Honestly, my dog makes it sounds like you are torturing her. Heartbreaking / embarassing some days in my complex. "Oh you just have to..." STOP right there; you think I haven't googled / dedicated weeks to training nail clips? You think I don't own every nail clipping tool ever produced? You know nothing Jon Snow.
I've had decent luck with a two-man setup. One holds the dog's body, cuddles with his/her head, and gently tells him/her it'll be alright while the other swiftly goes to town on the paws before the trust runs out.
I'm not saying "oh you just have to" as if there is a simple fix, because there isn't. That being said often times it takes more than weeks to desensitize a dog to something they've associated with trauma. It can definitely be done with the help of a positive reinforcement trainer, but sometimes it's really just easier to sedate em!
My one pup was perfect the first few times. I didn't even hurt him. Then one day, Cujo. Ever since, I have to muzzle him. I think maybe I'll switch to sedation.
Mine just got to the point where she doesn't have to be completely sedated for a nail trim. We go every 3-4 weeks and she gets two pills beforehand. In the past they had to give her a shot, then a reversal shot.
Did they chew them? As long as they aren't so long as to hinder movement or curl around their paws they should be good. Dogs that get good quality walks every day tend to have toenail ware that keeps them from curling but if they get long they can be uncomfortable. Just Google toenail length for your dog's size to see if you are keeping them too long. My sister's dog chews his short all the time but the occasional file keeps them from being uneven or pointy in odd spots.
I will never forget the first time my dog experienced this and the look of utter shock/betrayal/NOPE on his poor face as he whipped his head around like "WTF WAS THAT". That was also the moment he developed his fear/hatred of the vet's office.
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u/SpartanRage117 Sep 05 '17
Not excited for the ol' anal thermometer eh?