Saturday, January 23, 2010

What can I do to get my dog to calm down so I can cut his nails?

My dog will not let me touch his paws to cut his nails. I have heard benedryl or beer. I am just looking for something that I can get him either to sleep for about 15 mins or settle him down enough to do it. He is German Shepard mix and I am lost for ideas.What can I do to get my dog to calm down so I can cut his nails?
For starters take him for a walk. At least 30 mins or an hour. Get the edge off him. You can't expect him to be good with all that energy. Throw a ball get him tired. You will probably both need a rest after that. A GOOD DOG IS A TIRED DOG. If you are having behaviour problems with your dog he is not getting enough exercise.


Benedryl may help. Not beer.


He needs to be trained to allow his feet handled.


Touch his toes give a tiny treat or a pce of his food. I don't want you to make your dog over weight. If he will eat his dog food as a treat hand feed him. Hold his feet and toenail for a second give a treat. he has to learn this is a good thing. Take little snips and give a pce of dog food after each snip to begin with or cut his treats small.


Instead of just dumping food into your. Put a little in his dish and pick up his foot and set it down and put in a little more food [if he is a real chow hound he may so happy to get food he won't care if you hold his foot as long as he is getting some food]. Pick up the other foot. gradually hold the nails a second give a pce of food.


Rig you up something to use as a grooming table. Deffinately Get him off the floor.[a friend used a piano bench or coffee table] If you can rig up a noose to tie him with like groomers do that might help give you the upper hand. Each nail a ';good boy'; in a high voice and a treat.


Most Groomers will trim your dogs nails for $5-$7. Most anytime unless they are extremely busy. You could do this once or twice and then maybe you could do it. 3 p's train him. Patience, Persistance and Plenty of Praise.


Contact your vet for help with medicine.


';Mom of three'; above said it very well.What can I do to get my dog to calm down so I can cut his nails?
You need to start touching his paws every day and playing with the nails until he can accept that. Once he does, slowly introduce the clippers, clip maybe one piece off a day and give positive reinforcement the whole time! If you clip and file with an emory board, it's just as effecient as a dremel, and if you have a dog like mine (who hates the noise of anything like that), it works much easier!
Get your vet to do a procedure called a nail cautery. They basically put him under and cut his nails back to the quicks which will stunt the growth, but not detur it. It does cut down on the frequency of getting their nails done and it is practically painless afterwards. They send home antibiotics and pain meds with them. Procedure price varies from vet to vet but the one I work for charges around $60 for everything.
Would he sit still for a vet to do it? If not, he may require a light sedation so you can get it done. My dads' dog will sit still for the vet, but not my dad. But he still tries so that she will get used to it. Sometimes dogs will get used to their paws being touched, and the feel and sound of the clippers... and they calm right down like nothing is happening. I personally think people should leave it up to a vet or groomer. If you cut too far, you can cut into the quick and they can bleed to death if you don't have the stuff to fix it.
Practice, practice practice, practice! This is a training issue, and you need to teach him that it's okay. Sit quietly with him a few times a day and gently pet him, then his legs, moving ever closer to the foot until he will let you fiddle with his feet. It may take a couple weeks to get there, but you will.





Please do not give your dog beer. That's just silly, and potentially harmful to you and him. Do you want him to lose his ability to inhibit his bite?





If you have worked with him for a few weeks and still can't get it, *then* talk to your vet.





Good luck.
If it gets really bad, see a vet or groomer.





Whenever he's lying around and is calm, rub his paws. Rub them whenever you can, which will get him to get used to it. For my beagle I randomly give him treats while I'm cutting his nails, it helps him to just live with it. Good luck.
Do not cut his nails - buy a 20-30 cordless dremel and grind them - that is what I do with my 2 greyhounds and my golden retriever. Cutting can be too painful especially if you get to close to his quick.
What is something he/she really likes to do(does the german shephard like playing ball) If so maybe have someone hold a ball away from the dog and the dog will maybe stare at it then cut really carefully!


Thxx Ash **


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My puppy dosen't like his nails being clipped but if I hide some treats around my legs he's too busy trying to snort them out then to worry about a few nails getting clipped. Keep working and reassuring him it's OK and he'kk get the hang of it!
GIVE IT UP.........................TAKE it to a good GROOMER and let them do the job.
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