nail cutting

I understand your problem. I have one of those dogs kind of also. I can get two feet cut and then she is done.
 
I did do the "I will not let you sin this battle" thing with her when she was a pup but I really do not think it will work with an adult dog. I just don't think you would ever win.
 
The frustrating thing for me is that my dog will let me rub her feet, play with her toes, touch the clippers to her toes but she freaks when I actually cut them. The only thing I have found that works for her is to have someone feed her a continual stream of honey nut cheerios, one at a time, as fast as they can while I cut toenails as fast as I can.[] Not healthy but it gets the job done.
 
sorry I am not of maore help but I do know what you are going through.
 
Have you tried the dremmel?
 
Is the muzzle freaking her out even more??

I have had dogs who didn't like having their nails cut, but I have never had dogs resist it like yours does.  I am not sure about your husband's idea so I will let others, with more knowledge, comment on it.  You do have to cut his nails.  I guess, just do whatever you have to do to get it done, even if he goes nuts.  It won't kill him.  I want to second the dremel idea if you have never tried that.

we have problems with sydney too. he doesnt try to bite us, but when you touch his paw he jerks away until you let go. hard to cut a moving nail.[]

we tried the peanut butter on the fridge door... didnt work. we have been trying to handle his paws regularly, but he still is flinching away. last night we got him up on the bed and my wife gave him belly rubs while i tried to cut his nails... i got 2 of them (nails not paws).

i dont have any good suggestions just, good luck![]

Molly isn't too crazy about it either but she doesn't struggle other than try to pull her paw away.
I wait until immediately after we've gone for a long long walk so she's tired. She doesn't struggle as much AND the last time I clipped I didn't right away a walk and she was very good

I used to muzzle Emma, and sit on her to do her nails. I would be bleeding, before it was over with. It was horrible. It flipped her out. She sprayed anal glands.

At the advice of someone in JRT chat, I started clipping one nail a day, and not making it a big deal. I'd put a little peanut butter on my hand, the fridge, the stove, wherever, and let her lick while I cut ONE nail. Now, she's almost 3. I can cut all of her nails, calmly, in one session. I get NO struggle. She gets a treat, when she's done.

I feel for you..I trim nails everyday at work and often get the dog who is sure I am going to kill him. I work for a groomer who has gotten a reputation for being able to turn dogs around on the nail trimming task. She is awesome to watch with a dog and it's very cool to see a dog the first time and then weeks or months later the same dog in a totally different frame of mind.
You said your dog has never had a bad experience..not once? never nicked a nail? Consider what your dog may think a bad experience is..being held down can't be a fun thing. For some dogs a muzzle makes things worse..others it seems to actually calm them..some you just have no choice. I am often surprised at the dogs the groomer I work for decides would do better without the muzzle.
One of my own dogs that I got fom rescue was like that when I first got her and now she is an absolute angel for getting her nails done. It took alot of patience and time to get to that point..but we are there =)
 
Without seeing what your dog is doing..or having the opportunity to actually trim his nails, it's hard to say what would work. But here are a couple things I've learned.
 * I often hear people telling their dog "it's okay" , while the dog thrashes around trying to bite them. The behavior is not okay and although thats not what the person means..it's a message the dog may be getting. Maybe say "you are fine", "easy", "relax".
 
* Go into the process expecting your dog to be well behaved.
 
* It helps immensly to have a grooming table so that you can strap the dogs hind end and front end to the overhead bar..it keeps them on the table and allows you some free hands...I think this feels different to most dogs than being held down by a person. This doesn't work as well..nor is it as safe if there is only a strap for the head. It also allows you to work in certain positions where the dog cannot bite you even if he tries. You can often find self serve grooming shops that have tables available for use.
 
* Find a groomer who is patient, has much experience and is willing to take some time with your dog. Often times we have people come in every week or two weeks in the beginning and we take a smidge off each time..this helps push the quick back. Usually people have been avoiding doing their dogs nails so the quick has extended quite far into
the tip of the nail by this point and it takes time to work it back. Plus working more frequently with the issue is helpful. If you decide to go this route..you will have to use your own judgement, but sometimes a groomer will ask the dogs owner to wait in another room. Sometimes it's helpful. Depends on the dog and owner. BUT the object here is not to hold the dog down and make this a miserable experience..so if you think thats whats going to happen behind closed doors..don't go there. You can likely discuss with the groomer ahead of time what it is you want and discover if thats going to be the case. A groomer usually charges less for a NT than a vet..we charge $10. You could also ask the groomer to show you..ask her to show you where to be and how to hold a foot to avoid being bitten. I've learned lots of tricks from the groomer I work for. Small things that interupt behavior, get their mind off what they are about to do. We frequently give lessons to clients.
 
* Find some way to make the experience a good one. We often do massage before we ever start, brush the dog a bit, take your time. Too many people rush and get into a war with the dog..not exactly a good experience. We also don't rush the dog off the table after the trim..more brushing and massage. (Check out TTouch)
 
* Take really small amounts off in the beginning to make sure you don't ever get the quick. They don't forget..and I don't care what the vet says..it's does hurt! Don't use the guillotine style clippers they squeeze too much and many dogs fight that sensation. Also pay attention to how tightly you are gripping their foot..try to keep as light a grip as possible without allowing them to pull away..I know this sounds impossible at this stage.
 
*Dremeling may well be the answer for your dog..I use it weekly on my dog that goes to work with me(he is fine with clippers..but prefers the dremel..and so do I) The other two dogs get clipped and dremeled every three weeks. For some dogs this is totally the answer..some dogs resent the vibration more than the clippers.
 
