Hi Cesar,

Can you make another suggestion instead of swimming? I have an English Bulldog and as we both know, they don't swim, they sink ;)

I used to clip his nails as a puppy (until he was about 5-6 months old) but now he panics and I'm not sure why. I never cut his quick, and always gave him treats throughout the process.

Thanks for your help!
Peter

I have a pug who will be 4 in July, and I have not yet successfully cut one nail for her. I take her to the breeder that I got her from, and he has the same struggle. She had her nails cut last week, and I could hear her screaming clear outside of his house when I went to get something from my car. Sometimes it literally takes one person to cut and one person to hold her down because she fights it so hard. She gives me no problems when I give her a bath, but she fights nails and ears to a degree.

I won't even try to cut her nails on my own anymore because she fights so hard that I am afraid I will hurt her.

When I ran our local Rottweiler rescue group, I had my share of nail-clipping challenges. Many of the dogs we got hadn't been cared for, so their nails were very long and they often had a fear of the clippers. The way I dealt with it was to condition the dog to first let me handle the feet. (Touch foot, treat. Touch foot, treat. Each touch lasted longer and longer.) Then I would touch the clipper to the foot and treat in the same manner, and then later press on the nail itself with my fingers simultaneously to let the dog get the feel of the pressure while having his foot held with the clipper right there. It often became such a positive experience that the dogs would lie down and volunteer their feet when I came toward them with the clipper. Next, I'd clip one nail and treat. If the dog didn't freak out, I'd continue. I didn't try to "calm" the dog down with my voice, but did praise quietly if he accepted the clipping. This didn't happen in one session or even one day. I worked at the dog's pace over several days or even weeks.

As a veterinarian of 30 years experience I would like to offer the following observations regarding difficulties in clipping dog's nails.
I believe many dogs are traumatised by inexperienced owners who really have no idea whether their dogs nails need clipping let alone how to do it correctly.Many, if not all, pet care books & pet advice sites constantly reinforce the idea that dogs nails need clipping without adequately educating owners on how to assess whether they need doing.
My experience is that most reasonably active dogs do not need their nails trimmed on a regular basis. Medium and large breed dogs rarely if ever need their nails trimmed . Exceptions would be elderly pets that are increasingly sedentary due to arthritis etc.
Small breed dogs are often presented for nail trimming by owners because the nails look too long.Closer examination usually reveals that the quick is very close to the end of the nail and any attempt to cut the nail will result in extreme pain and distress. I believe that in most small breed dogs their nails (and also their teeth size) is disproportionately large when compared to medium and large breeds.When dogs were "shrunk down" by breeders from a standard sized dog the teeth and nails did not "downsize" accordingly.
The other observation that can be made is that breeds with a cat paw conformation almost never need nail trimming as biomechanical forces operating in normal movement ensures a constant wearing down of the nails.Breeds with hare foot conformation of the paws need to be more closely observed for length but again in an active individual they almost never need trimming.
In summary I think nail trimming is overemphasised to dog owners as something that has to be done rather than something they need to seek expert advice about before attempting it themselves.

I have a 9 year old Weimaraner (Gunner). I was able to cut his nails, bathe him, and clean his ears when he was a puppy, but that changed. For years, he was EXTREMELY fearful of all these activities.

I tried using a muzzle, tying his leash down so he couldn't escape, sedatives from the vet, treats, exercise, etc. Even the vet had a difficult time with it. He has broken a vet's watch, torn their clothes, expressed his anal glands, urinated, all in fear of getting his nails clipped.

I started watching Cesar's show about 6 months ago. One day I sat down to watch some of the episodes I had recorded. I watched four of them in a row and I was so empowered by Cesar's techniques, and felt more calm and more assertive than ever. I turned off the tv, dug out the nail clippers, walked right up to my weim (who was sleeping on the bed), and in a VERY calm and assertive way i successfully cut every single nail!!

I was in absolute disbelief but remained calm and assertive throughout the whole procedure and i went very slow. There was a little resistence at first, where he pulled his paw away gently and was a little unsure of what I was doing, but it just took a little patience from me. I didn't let go of his paw, and waited until he relaxed again before proceeding.

It was truly magical, (thinking back to every other horrific nail cutting experience we'd had until then) but it makes perfect sense. I just beleived in myself, I visualized it happening, and I just did it! It was all about my energy and being calm, assertive, and patient. It is really as simple as that.

I can now also give him a bath with the same techniques. He is very tall for his breed, and weighs about 75-80 lbs. so you can imagine how difficult it was before when he put up a fight. He now will hop right in the bathtub and let me do whatever I want.

Try watching a few Dog Whisperer shows in a row to get you in the right frame of mind. Thank you Cesar!!

Sincererly,
Jody & Gunner

I have a 3 yr. old Pit Bull who also is afraid of nail clippers, he gets out of control and at 77lbs. not even 3 or 4 people can hold him down to get his nails clipped. We have taken him to the vet and the pet stores whom have the equipment to restain him and they have not been successful in cutting all the nails down to the right length. He is to big to put in the bathtub to try using the swimming technique you mentioned and it is the dead of winter here in Ohio so outdoor swimming is out of the question. His nails are so long and he is biting them till he draws blood and makes his paws so sore he limps. We also have tried over-the-counter sedatives to no avail. HELP!

My Jack Russell/Pomeranian mix also did not like her nails trimmed. I got a PediPaws from the grocery store. It has taken awhile and lots of treats but now she doesn't mind having her nails done all that much. When I get out the PediPaws she goes in circles because she knows she'll get a treat after each paw is done. She still isn't keen on having her nails done (or her feet touched for that matter), but she is good about it. Give it a try.

I can't use water either. I have 4 great danes that are terrified of getting their nails trimmed. I don't understand this because I have owned 3 of them since birth so i know they have never been abused or mistreated. Over the years they devolped this and it's really a hassle. Even the groomers won't trim them because they fight so much. Any help would be appreciated. Heather, Aiken, SC

I also have a dog who will not let me cut his nails. Water therapy is not an option for him as it is -30 degress celcius where I am right now. I am not sure what to do. I sometimes get the vet to clip is nails but that is a huge fight (last time there was blodd!). I am sometimes sneak up on him if his paw is sticking out of the blanket. Usually though he can sense what I am doing and jumps up at freaks. He is a very lovable dog that would never but, but when your are trying to cut his nails I am sure he would bite you. Last night I gave him sedatives as perscribed by the vet. I still could not cut his nails. He acted the same as he would without the sedative. We have also tried to use a muzzle so that he will not bite us but that seems to make hime more panicy as it appears as if he is hyper-ventilating. I am not sure what else to do. I was thinking of calling a local dog trainer to help. I heard there is a lady nearby that is grooming animals that is also trained in hypnosis. Not sure if she can apply that to my dog! Any other suggestions to help him would be greatly appreciated.