My dog freaks out when we try to trim her nails. What can we do?

My 6-7 mo. old puppy absolutely FREAKS OUT when we try to cut her nails. She's never had a bad experience with nail clipping (we have known her since she was 2 weeks old, and were the first to ever cut her nails). She screams and whines as though we are beating her! We have tried holding her down, giving her treats during the nail clipping, nothing works. If she even SEES the nail clippers, she begins to whimper.





Any suggestions? Her nails are starting to get too long, and I have no idea what to do. Thanks in advance for any advice!My dog freaks out when we try to trim her nails. What can we do?
It's normal for a dog to freak about getting nails cut. especially at that age. What you want to do first is stop giving her treats to calm her. Giving treats and ';comforting'; only reinforces this behavior. Remember dogs are not human, and they have different motives than us. Every time you give her a treat or try to calm her when she's scared only tells her that this is what she's supposed to do.





After that take a moment every evening while you are watching tv or sitting at the computer and sit with her. Pick up each paw, and kind of massage, and hold them. After a while you can give a light tug on the toe nails. Dont bring out the clippers though, because obiviously she associates them with a clip now. Handling her paws often will get her used to this sensation. After she's comfortable with this, bring out the clippers but dont use them, sit them next to you and simply mess with her feet... eventually you'll be albe to clip her nails with no trouble. you may have to clip them one paw at a time over a day or two but it will get done stress free. Once you are done messing with her paws and she's calm(even if there is no clipping) then give her the treat. She will start to accociate you messing with her paws with the good, rather than accociating them with being scared.





EDIT: It's good that you cut her nails. Dog's nails can grow too long and get caught on things and rip off which is very painful.


Also don't worry that you've hurt her when she wines. Especially if you really havn't. She's figured out that the whining gets her attention. Sounding hurt when not is simply a defence mechanism all dogs are born with. It brings attention to the matter from the momma dogs when somthing could be the matter.


I hope this helps.My dog freaks out when we try to trim her nails. What can we do?
Take her to the vet before you cut her toes and


make her more scared than ever.
take him to a dog spa.
we have a dog, and he just squirms and wiggles, it might cost you but I'd say if all else fails let the vet do it, it's easier on you too.
Well, you've accidentally 'trained' her to freak out by not handling her feet....%26amp; many dogs are touch sensitive %26amp; have to be 'behavior shaped' when very young----but I bet a local groomer can cut her nails very cheaply. Of course, the groomer will put the dog on a table---so she's not on the floor, which is her territory, and she'll restrain the dog with a noose %26amp; might even have help, and start with the back nails first, and 'flip' the dogs front paws behind her so her feet aren't right up by her mouth. And....more important than anything, the dog groomer will be calm %26amp; act with confidence %26amp; not feed into the anxiety dynamic. You can learn to do this, too, by learning to train your dog other things %26amp; being in charge, but it's going to take weeks, possibly months of YOUR consistent behavior.
thank you for asking this question i have the same problem only with my cat sorry i cant give you an answer but good luck anyway
You could go to a groomer's and have nails clipped for a nominal fee and at the same time ask them to show you how to do it.


It helps to start by only tipping them a little so there is no chance of cutting one too short. Once one is cut too short they can get real temperamental about having them cut. The more you get the hang of it the easier it will be for you both. Sometimes if you try and restrain them to much it makes them more panicked.
Leave her alone?
Try weaning her into it. At first, let her sniff the nail clipper and give her treats if she doesn't whine when she sees them.. then get her used to you holding her paw.. then introduce the nail clippers while you are holding the paw..Then get her used to the feeling of the nail clipper on her nail (but don't clip it yet). It will take time, but slowly introducing her to them can help a lot. Be sure to praise her with a happy yet soft voice, giving her lots of belly rubs and small amounts of treats. She will eventually be alright with it. Holding her down will only make her more anxious and afraid as she doesn't have any control and will only struggle worse (which can lead to cutting the nail too far back and clipping the vein inside it).
try filing her nails isntead.
my dog hates clipping her nails to so we leave it to the perfessionals we take them to a pet salon every so many months that it looks like she needs a nail cut
Give her Chamomile tea. Just dump the dry tea out of the bag, and mix in a little canned food, or something soft that she likes. One teaspoon for a small dog, up to one tablespoon for a large dog. Feed it to her about 30 minutes before you are ready to clip her nails, and it will relax her and diminish the stress and anxiety.





a note to above answer: It is never too early to clip nails! I clip puppies' nails at 2 1/2 weeks, to keep them from scratching mom as they nurse. The sooner you begin clipping nails, the less it bothers the dog. Many breeds are to be shown, ';up on their feet'; so nails need to be kept very short from birth..some of these breeds are Dobermans, Boxers, Doxies, most terriers, Bosties, and many others. You never want to see a splayed foot on these breeds, and that happens quickly if you don't keep nails trimmed.
Take her to a doggy salon and have them do it?





My dog doesn't like it either but she is very patient at the same time. She doesn't yap like your dog. I would just leave your dog alone for the time being and try it again on another day where maybe you can get her off guard.





