Nail Trim YIKES~

 Dyan I am going to put this in the Grooming folder there is usually very good activity there and there are some very experienced groomers that frequent there.

FWIW Bugsy was terrible at first with his nails but eventually he realized no matter what he did we were going to get them done.  Now he is very calm with it and will lay down when I get the dremel out - of course I have treats in my hand 

There is a link by Dobernman Dawn about dremeling that might be good to get started with now

Good luck

Thanks..... I did by a dremel...but took it back. Actully he is afraid of my vacumm, hair dryer and a few appliances that make noise.  The dern thing was expensive for something that I figured he would give us a bad time about.

I'm no help. I can't even my cut my big GSD's nails, I bring them to the groomers to get them done. I can't even imagine a Great Dane! Good luck though.

Clicker train, clicker train, clicker train.  Woobie hated it and he's great now.  Indie hated it and he's better now.  It's still one nail for one treat and typically one paw a day, but we are getting there.  Here's what I did.

During various times during everyday all through this training, I take the opportunity to examine their paws.  Hold the paw, separate the toes, etc. just to get them used to me handling the paws and toes.  And I treat for them allowing it.

First week or so it was show the clippers and let him sniff it and click and treat for any interest in the clippers at all.

Next week or so it was ask for a paw and touch the clippers to the paw (no clipping or even attempting, just contact) then click and treat.

Next week or so, clip one toe, jackpot click and treat, then leave it.

Each following week just up the ante a little bit, a few more toes for one treat, but the #1 rule (for me) was to never restrain.  The dog has to come to you willingly because it's a trade between the two of you.  I always make them "paw" for the front legs so they're offering their feet in exchange for the treat.  Indie's back legs are the ones I still need help with.  My daughter interests him in the treat, I quickly lift the foot, snip a nail (which he still doesn't like) and she'll click and treat.  Takes us the better part of a day to do one back foot because we work in one toe at a time and give him a chance to calm down in between.  He's funny now because when we're trying to do the back feet, he'll turn around and offer front paws like "Hey! Wouldn't you rather have one of these for the tasty treat?"  LOL!  He has 2 horrible dew claws on the back that are an absolute nightmare they're so thick and tough.  I usually try to do a sneak attack on those while he's napping on the couch next to me.

My dremel just came in at Walmart.  Now I get to start all over training them both to that!   

 clicker nails

dremel link

I use the cordless cheapie dremel (less than $20 at Walmart).  I started by just giving him a treat for touching it while it was not on.  I would hold it, then I left it on the ground and he touched it while investigating, then we did the low speed, then the high speed.  It is much more comfortable for the dog of that I am sure.

Bugsy hated having his nails done and he was nearly 40lbs when we got him.  We'd be chasing him around, then struggling to hold him while we did the nails. the whole time he was trying to escape which made it so very hard to cut the nails.  I had such a hard time that I told DH to do it and he wound up quicking him which made it a million times worse.  Eventually I was able to get him to submit to the process but I couldn't keep his nails short enough and dreaded do it.  

The dremel is a godsend.  Prior to training him with that he had become excellent when I did his nails BUT his nails are large and very hard and grow super quick.  The clippers weren't cutting them cleanly and it took ages to do them.  Several of the dane owners on here were the ones who said dremel - the bigger the nail the more appropriate.

Now I dremel 1-2x a week he sees the dremel and goes and lays on his bed waiting for a treat 

As for the noise, to be honest Dyan it is better to get him used to the sounds he is afraid of now before they escalate and he is 150lbs.  Unless you are going to send him to a groomer for his nails you will want to be using the dremel as the clippers just won't do the job.

It really was like catching and immobilizing a wild stallion with Bugsy but eventually he realized that no matter what he did it was going to happen.  It is important that you are in charge not being allowed or disallowed by him.

Good luck

I lay Luke on his side and lean over him with my elbow on his shoulder to hold him down.  His front paws the the worst for him, so I clip, treat, clip, treat, clip, treat, etc.  In other words, he gets a treat after every snip of the clippers.  The back feet don't seem to bother him, so I can snip through those quickly and give him a couple of treats after each foot.

The key is the treats.  He's learned that while he may not like nail clipping, it does come with good stuff (treats).  I also have to be VERY careful not to quick him -- I can't blame him for reacting to that.  The easiest way that I avoid this is by trimming frequently (I try for once a week) and only taking off a little at a time.

