# Need help with clipping nails!



## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

So my dog has 16 nails plus 2 dew claws so that equals 18 nails and I've gotten 7 done today which leaves 11 left and I'm having a really hard time. I was wondering if anyone had some advice. 

First I had spread some peices of food out on the bed and while he was eating that I was able to get two nails on his front right foot. 

Then about 30 minutes later i fed him peices of food while my dad got 3 nails on his front left foot. I would have done it, but it was a weird angle. 

Then about 2 hours later while he was chewing on a ball I got one nail on his back right foot (i got it while he wasn't paying attention). then my dad came in and was petting/playing with him in order to distract him so I was able to get one more nail on his front right foot so that's 6 nails total on his front feet and I've still got 4 left for his front (that includes his dew claws) and then 7 left on the back.

There's got to be an easier way to do this. He barks at me and flails his legs around and pulls them away from me when I'm trying to clip his nails. But here's the thing, I could hold his feet all day long if I felt like it, he doesn't mind that. I can even grab each one of his nails and tap on them with my nails and he doesn't care. It's just when I get the clippers out that he starts acting like I'm going to torture him or something. 

Anyone have any tips? I got one of the miller's forge clippers (not guillotine style) I'm trying to cut them weekly or more often then that if possible because I'm trying to get his quick to go back.


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

Desenitize him to the sight of the clippers. Get the clippers out, give him a treat, put the clippers away and ignore him a little. Repeat many, many times. Mark and reward him for looking at the clippers, repeat many times. Then get the clippers out and touch his foot with your hand, mark and reward many times. Then get the clippers out and touch his nail with your fingers, mark and reward many times. Then get the clippers out and touch him with them (his foot if he will let you, if he won't start up higher on the leg), mark and reward, repeat many times. Then work your way to touching his foot, then his nail, and then when you finally get to clipping ONE nails, throw a party for him. Then the next day, do one nail and throw a party. Do only one nail a day until you have done them all. Then the next time around do 2 nails a day and so on.


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## ValtheAussie (Apr 19, 2009)

We had to get a Rx for a sedative because our Aussie was so horribly terrified of having his nails clipped. Our vet said that some dogs are just like that. He is a puppy of 4 1/2 months.


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

melgrj7 said:


> Desenitize him to the sight of the clippers. Get the clippers out, give him a treat, put the clippers away and ignore him a little. Repeat many, many times. Mark and reward him for looking at the clippers, repeat many times. Then get the clippers out and touch his foot with your hand, mark and reward many times. Then get the clippers out and touch his nail with your fingers, mark and reward many times. Then get the clippers out and touch him with them (his foot if he will let you, if he won't start up higher on the leg), mark and reward, repeat many times. Then work your way to touching his foot, then his nail, and then when you finally get to clipping ONE nails, throw a party for him. Then the next day, do one nail and throw a party. Do only one nail a day until you have done them all. Then the next time around do 2 nails a day and so on.


If the clippers are closed I can touch them to his nails. He'll sniff the clippers and try to lick them and doesn't care if I rest them on his nails or anywhere on him for that matter. It's just when they're open that he has a problem. he's kind of sleeping right now so I was thinking maybe I could slip a couple in before he notices?



ValtheAussie said:


> We had to get a Rx for a sedative because our Aussie was so horribly terrified of having his nails clipped. Our vet said that some dogs are just like that. He is a puppy of 4 1/2 months.


the groomer and vet can do it no problem. The groomer can't dremel them because he doesn't like the noise, but she can clip them and hand file them and all she has to do is give him a ball to chew on while she does it. Why won't that work for me?


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## ValtheAussie (Apr 19, 2009)

My Aussie is over-the-top petrified to have his nails done. I've never seen a dog so sensitive to nail trimming.

Even with the vet, it took two technicians to hold him down and his anal glands emptied out because he was so terrified.

No dog should have to be so terrified of a nail clipping. It's less cruel to sedate this pupster, believe me.

My last Aussie girl wasn't thrilled to have her nails done, but she wasn't over-the-top terrified to the point of just a terrible thing to see in a dog, like he was being murdered.


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

ValtheAussie said:


> My Aussie is over-the-top petrified to have his nails done. I've never seen a dog so sensitive to nail trimming.
> 
> Even with the vet, it took two technicians to hold him down and his anal glands emptied out because he was so terrified.
> 
> ...


