Muzzle for a shih tzu?! (before & after pics)

Pirate was the same way about nails. They did all of Pirate's for me when he was under for his neuter. As **soon** as we got home from the vet (well, maybe the next day) I started working on the issue. First, I invested in a good, SHARP pair of nail clippers. Dull, cheapo ones don't snip as quickly and they kind of smoosh the quick, and that HURTS.

SOOooo. The nail clippers come out of the drawer. COOKIE PARTY. Omg, roast beef rains from the sky when momma has those things! Neat! As soon as he's comfortable with you HAVING them in YOUR hand (this took Pirate literally a month) move on.

Next--The nail clippers come out of the drawer and momma's sitting on the floor with me... (or on a grooming table, or outside on the patio, or whatever. Wherever you're gonna do nail clippng) COokie Par-TAY. Oooooh, such a goooood boy. Looks at these cool things I gots, Pirate! Looikes, want some liverwurst?! Goooood Boooooy, big brave boy! Again, lather, rinse, repeat EVERY DAY until he's cool with it.

Ooookay. Mom's got these nail clippers in one hand is touching my feets with the other. Ooooo, such funny lookin toesies ya gots Pirate! Look at those toesies! Yep, look, STRING CHEESE. Mmm. You guessed it. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Next--(this took us TWO MONTHS to get here) duuuh duuuh duuuuh-clip a nail. One. ALLLLL DOOOONE Pirate! Whoooo-hoooo! Suuuch a good brave big man! Want a chicken nugget!? (Seriously, he got a whole nugget.)

It takes a *lot* of patience to go this slow. It really does. But it's way more comfortable for him, I think. It also built up a lot of trust for us.

It would probably be good to see if you could WATCH someone cutting a different dog's nails. Just to see HOW it's done. It would be better if you knew someone with a laid-back kind of dog that would let you try it, to get a good feel.

I just got a muzzle and it said on the website never to muzzle dogs with flat faces because it makes it to hard for them to breathe and there isn't really anywhere to put the muzzle

Having a hard time figuring out why a table, noose, Rescue Remedy, and peanut butter wouldn't work on this dog at home? He's tiny! 

Thank you! he doesn't mind clippers in our hand, or near him..but touching his feet(even bare hands) is his issue. i'll try to do this with him, why didn't I think of that? btw pirate is a great name.

 I also found a muzzle for "pug faced" dogs for $12.99 plus shipping and may buy it. It isn't good to muzzle them, but if its only for nail trimming it is FAR better then being put under every couple weeks. that isn't good at all. what do you all think?http://www.morrco.com/nylmuzforpug.html he isn't too tiny, pretty robust and muscular at almost 16lbs.

It's not necessarily about cutting his nails. It's that I want him to be comfortable with me handling his feet. Should he ever get a burr in his paw pad, or a cut, or heck, just plain MUD I want to be able to look at it. I could see where smearing PB on the wall and having him on the table would help, but if we're out walking and he gets a piece of glass in his foot, I don't want him to have to limp the whole way home.

What's that saying? It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog' *smiles*

The progressive stuff described above is the way to go, just don't push too fast or you'll undo your prior work. 

Since it does take a while to desensitize a dog to foot handling, I'd suggest having the vet cut back his nails past the quick (i.e. VERY short) since he'll be under anesthesia anyway.  They can use stypic power or something similar to stop the bleeding easily enough, then pull him out of anesthesia and you'll have a few months to work rather than just a few weeks.

I would not muzzle a short face doggie. I groom at home and Trudy is great. A groomer years ago hurt her feet and RUINED all that for me. I cannot trim her nails without getting her upset. BUT, I found a sweet groomer at my vet and Trudy is an angel for him. I usually go watch him. So, he takes care of that job and I do the rest.

 Have you tried working with him with a dremel or a different kind of nail clipper? Rascal spazzed every time he saw a guillotine-style clipper - literally ran from the room the second he saw it - but was totally fine when I tried a scissors-style clipper. Go figure.

What stuff have you tried so far to sort of "un-train" his freakouts? 

I'm extatic right now, we decided to go to MY vet(ferrets), and ask. they are much cheaper but said "go next door and see if the groomer can't do it". okay. We warned that he bites and about 10minutes later, he comes out "Done. he nipped and fidgets but I got them all". "YAY!" what was the bill for his experience? $7..yes that is all and while Ted cryed as we waited outside he was totally fine afterwards. my sister is in high spirits, and very happy. just for the record I'd never muzzle him if i thought there was an option, but would you rather put him under every couple weeks? thats sooo much worse for him.

 We will still be doing the working with him like suggested infact i'm goping to print that off. We haven't done all that much with nails, but everything else was either slow or coaxed with treats. I used to groom my schnauzer when we moved so i'm not too inexperienced hes just an bad neglect case who needs more time. we have no detailed past- but he was matted and full of burs when the couple found him in illinois and they shaved him like that.

thank you everyone!!! this forum is really nice. I will have pictures from the car ride up soon.