around her paws so it would be easier to get to the nails. My husband held her while I did the trimming, and she started growling and snapped at me! Fortunately my husband had hold of her really good, and was able to get her to calm down enough that at the end she wasn't fighting anymore. Just pulling away, but no more growling, whining and such like at the beginning.

We took a break, gave more treats, then went to clipping the actual nails. Once again more whining, crying, noises. But actually managed to do them all! We didn't clip much off, just tried to get it started. And some of her nails are so dark it's hard to tell where the quick is, especially since they are long, too.

Ugh, this is going to be difficult!


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

I've been trying to acclimate my dog to nail trims since I brought him home two years ago, even tried to acclimate him to a dremel. No dice. He will put his paw on the clippers when asked, but if you move it towards him, NOPE! He will growl and try to bite, so I have pretty much given up at this point and bring him to the vet where he has to be muzzled and I restrain him while the tech cuts them. That way no one gets hurt, and he gets his nails trimmed. I also taught him to file his nails on a board with sand paper, but it only helps so much, and only the fronts.


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