If you dog is not a fan of nail trims, you are not the only one. If you have purchased a grinder tool to ease him relax the irritation, again, you are not alone. If your dog takes off when he hears the tool start up, you might feel incredibly frustrated, but you can remedy this with a bit of effort, time, and patience.
First of all, as a substitute for sharp clippers, a nail grinder is fantastic. When utilized correctly, it provides less risk of damage. Unfortunately, you must first master the obstacle of convincing your dog to cooperate well enough for it to be used properly. Instead of wrestling with your dog and forcing him into it, it is recommended you help your dog grow accustomed to the ordeal and creating a pleasant occurrence.
Keep in mind this will take some time, and you need to take baby steps. Anytime you wish to desensitize your dog to anything, make it into small, achievable steps, and do not push him to do any of them too quickly. Your main goal is for your dog to remain calm and serene throughout the process, bit by bit. If you sense your dog stops cooperating or becomes distressed at any point in time, stop and revisit the last step.
Make it as enjoyable as you can. Break out the high-quality treats. This includes, lunch meat, lamb lung, hot dogs, whatever treat will get your dog the most excited. Reward him absolutely every time you fulfill one of the steps.
Begin by sitting close to your dog, holding the grinder behind you. Activate it for a moment, turn it off, and reward your dog. Do this again 5 times. Allow your dog to take a break.
Next, you will need to slowly get him acquainted with the following steps;
- Place the grinder in front of you, activate it for a few moments, then reward.
- While unactivated, place the grinder close to your dog’s paw, then reward.
- While unactivated, place the grinder on one of his nails, then reward.
- Activate the grinder, place it on a nail, then reward.
- Activate the grinder, place it on a couple of nails, then reward.
- Grind all nails on an entire paw, then reward,
- Continue progressing with this until you are able to grind all four paws in one sitting.
You must repeat each one of the steps listed, in an enjoyable, relaxed manner, until your dog is completely comfortable with that particular step. Again, this means time and patience as it could take anywhere from 1-5 times a day, a few minutes each time, over the course of an entire week to finally ease your way through step one. Keep track of your progress to help you maintain your momentum.
End your sessions as quickly as your can, and if your dog is cooperating, end the session on a good note. Do not fall into the temptation to leap 2 steps ahead. With your affectionate guidance, your dog will come to enjoy his nail grooming sessions.