I'm pretty sure he's not scared. I guess tortured was the wrong word to use. i just didn't know how to describe it. he'll go bark bark bark and a low growl, similar to when we're playing and then he'll kind of jump, not in the air because he's laying down but jump like as if he were startled or something and then try to pull his paws away. 

i know this might sound stupid, but I think he's trying to "intimidate" me if that even makes any sense.


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## Raggs (Jan 10, 2007)

You just gotta do it.. If you pull away and stop doing it when he barks or growls or pulls then you are teaching him that it's ok to do that.. he's the one in control and not you... If you must have your dad help you.. Pull his front leg out straight in front of him and have your dad push on the leg by holding the elbow.. This will keep him from jerking his leg back.. Also lay him on his side and have your dad while holding the leg, but gentle but firm pressure on him to keep him laying down..

To get the back ones you can do the same thing or you can stand him up and have your dad straddle him, holding him up. then pull his leg straight back, NOT TO THE SIDE and clip the nails that way.. You should be facing away from him to do the back ones.. Wrap your arm around his leg to support it, hold on to the paw and clip away.  

It's all about training.. If he's being a good boy then tell him he's a good boy.. If he starts to fight firmly tell him no... Then if he was a good boy and ONLY a good boy, give him a treat.


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

I got two more done on his back left foot before he woke up and barked at me. so that's 9 down, 9 to go.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I agree with Raggs. You have the tail wagging the dog there, no pun intended. If the groomer and the vet can do his nails no problem, but you cannot, its simply a matter of him being alpha over you, and you need to establish your alpha role. Throwing treats at him is just excacerbating it and distracting him, rather than teaching him what behavior is acceptable and whats not. ALso, its very important that your nail trimmers are sharp. If they are dull, they will squeeze/crush the nail, and that can hurt. They should slice right thru it, and you need to squeeze the trimmers fast..don't go slow, find your spot, and cut it quickly, so you aren't squeezing and putting pressure on the nail. Treat him when you are done, and only when he is being good. Treating him to distract him when he's misbehaving is just reinforcing the bad behavior.


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

The clippers are new. i just bought them. this is the first time I've used them. i didn't think the treating to distract him was reinforcing the bad behavior because the treating started before i even attempted to clip his nails so by distracting him before he started misbehaving i thought that was preventing the misbehaving. I've he's distracted via sleeping or getting fed treats i can clip them before he even begins to act up. it's once he realizes that I'm clipping them that he starts acting like that so then as soon as he started acting like that i would finish the one i was trying to do and then stop.

The groomer said that he was doing the same thing with her so she gave him a ball to chew on (which was essentially something to distract him) and then she finished no problem. she even hand filed his nails. 

I think 9 is good for one day. I'm going to try see if i can take him to the groomers on saturday to get the other nine done and then next week we'll try again. 

I think also part of the problem is I'm hesitant because I don't want to nick the quick and hurt him so it takes me a while to get a hold of his foot position the clippers where I want them and then clip (which I know I'm supposed to do fast and I do)

So maybe the real problem here is i just need more practice so I can get more comfortable with clipping his nails and then we probably won't have this problem if I'm not hesitant and I just do it quickly. 

I guess I'm the problem here


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Graco22 said:


> I agree with Raggs. You have the tail wagging the dog there, no pun intended. If the groomer and the vet can do his nails no problem, but you cannot, its simply a matter of him being alpha over you, and you need to establish your alpha role. Throwing treats at him is just excacerbating it and distracting him, rather than teaching him what behavior is acceptable and whats not.


Very interesting.


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## Raggs (Jan 10, 2007)

Curbside.. all I can say to that video is..DUH.. LOL.. Not to you, but to the owner of Tucker.. ha ha

If she knew anything about the breed, she would have known that Airedales are headstrong. LOL.. That's why you don't see a lot of them... People that know them, don't want to deal with them.. lol... I groom one that the owner is trying to find a home for because he's such an ass.. ha ha


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Raggs said:


> Curbside.. all I can say to that video is..DUH.. LOL.. Not to you, but to the owner of Tucker.. ha ha
> 
> If she knew anything about the breed, she would have known that Airedales are headstrong. LOL.. That's why you don't see a lot of them... People that know them, don't want to deal with them.. lol... I groom one that the owner is trying to find a home for because he's such an ass.. ha ha


I get that people can be confused by terriers, but I don't get any of your comments. "Headstrong", an "ass" (a word I wish you wouldn't use on our forum), say nothing about the dog's intelligence...only what you're willing to handle. And, as the video illustrated, Airedales learn very quickly and easily, as most terriers do. 

