It’s very easy! Just get a large sheet of sandpaper and hold it against a chopping board. Make sure the board is at an angle so that the dog won’t scratch its paws. Start by rewarding the slightest bit of interest in the scratch board. My Alice always used a scratch board. She would get a little over enthusiastic at times so I had to watch it or she would take too much of her nails off. I also used a dremel to file her nails. She tolerated that much more than nail clippers.
Nails
- Thread starter Emily
- Start date
Another tip for cutting nails: This afternoon Snowie was lying on the outdoor coffee table, front paws hanging over the edge. Quickly got the nail clippers cos it was so easy this way to do a little trim! I didn’t have to hold his paws. And his nails were nicely spaced out away from the pads and very easy to access.
Stanley knows they’re coming. He’s just got a sense.
Same as with eye drops. He hears them being lifted and opened and just knows
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
Ooh, thanks. Ella loves putting her paws on platforms and targets so that should be easy enough to get her paws on there. I'm not sure how I'd train the second step of scratching though? Would it be a case of marking and rewarding and type of movement on there?
Naya
Moderator
- Location
- Bristol, UK
We have managed to cut 1 nail per night for the last 2 nights. Harley lies down to get a few treats, OH gently lies over her to stop her moving too much, I hold her paw and snip the nail. She definitely wasn’t happy last night, but tolerated it much better tonight. Thanks @Emily for this thread as it has helped me get motivated to try again.
I told Snowie to “wait” (plus wait hand signal) on the table and quickly got the clippers. Then I showed him the clippers and let him sniff them and inspect them, and he wagged his tail! I don’t know if wagging is just appeasement behaviour. I don’t give treats for clipping, but he does get kisses.Stanley knows they’re coming. He’s just got a sense.
Same as with eye drops. He hears them being lifted and opened and just knows
My husband reckons he loves being groomed (also loves his ears being cleaned). Eye drops—no! Sometimes he sees the clippers and moves away, and then I just leave him and put the clippers away.
- Location
- Vlaardingen, the Netherlands
Finns nails are also a disaster to clip. He won’t allow me to do so I bought a dremel. I managed to learn him it’s okay and after each paw he gets a treat. He knows, and when he sees the dremel he starts drooling....
.The only thing is, is that his nails are sooo extreme hard. I just get a little bit off, not enough. His nails are a bit deformed in my opinion, but it doesn’t bother him. He gets his nails done daily, including a brush of his coat. I asked the vet if she could clip his nails but she wouldn’t. So before I bought the dremel I went to a dog barbershop and they couldn’t do his nails either....They are so extremely hardened that they will split
.The only thing is, is that his nails are sooo extreme hard. I just get a little bit off, not enough. His nails are a bit deformed in my opinion, but it doesn’t bother him. He gets his nails done daily, including a brush of his coat. I asked the vet if she could clip his nails but she wouldn’t. So before I bought the dremel I went to a dog barbershop and they couldn’t do his nails either....They are so extremely hardened that they will split
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Yes, it’s always just approximations towards the thing you want. So start with the board flat if she can already target that way, then change the angle so she hits it with her nails and mark that contact, then mark the scrape etc. You'll have to play with the angle and height you present the board so that she's more likely to make the motion you're after while you're capturing it.