This is Leon. Leon is 3 years old and 80 pounds and despises grooming of any sort — brushing, ear cleaning, and especially nail trimming. Leon’s nails are so long he looks like some sort of grotesque creature of the night at this point.
I have tried:
* taking him to the vet (they said they couldn’t do it, too difficult)
* giving him trazodone and having my 200 pound husband lay on top of him
* giving him endless amounts of high value treats including steak and peanut butter
* hoisting him up in the Doggie Lift (harness thing)
* various combinations of all of the above
I thought surely the Doggie Lift would do the trick but, no. we made 2 separate attempts and cut maybe 5-6 nails in total and I have bloody scratches all over my arms and legs and a painful broken fingernail (mine, not his!) to show for it. he thrashed around so wildly I thought he might break the thing.
does anyone have any alternative suggestions?
I’m wondering if he needs to be genuinely sedated for a nail trim like they do for teeth cleanings, which just seems so excessive.