MJ
please do not drop her off at some dog salon just to get her toenails cliped it does not solve the problem she will soon accociate that place with toe nale clipping and not want to go or even start biting.





get her to lay on her side or during a calm time play with her feet go between the pads and pull on nails -GENTLY- get her used to you being down there. all you can do is praise praise praise find a favorie treat for when your done. my dog always gets a greenie when shes done . then slowly bring the nail clippes in to view closer and closer till she doesnt care that they are there. then slowly incorperat the clipers instead of pulling and as she stays calm then you calmly praise her.





as for now if they are getting long call your vet and have him do it till you are able to do it yourself. also he can show you how far down to go too. or give you advice on how to do it at home





my dog plays dead and i can trim her pad hair too. it takes a lot of patients and a lot of just messing with her feet but if you keep it up she will get used to it.
Don't trim her nails at first. Take the clippers out once a day, and while you are playing with her, keep them within sight. Once she is okay with that, get her to roll on her belly and rub the clippers all over her body for a few days, until she isn't scared of it. Then, try clipping just one nail. Praise her a lot, and once the nail has been trimmed, play with her and keep the clippers in sight. Soon you will be able to clip all her nails.





Also, when you clip her nails, have someone hold her leash, and keep her standing. Lift one paw up, and clip them like that instead of flipping her over. That is more natural for dogs, so they won't feel as scared of things standing as when they are on their back.
our dog is 3 years old and hates it. Its just in some dogs nature. When we are finished I give her a treat or a special bone and reassure her what a good dog she was. She still doesn't care for it, but she lets me do it.





Good Luck
try putting the dog in a pillow case covering hre head then hurry and not make any real deep painful cuts and give a treat afterwards. You might try getting an association with the pillow case and treats then introduce the clippers.


We have two Doxies, brother and sister, he has no problem, she on the other hand is a holy terror


Good luck
When you bring her to get clipped, maybe they will do her nails too. I'm not sure what breed you have though. I don't really think you should be doing it, unless you know what you're doing anyway.
restrain her.. get some one to hold her head against your upper are/chest.. or try giving treats .. put her on her back and hold her down and give it a go.. it hurts some dogs even if you do not cut too short
My Old English Sheepdog refused to allow me to trim his nails using dog nail clippers, he would let me use an electric Dremel file on them though (go figure). Other alternatives are you can take her to Petco or Petsmart and have them do her nails for 8 dollars. You can walk her more often so that they ware down naturally.
She obviously thoroughly dislikes being held down (it's probably THAT more than the actual clipping).





Take her once every month or two to a dog groomer--they have a special knack for this.





Good luck with your furry baby!


.
let the dog sniff the nail clippers, then begin. if still freaks out, try putting a towel over its eyes, then begin clipping. try talking to the doggy and explain what you're doing to he/she.
Get the vet or groomer to do it. She might need to be muzzled, but once she realizes it doesn't hurt, she'll stop whining.
I would take her to petco and let them do it for you its only $8 and they do a great job and you can stay there the whole time it is very dangerus to cut her nails when she is pulling and squirming around so be very carfull when you do try it yourself
Hmmmmm.. are you sure that this isn't causing her any pain of any sort? Do her paws have any symptoms of soreness?
Wait until she is asleep then try it gently. My family's cat is a difficult one to do this with too and its the only time we can trim her nails. She usually wakes up after we do 2-3 though.
When I got my puppy, my vet told me to play with her feet all the time. Just hold them and pet them, things like that. Eventually she was supposed to not care if i touched her paws, making it easier to cut her nail. That didn't work for me. Now I just take her to the groomers or vet and they will cut them for around 10 bucks. Well worth it!!!
you can take her to a groomer or the vet. but until she learns it's ok, they are also going to have to fight with her. get a pair of nail trimmers. first when she's relaxed and laying with you, play with her feet. play with each individual toe and then down to the nail. she'll learn to associate having her feet messed with positivly then. take the nail trimmers and just make them part of your foot massage routine. if you think you have a chance trim one nail. then continue to play with her feet without trimming anymore. do one nail a day for a week, or really 16-18 days. then move to two. then so on. if she fights you, don't fight her. it will only increase her panic. when she lets you trim one, praise her. also while you're at it, play with her ears and mouth and get her used to someone messing with them also. your vet will love you for this. good luck. she just needs to learn that you messing with her feet is not always a bad experience.
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.





WHAT I DID IS: HAVE ONE PERSON (SITTING DOWN) HOLD THE DOG IN A SITTING POSITION ON THE EDGE OF THEIR KNEES, WHERE THE DOG TOE NAIL IS EXPOSE.





THEN COVER HER WITH A TOWEL WHILE THE PERSON THAT IS HOLDING HER, PETS HER (RIGOROUSLY) AND TALK TO HER.





THEN U SHOULD QUICKLY WITHOUT TOUCHING HER FEET, CUT NAIL.





IF U ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GRAB HER FEET, PUSH HER PAW BACK SO THAT IT BECOME AN L SHAPE (WONT HURT HER). THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU ABOUT 5 SECOND TO CUT HER FIRST NAIL. THEN JUST REPEATED FOR THE REST.
Shes to young to have her nails trimmed, but if you absolutely insist on having them trimmed take her to a dog groomer. You might cut to close and make her bleed
cut her paws off.