I understand that groomers don't have the time or responsibility to train the dog as shown in the video, but that doesn't give reason to treat the Airedale any differently than any other learning breed. 

Perhaps if groomers did more to encourage the dog's guardian to manifest the intelligence in the dog, and not the will of the dog, you'd find dogs like the Airedale easy to groom.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

LOL, I have an airedale of my own. They are VERY intelligent, probably the smartest dog I have ever owned. He learns everything super fast, and remembers it...but they are smart like a fox, as they are a terrier. Terriers are different than most other dog breeds in that they were bred to have a mind of their own..which is why they are considered stubborn. They were bred to chase and kill critters, in holes, etc. where the handler wouldn't be to tell them what to do..they are supposed to take charge and do it..and they do. This makes them difficult to train for things they aren't so keen on doing, because they are all about them and what they want, no to much on pleasing you.  I have been trimming and grinding my Dales nails since he was 8 weeks old..he was on the grooming table every day with me at work since that age, just getting experience and getting used to hand stripping. He is great on the table for stripping. Lays on his side, relaxed, etc..However, he STILL has the typical Dale issues of not wanting his feet touched, or his head messed with and he is a stinker for his nails, though he would never dream of biting..just pulling away, spinning, etc. Dales are known for being "difficult" to groom..its just them in general. I love grooming them, and for the most part, find them easy grooms, but being that I specialize in terriers, I have LOTS of them, and know how their minds work. Airedales are certainly not for everyone. Unfortunately, many people get them without knowing their nature. I have a client that had to euthanize theirs at 2 years old because he had bitten his owner 3 times, unprovoked..I had told them since he was 6 months of age to get him neutered and get him in training class, as he was a VERY dominant dog, and I had to resort to muzzling him for the entire groom at just 9 months old( and 75 pounds..he was HUGE, and I rarely muzzle a dog..) Even with the muzzle on, he would lunge at me, and growl the entire time..The owners just never listened, and they and the dog suffered because of it. 

No, as groomers, (just like vets) we don't have the time or do we get paid to train someone's dog. Thats what trainers are for. We still are training them when we groom them, trim nails, etc to some extent..but we don't have hours to clicker train, treat, reward, etc. That is the owners job IMO, and I certainly give advice on how to do that. As a groomer, I DO NOT give treats, unless the client brings them in. Too many allergies and such to take a risk giving someone's dog food. Praise and petting, and teaching them as a alpha dog in the pack would, because most dogs understand that very easily. Confidence, know how, and ignoring bad behavior and continuing about what you are doing. They will get tired of fighting you..thats when you praise. And sometimes, you just have to send them home unfinished, and tell the owner they have work to do. Unfortunately, most owners don't want to hear that..they just want their dog groomed, and to perfection, and don't want to hear about them being difficult or dangerous.


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## FourIsCompany (Apr 18, 2009)

One thing I noticed in the video is the energy of the owner (nervous, frustrated, even scared) as compared to the energy of the groomer (calm, assertive, composed). That makes a huge difference, IMO. 

*ara28*, keep with it and just take off a slice at a time, to be sure not to get the quick. I prefer the guillotine style, myself, but as long as they're sharp and you're using them right (Instructions) it should be fine. You REALLY want to avoid cutting the quick since the dog is already afraid of the clippers. 

Approach him when he's tired out from a good run and give him a nice massage first. Then after you're done, give him lots of praise and a special treat (I use bully sticks) or a fun game he loves.


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

FourIsCompany said:


> One thing I noticed in the video is the energy of the owner (nervous, frustrated, even scared) as compared to the energy of the groomer (calm, assertive, composed). That makes a huge difference, IMO.
> 
> *ara28*, keep with it and just take off a slice at a time, to be sure not to get the quick. I prefer the guillotine style, myself, but as long as they're sharp and you're using them right (Instructions) it should be fine. You REALLY want to avoid cutting the quick since the dog is already afraid of the clippers.
> 
> Approach him when he's tired out from a good run and give him a nice massage first. Then after you're done, give him lots of praise and a special treat (I use bully sticks) or a fun game he loves.


I think I accidentally nicked the quick last night but he didn't seem to notice nor did I notice until a couple hours later when he was laying with his feet in my face and i saw a dark red dot on the underside of his nail. 

I got the scissor type clippers because I read that they're less painful for the dog because they slice from both sides. That's why I didn't get the guillotine style. That video that cp put up was helpful in showing me how I can get him to tolerate the open clippers. he doesn't care if they're closed, it's just when their open. 

