Nail clipping... Adelaide’s journey with the big bad task of clipping nails
It all started with the click click sound of Adelaide’s paws on the floor. Today we decided to really practice something that we’ve been avoiding... Adelaide’s fear of having her nails clipped. Before we discuss today’s long 45 min session, we’ll start here from the beginning so you can see the full progression of our experience.
Soon after Adelaide came home at 8 weeks, we noticed her nails were getting long. It was a little painful when she jumped up on you or accidentally scratched you. You could also hear the little clicking noises on the hardwood floor as she played. We were also receiving messages from concerned dog owners on insta that recommended we start clipping soon. We didn’t realize at the time but something as simple as nail trimming can really affect your dog’s health. Having nails that grow long enough to touch the floor can cause your dog pain, effect their overall alignment, and put them at risk for injury. With all of these concerns in mind, we knew we had to find a solution to the overgrown nail problem and QUICK.
We looked at our options and decided to go with a dremel. We chose this option for two reasons. Firstly, as dog parents, we were both uncomfortable clipping the nails safely. We were nervous we’d hit the nail bed and cause our pup to bleed. Secondly, we wanted to choose the option that might be easiest for Adelaide to accept. We know that iggys can sometimes be anxious so making this task as stress-free as possible was our ultimate goal.
When mom brought Adelaide to a pet store, the staff there recommended cat nail clippers instead. They said that since Adelaide’s nails were all white it was much easier to see where to clip and that it would ultimately be a smoother experience. At this time, mom really wanted to give the dremel a try so she did.
To our surprise, the dremel was extremely terrifying for Adelaide. She started vibrating just from the sound. The dremel also didn’t work as well as we had hoped, so the trim wasn’t as close or effective. After a few training sessions with treats, we decided that it just wasn’t going to work. Dad went back to the store and picked up some cat nail clippers. The staff at this store also agreed that because Adelaide was so small, this was probably the best option.
Using the cat nail clippers has been a better experience but we still struggle with Adelaide’s willingness to have her nails clipped. When we take the nail clippers out, she seems to notice right away. If you’re holding her, she tried to wriggle out of your arms and starts pulling her paws out of your hands. There have been a few sessions we even tried to clip them in her sleep. It works for the first few attempts but then she catches on and becomes unwilling. We have tried our best to keep up with the nail clipping but sometimes we only get as far as one foot or even one nail during a session.
We’ve done some reading as well as listened to advice from other dog/iggy owners. These are a few of the tips we learned:
Start slow. VERY slow.
Be consistent
Start desensitizing your pup by playing with their feet and toes when they’re sleepy (or even during their sleep)
Use lots and lots of treats to make the experience enjoyable and praise good behaviour
Today we noticed Adelaide’s nails were extremely long (most likely because she has spent a lot of time indoors due to her recent illness). For the first time in a while we had a good amount of time to dedicate to a nail clipping training session. We started slowly. Jess held Adelaide while Ryan fed treats and slowly held the nail clippers. Ryan started just by keeping the nail clippers closed and touching Adelaide’s nails. We tried moving a little too quick by opening the clippers and this got Adelaide a little spooked.
We picked up on her fears pretty quickly because she pulled her paw away, even just by the touch of the clipper. As long as Adelaide doesn’t squirm to get away, we keep going with the session.
The trick (that we’ve learned from Zak George’s YouTube videos and book) is to take even smaller steps than you initially think. Instead of thinking “one nail at a time”, you break it into imperceptible steps where your puppy barely notices something different is happening as you progress towards actually cutting the nail.
First, you bring the nail clippers close, and reward them with a treat for not pulling away. If at any time your dog recoils or squirms, do not reward the behaviour. Wait a moment and then continue.
Gently touch her nail with the metal, and reward again.
Touch her nails with open clippers.
Extend the time you touch her with the clippers open. Reminder, if she recoils or squirms, take it back one step or 2.
Apply a small amount of pressure with the clippers.
When your pup is calm, clip the nail.
If there’s a particularly troublesome step - for us it was the difference between the clippers being closed and then opened - really don’t be afraid to take a few steps back and slow it down. It will get better.
Even after our nail clipping session, we wondered if our work had really made any big changes. To our joy and surprise, we made really great progress in a new adventure - wearing boots in Adelaide’s first experience of snow! We applied the same concepts of moving slow, breaking it down into small steps, and using treats. We even improved the method by using pieces of rotisserie chicken, a higher valued treat. This progress even in such a short time gives us hope for our next challenge. As Adelaide’s adult teeth continue to grow in, we will next be tackling teeth brushing! Wish us luck.