# Help, he won't let me touch or clip his nails



## Monika

Has anyone tips for me how to address the toe nail clipping.
Ginger came to us 3 years old and unable to touch his nails or feet. I tried to desensitize him, but he just wont have it.
so far he grinds them off in running around but we have a very wet winter and it's not working anymore.
he gets aggressive if I cut one or two by surprise.
I watched some of the videos but would like to hear from people who had the same problem and how they solved it.


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## texasred

I would condition him to a muzzle. 
That way you can calmly clip the nails without the fear of being bitten. Be sure and still use lots of praise if he stands still for one or two nails. 
Remember you don't have to do every nail at one sitting. Sometimes it's less stressful for them if you spread it out over the week. Just gradually work towards being able to do them all at once. 
Here's a short video on conditioning a dog to a muzzle. 
http://leerburg.com/flix/player.php/99/Conditioning_Your_Dog_to_a_MUZZLE


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## Rbka

I've heard that covering an animal's eyes so they can't watch calms them.
Nico doesn't like his nails clipped so we do it as a 2 person team.
My husband holds Nico between his legs with his belly up, talks soothingly, sometimes covers his eyes, and extends his leg while I hold the paw and clip. I do small angled strokes so there's not that "shearing" feeling of the nail being twisted from doing big chops.
He still doesn't like it but we can get through the process very quickly when we work together. I thought he'd adapt to it because we do it every 1-2 weeks and he gets a special "post-nail-trim-treat" afterward but he still doesn't like it -- his tail goes down as soon as he sees the clippers. As soon as it's over he gets up and life goes on as if nothing's happened!
Not sure if any of that helps - good luck!


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## nymeria

I used clicker training. It took awhile, and she still freaks out if I try to take her somewhere to have her nails clipped. 

At first, all I'd have to do is get the clippers out for her to freak. She practically back-flipped off the couch to get away from it. So I'd just hold the clippers and as soon as she calmed down, I clicked and treated. Then, we progressed to where she'd sit next to me with the clippers. I'd click and treat. I'd move the clippers closer, and if she was still calm, click and treat. Then I'd let her sniff the clippers, and I'd touch them to her nails without doing anything. Then I'd put the nail in the clipper and put a little pressure, and click and treat. After a few weeks of this, I could clip her nails. No one else can, though. She still doesn't really like it. Neither do I, because I'm not good at it and it can be hard to clip the nail sometimes. I'd rather someone else did it, but she won't stand for it.


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## Monika

Thank you all, that's great. it gives me different things to try with him. I think I might get him used to a muzzle with the clicker so he knows that and then see how he responds to the clicker training. if that works I will try to use the clicker to train for touching the nails.
I foster dogs for rescue and none of them had ever such big issues, but then none of them were viszlas.
actually it's quite funny when I clip the nails of our momentary foster dog. she is on the sofa totally chilled out with me clipping all nails at once and Ginger getting more stressed out with every nail just watching us.
I also have a viszla cross and had her since a pup. she went to school I tried all the paw desensitizing, massaging, and she always hated having her paws touched. Is this a supersensitivity in Viszlas?


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## harrigab

Monika said:


> Thank you all, that's great. it gives me different things to try with him. I think I might get him used to a muzzle with the clicker so he knows that and then see how he responds to the clicker training. if that works I will try to use the clicker to train for touching the nails.
> I foster dogs for rescue and none of them had ever such big issues, but then none of them were viszlas.
> actually it's quite funny when I clip the nails of our momentary foster dog. she is on the sofa totally chilled out with me clipping all nails at once and Ginger getting more stressed out with every nail just watching us.
> I also have a viszla cross and had her since a pup. she went to school I tried all the paw desensitizing, massaging, and she always hated having her paws touched._* Is this a supersensitivity in Viszlas?*_


neither of my two like having their nails clipped, I've thought about duct tape and rope to stop the beggars wriggling haha (joke!),, it usually has to be my friend who's a vet nurse, clipping them whilst I hold the dogs steady.


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## Anida

maybe I got an oddball  she lets me touch her paws and clip no problem. We did lots of treats when we first got her around 8weeks and would clip them. (or she is just used to my almost 3 yo constantly playing with her paws)


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## jld640

Good advice here. You're in for an extended lesson in patience.

Savannah also doesn't like having her nails clipped. And the first time I tried a Dremel, she was less than impressed. 

I went to the hardware store and got a hand file. We did that for a few weeks, starting with just dragging the file across the bottom of each nail. Once she was accustomed to having her nails hand-filed, we went back to the Dremel at a low setting. I've been turning up the speed gradually. Now she will offer me a paw (she gets to pick which one to do first). She gets praised after each nail, a treat after each paw, and a bonus treat after all paws are finished.

Good luck!


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## Janders

My 4 1/2 year old Vizsla hates his nails clipped. My husband usually does this but is out of town for a few weeks. I wonder if the clippers with lights on them work to see the quick. I'm so nervous about trying this but it must be done. Has anyone tried the PetiCure or something similar? He won't stand for the Dremmel so I know I have to clip.


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## KatieJaneR

Hello 

I am wondering if you could give me some advice - we are due to get our Viszla in March - he's due any day now!
My boyfriend is originally from Bosnia and growing up with hunting dogs there - he doesn't believe in clipping dogs nails, brushing teeth. Can anyone help me with information to stress the importance of this. I understand growing up there they don't do that and yes, they have never had any issues but here and with my previous dog, this was normal.


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## Gabica

Bende gets the nails clipped at home, Miksa enjoys the love of a grooming salon with dremmel. Both have nails done once a week. No issues with any of them, although i did cut into Bende`s quick in the past when i had the non-quick protective device, so he is watching it every time carefully whether mom manages this time the proper way and cannot wait his treat delivered
My breeder said that none of there dogs has issues with the procedure, and they start very early with touching paws of the 1-2 days old puppies and then daily as part of their handling, clipping their nails several times before they go to their homes etc.


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