Post by Lannie on Jan 19, 2009 13:35:06 GMT -5
I must have the two worst dogs when it comes to nail trimming. I can't touch Flash's feet at ALL. Never have been able to. I can do anything to him but touch his feet. The one (and only) time I tried to actually hold him down so I could clip his nails, he about wrenched his leg out of the socket and peed all over me and him and the floor. The only way his nails are going to get trimmed is if I knock him out with a 2x4 first. sigh... fortunately, they don't get tooo long (longer than I'd like, though), because he runs a lot. Mostly they're just sharp.
But Becca... She's bigger, and has bigger nails, and they grow longer than Flash's because she doesn't wear them down like he does. I can cut hers, but it's such a traumatic experience for her. Last night I had to do it again because I'd been putting it off and they were to the point that she was having trouble walking across the kitchen floor, so I had to do it. All four feet. Rich had to lay on her while I clipped, and I did it quickly, but by the time I was on the last foot she was mouthing my hand, trying to pull it away from her foot. She never threatened to bite me, though. Her nails are all white, so I can see the quick, and never even came close to one, but she was a mess by the time I finished. I gave her a cookie for being a "good girl," (which she wasn't, but, well...) and she still looked at me sideways for the rest of the evening. She's fine this morning, and she can walk across the kitchen now without slipping.
I hate putting her through this, but they HAVE to be cut occasionally. I've never had such fussy dogs before. If they needed to be trimmed, I trimmed them and that was that. I don't have a clue how I could make this a better (dare I say happier?) experience for Becca. Does anybody have any ideas? I'm open to suggestions!
~Lannie
But Becca... She's bigger, and has bigger nails, and they grow longer than Flash's because she doesn't wear them down like he does. I can cut hers, but it's such a traumatic experience for her. Last night I had to do it again because I'd been putting it off and they were to the point that she was having trouble walking across the kitchen floor, so I had to do it. All four feet. Rich had to lay on her while I clipped, and I did it quickly, but by the time I was on the last foot she was mouthing my hand, trying to pull it away from her foot. She never threatened to bite me, though. Her nails are all white, so I can see the quick, and never even came close to one, but she was a mess by the time I finished. I gave her a cookie for being a "good girl," (which she wasn't, but, well...) and she still looked at me sideways for the rest of the evening. She's fine this morning, and she can walk across the kitchen now without slipping.
I hate putting her through this, but they HAVE to be cut occasionally. I've never had such fussy dogs before. If they needed to be trimmed, I trimmed them and that was that. I don't have a clue how I could make this a better (dare I say happier?) experience for Becca. Does anybody have any ideas? I'm open to suggestions!
~Lannie