Kaiser is so much easier.  I just lay him backwards on my lap and snip, treat, snip, treat, etc.  His nails are clear, though -- SO much better...

not sure how obsessed about food gibson is? if he's really obsessed ust training him to lie down and keep the treats in sight, but do the trick... that's what did it for moca. she used to HATE getting her nails clipped. one day i got sick and wanted to start training. got out the treats and told myself i'll stop at the slightest sign of discomfort for her... uhm. i got all 4 paws done in one go and she didnt even notice. i hadnt even given her a single treat yet. she was so fixated on the treats she didnt notice...

but that of course is the dog i cant train with treats either, cause the brain just "switches" off.... lol

kpwlee

I use the cordless cheapie dremel (less than $20 at Walmart).  I started by just giving him a treat for touching it while it was not on.  I would hold it, then I left it on the ground and he touched it while investigating, then we did the low speed, then the high speed.  It is much more comfortable for the dog of that I am sure.

That's the one I got, just got the email that it's at the store ready for pick up.  Did you have to buy the sanding drums separately?  From the product description and picture on the website, it looked like all it comes with is the hard sanding stones.

kpwlee

 BUT his nails are large and very hard and grow super quick.  The clippers weren't cutting them cleanly and it took ages to do them.  Several of the dane owners on here were the ones who said dremel - the bigger the nail the more appropriate.

That's what Indie's nails are like.  Our walking schedule keeps Woobie's nice and worn down and I rarely really need to trim his (just keep his front dewclaws short) but Indie's are impervious and so hard!  Only good thing is that he only has like one dark nail so I can see the quick easily, but his wiggling has caused me to quick him twice and then it's back to Square One all over again!   

I take Zoe to the groomer, but Zack is a nightmare when it comes to clipping his nails.  It took 3 people to hold him down at the vets!  And I know treast will not do the trick with him, so I'm in the same boat.

Mine came with the sanding drum and I am still using the same sanding band - been doing it since the Fall I think - unless they changed it yours should be the same.

Nothing wears Bugsy's nails down and he has more black ones than not.  I have been trying to get them shorter and shorter but to be honest they'll never be 'show' short. They grow super fast too so his front ones should be done 2x weekly to keep them nice, the back ones only need a little each week to keep them smooth.

He really took to the dremeling pretty quickly - clearly it is better than trying to 'pinch' cut his nails.

Well,,,I have dremel on my mind so will check it out. I picked up one at PetSmart with a coupon.....but ended up taking it back before I even opened it.... I wanted to take it out of the package to look at it, but it was packed up so strong that I figured its not worth it... also the groomer there said that I should just go to Walmart to get one as they are so much less expensive.

Honestly...I used to read posts here about cutting nails and was so surprised at how much trouble people had.  I have never had a dog that gave me too hard of a time...even though none of them liked getting their nails trimmed.  Bubblegums breeder told me she used to have to get in the crate with Bubby to do hers...and I said NO WAY>...I'm not doing that....she is coming out..and she was pretty good about it...although she didn't like it and it did take two of us. 

The best one was Paris...remember the 3 yr old Dane I almost got after Bubby died. When I went to  see her...one thing I asked was about cutting her nails. Her mom said ( and showed me ) how Paris rolled over on her back and had all fours up and ready to cut AND dremel.  Wonder how she trained her for that!!

Well, I have figured out that I am going to trim Gibbys nails every week...even if its just one nail...just to get him used to it before he gets too big.

Believe me...I know all about a Great Danes nails and how think and big they are and how hard it is to hold down a big dog like that. He weighs almost 30# now....time is running short!

 Try doing it every day, like one nail per day.  That's how I started with both of my guys, that way it's something they're exposed to and conditioning for every day, it becomes part of the routine.  Doing one nail per day makes it quick and less stressful and I think they soon start to think, Oh, fine, here, no biggie.  For Woobie, it only took about a month and he was great.  Indie.  Not so much.    But we press ever onward!  LOL!

Check out the Walmart dremel, it's way cheap.  About the cost of a nail trim at some groomers.   

I do Aesop's nails every other day. He's learning to be still for the dremel, so I do front feet one day, back feet the next and so on.  He was 32# two weeks ago..not sure what he is at now. He's good at trying to kick away, but he's slowly learning to be still

Great idea....I will wait a few days since they have just been cut,,,then start doing them everyday. Maybe I will go by a dremel at WalMart....and by the time I get it,,,we will be ready to do a trim.  

This little baby monster is NOT going to get the best of me.  

I think!