And, he's really good about me messing with his feet. I bet i could stick a paw in my mouth (not that I would actually want to do that) or something and he probably wouldn't care. I give him little paw massages all the time and play bicycle with his feet and I can squeeze and hold his foot for a good while before he tries to get his foot back. 
I'm convinced it's just the open clippers that we're having issues with. oh and me of course since I'm very hesitant to cut them. We'll be stopping by the groomers tomorrow to get the other 9 done.

Thanks for the link to the instructions. i liked the visual of how she positioned herself and the dog to cut the nails because I couldn't do his front left foot because it was a weird angle for me but he wasn't laying like the dog in the picture. Also, he has clear nails so I can see the quick no problem. I think if he had black nails I wouldn't even attempt to cut them myself, I'd be too scared.


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Graco22 said:


> They were bred to chase and kill critters, in holes, etc. where the handler wouldn't be to tell them what to do..they are supposed to take charge and do it..and they do. This makes them difficult to train for things they aren't so keen on doing, because they are all about them and what they want, no to much on pleasing you.


 Well I’m not silly enough to believe any dog works to please me, regardless of the breed. So I guess I wouldn’t paint the same picture as you. However, I’ve also not found it difficult to use their independence to direct their energy towards an appropriate outcome. In fact, it’s because of their independence I find terriers easy to handle. Yes, they finish the task, and if it’s my task they’re finishing, where’s the problem? They only need to learn that my tasks are much more rewarding than theirs. I’ve never run into a “stubborn” terrier in this regard, Dales includes. 



> Praise and petting, and teaching them as a alpha dog in the pack would, because most dogs understand that very easily.


 You have alpha dogs at the groomery that assist in nail clipping? Wow, I’m impressed. Of course I’m being facetious, but, if Dales can be as difficult as you suggest, minimum wage and constructs aren’t what they need. They need a strong motivation to convince them that what we need them to tolerate is worth it. Dogs do not have an innate ability to tolerate nail clipping. In fact, it would be their nature for the exact opposite. I would never suggest training be done at the groomery (though it would be nice), but I also wouldn’t suggest what a groomer needs to do to get a job done be the same criteria the guardian should use.


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## FourIsCompany (Apr 18, 2009)

ara28 said:


> Also, he has clear nails so I can see the quick no problem. I think if he had black nails I wouldn't even attempt to cut them myself, I'd be too scared.


I've got 71 black nails to cut!  I envy people whose dog's nails are clear! LOL


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

FourIsCompany said:


> I've got 71 black nails to cut!  I envy people whose dog's nails are clear! LOL


71? why an odd number?


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## FourIsCompany (Apr 18, 2009)

Oh, because Cara ripped one of her back nails and it had to be removed.


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

FourIsCompany said:


> Oh, because Cara ripped one of her back nails and it had to be removed.


Ouch! That sounds like it would have been painful. 

have you used both guillotine and scissor type and out of those you prefer guillotine or have you only used guillotine?


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## FourIsCompany (Apr 18, 2009)

It was painful. She caught it on something while she was playing and tore it up pretty badly. 

I have both scissor and guillotine clippers, but I don't use the scissors. I also use a foot file (for people) and heavy duty emory boards to take some nail off when I think it might be close to the quick and just to buff them round when I'm done. They get a real pedicure. LOL And no, I don't paint them... yet.


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## ValtheAussie (Apr 19, 2009)

We gave our dog a half a tranquilizer to help give him a nail trimming...we are waiting to see if he calms down or if he needs to have the whole pill.

I am hoping that half a pill does the job. We'll see how this goes.

No dice; puppy will be going to the groomers this week. The pill did nada....he still went ballistic!!! Even with a doggie thorazine...poor honey-dog....will leave it to the pro's and will let them know about his trimmy troubles......there is a great groomer not to far from where we live.

Only the best for our pal Val!!!


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## Raggs (Jan 10, 2007)

I find the Airedale very easy to groom. I'm actually the only groomer in the Salt Lake valley that does it the right way. I do several of them. Most are very good. Only the ones that don't have the proper training are difficult to work with.. and I'm sorry for using that 3 letter word.. I don't normally use words like that on forums.. It probably just slipped. 

I've actually always wanted an Airedale. I was simply stating that if someone doesn't know the breed, then they are in for a fun time.  That goes with any breed. 

I actually inherited a Rottie pup from someone because they got sick of him chewing everything. now if they had bothered to do research on the breed, they have been known to chew and destroy things until they are 3 yrs old.


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