The Bavarian July Toe and Teeth Challenge - with prize drawing!

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Day 2 - we stepped it back, focused purely on calmness (ish!) and a comfortable paw hold.

He just loves giving you that paw and letting you hold it.

This inspires me to work more just getting Carbon to let me hold his paw. I can do a clip, but he's no where near as happy about it!

 

[Stacia]

Rourke just rolls onto his back when I get the clippers out - have done a nail on day one and day two

 

[Natalie]

Day 2

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Rourke just rolls onto his back when I get the clippers out - have done a nail on day one and day two

Good boy, Rourke!

Carbon does the paws up when the clippers come out, but then when I actually handle his front paws he's not so keen. The result is that I feel like we're playing patty-cake. I touch, he pulls away, then waves he paws at me again...rinse and repeat. We'll keep working on it. The back feet are no problem at all to handle. Apparently Carbon doesn't think his back feet belong to him so it doesn't matter what I do to them.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

We did toes tonight (will do teeth later in bed) and I've taken inspiration from @HAH : just touching his front paws and getting him to lay them on my lap. Because he does let me trim his front nails, I didn't realise how much he didn't like them touched. I've always been sort of a 'grab it and get it over' type nail person. Sorry about that Señor Carboncito. So we're starting from scratch on R+ front paw handling and we'll see how it goes!

 

[HAH]

We did toes tonight (will do teeth later in bed) and I've taken inspiration from @HAH : just touching his front paws and getting him to lay them on my lap. Because he does let me trim his front nails, I didn't realise how much he didn't like them touched. I've always been sort of a 'grab it and get it over' type nail person. Sorry about that Señor Carboncito. So we're starting from scratch on R+ front paw handling and we'll see how it goes!

I’ve never inspired before! I always assumed the only way was grab it and get it over, but a thread on the forum last year got me thinking long and hard, and then I hit the Cooperative Care book. Which we’re still right at the start of, but it’s making me slow down and watch a lot more! Doesn’t help much with actual trimming, but I have faith we’ll get there eventually (maybe through the course of the Bavarian Challenge?)...

 

[HAH]

Day 3
We worked more on calm, sustained paw holds with a bit more movement and changing hand position from me. I also was holding the dremel (not running) and moved it near and under his nails once in a while. All went well, although he’s still very focused on kibble - I’m looking to eventually treat in a calm way before and after, but this may take a while... I’m particularly concentrating on consent too, so if there’s tension or moving away of any sort, I stop and take it right back. So far, this is getting good results.
Impressed with Kipper’s adaptability, and pleased with our gentle progress

 

[Jacqui-S]

Urgh....going to play an early pass card, bit of family stresses, toothbrushing way down the to do list.

 

[Charlie]

Hope you're ok @Jacqui-S xx

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Urgh....going to play an early pass card, bit of family stresses, toothbrushing way down the to do list.

Hope things get better for you...

 

[Jacqui-S]

Nothing directly awful....its ok, honest!

 

[snowbunny]

Done but too busy to say anything ... hopefully will do some video tomorrow. I want to dig out the “grooming table”, too, as it was a great thing for Willow.

 

[HAH]

Not done tonight, slackrrr - but I think I’m allowed one ‘buy’ so stamp my card, officer (I have no idea what I’m saying, bed soon! )

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

We did more paw holding and touching his nails with the clippers yesterday. It's frustrating after my previous grab and cut style, but clearly this is what Carbon needs. As with much of his SD training, it's making clear to me how many areas where I wasn't doing things positively even though I always thought I was. Learning curve for me, that's for sure.

I think today we'll trim a back nail, however, just so I feel like I'm doing something!

 

[Natalie]

Here's up to day 4 - but may take a break for a few days. He constantly licks the toothbrush, though - is this normal? we haven;t made progress to the inside of his teeth, or the tops of the molars yet either

 

[snowbunny]

My lot all constantly lick the brush, as soon as I get it out and put the paste on it they start to lick, well before it get to their mouths

 

[Natalie]

My lot all constantly lick the brush, as soon as I get it out and put the paste on it they start to lick, well before it get to their mouths

ah, ok it's a 'thing' then. I'll just have to learn to work around the tongue

 

[snowbunny]

I've done nails and teeth for the day. I'm away in Andorra with Shadow from this evening until Sunday evening, so I will miss at least tomorrow with the girls and, depending on what time we get back on Sunday, maybe then, too.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

He constantly licks the toothbrush, though - is this normal?

Carbon does too. I do one side, then the other and then his last treat is a few seconds of 'free licking' of the brush. The toothpaste is all gone by then (in his mouth!) but he doesn't seem to care.

 

[Charlie]

I'm curious to know what time of day you all brush your dogs teeth and does it matter as it does with humans? xx