I hope at least one thing above is helpful, It's really hard to tell what the problem is without seeing the dog and owner, but I do know that everyday I see dogs come around to having their nails trimmed..dogs that vets have refused or said needed to be out for the procedure, older dogs, small dogs, big dogs..it is possible. Only twice has the groomer I worked for ever said she just couldn't do it..and one of those was because the dog was really old and in fragile health and she feared the stress would make matters worse. Keep trying =)
 
 

I give one treat per nail, preferrably a big treat that takes a bit of concentration to chew.  I've considered the peanut butter trick, but I expect she'd move too much getting the peanut butter to let me cut her nails.  My mother's dog has to be in a down stay with a treat waiting for her to even sit still long enough for one paw.  Neither will bite, but there is plenty of struggling with my mother's dog. 

I expect the muzzling and holding down is just making it worse.  Though as other have said it does need to be done. 

I've considered the peanut butter trick, but I expect she'd move too much getting the peanut butter to let me cut her nails.

I just did that in the beginning, for a GOOD association with nail trims. She still doesn't like it, but she's calm about it, now. I did it while I trimmed 1 or 2 nails. I spread it very thin, and very far, so it'd take a minute to lick, and used LOTS of praise.

If you're confident with clipping nails, you can probably get a whole foot, or even two, done while the dog is licking. If not, it's FINE to take your time. It takes me less than a minute to clip my dogs' nails, because I'm not afraid of getting them  too short. I know what happens if I do, and it's not a big deal. Someone who isn't clipping nails all day, every day, isn't going to feel as easygoing about it. Some dogs NEED you to take your time, with them.

DeAnna- that's some great advice you gave.  What type of clippers do you suggest using?
 
 I just had my lab's nails cut this morning while getting her HW test done and they charged $23.50.  I thought that was ridiculous and on top of it, they cut one of the back ones so short, it was bleeding.  I don't buy the "it doesn't hurt them" line either.  Sassy was already a mess to try to clip and I'm betting this experience didn't help.  In the past, I've made nail clipping a part of the grooming process from puppyhood.  Since Sassy was a rescue, we don't know what she's experienced, but she hates to have her feet held for more than a couple seconds and once she decides she's had enough, it's all over.

ORIGINAL: cakana

I don't buy the "it doesn't hurt them" line either. 

me either. i quicked sydney once. he squirmed just as i cut. he let out a yelp, so i know he felt some pain.

we were taking both dogs to petsmart to get their nails trimmed. they charged $9 per dog. they quicked him once as well. we havent taken them back since.

maybe i will check out the new groomer down the road, its worth a try as i hate having to put him through the whole muzzle and restrain process, i always think hes going to scratch his eyes out trying to get the muzzle off.
 
by bad experience i meant he has never had a nail cut too short or bleed. i know muzzling him and holding him down do make it a bad experience though, for him and me. however if i dont figure something out the muzzle is a must, the two times he has bit me in the past he didnt get a good enough grip to break the skin, but given the chance i am more than positive he would make me bleed, and i really dont want to put that label on my dog.
 
thank you for all the great suggestions. i wish i could use a dremmel on him but i think that would be even worse than the clippers.
 
i would still like to see what happens if my husband were to hold him until he calms down, i kind of feel like when we let him go because he is acting too crazy that he is getting the best of us and will continue to do it because he knows it works. however im still unclear whether this could cause some sort of mental damage?

My employer and I just had a discussion about doing a nail trimming demo/class for our customers, I think it would be really helpful. My experience is that most vets have the..take them in the back room, have two people hold them down and "get er done" additude when it comes to nail trims..and I have seen plenty of groomers do the same. I myself was taught that way by my mother. I've learned there are better ways and that not everything works on every dog.
I do on occasion accidentally nick a nail..I trim alot of nails and I am human. It sucks when that happens, and I always realize that I may have taken a step back with that dog. It doesn't happen because I am in a hurry or pushing the dog too hard though.
I think if your dog has issues with nail trims finding the right person to do it is essential and well worth the effort.
 
 
I like the plier style, and I like them sharp! I remove the safety gaurd and use my finger as a guide. The only thing that gaurd does, aside from get in my way..is keep you from taking off the whole nail..it's not going to prevent you from nicking them since the depth is always the same no matter the nail it's trimming. I like the Safari brand best..just the way it fits my hand.
 
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One last little thing...something I have noticed is that alot of the times dogs who have issues with having their nails trimmed also have nails that are not closed, crumbly, split, cracking or soft. (Trimming those types of nails may be especially uncomfortable for the dog.)Which for me signals a nutrition issue. Many times once that is addressed and the nails return to good health some of the issues disappear. I don't think alot of vets pay attention to things like that so it may be missed or overlooked. Take a close look at your dogs nails.

For Giz I try to catch her when she is asleep and clip as many as I can before she wakes to see what I'm doing.  Then waite till she sleeps agean to do some more.
 
I usally only have to do her font nails because her back nails are so short due to her HD and the way her hind legs are angled seem to wear the nails as she walks on hard surfaces.

ORIGINAL: maisey

One last little thing...something I have noticed is that alot of the times dogs who have issues with having their nails trimmed also have nails that are not closed, crumbly, split, cracking or soft. (Trimming those types of nails may be especially uncomfortable for the dog.)Which for me signals a nutrition issue. Many times once that is addressed and the nails return to good health some of the issues disappear. I don't think alot of vets pay attention to things like that so it may be missed or overlooked. Take a close look at your dogs nails.

 
Vets do pay attention to that but most owners don't want to hear that they are not feeding their dog the right food.  The nutrition issue has always been hard for vets to deal with and even when they do tell the owners what they think most ower will only get offended or not care.