Nail clipping a yorkie. Impossible??!!
 

Hello,

I need a sanity check here...

I have been taking Stomper to the groomers for the entire time we have had him. He hates it, but I've never been told until now that he is a bad boy! He is fine getting cute, paws groomed, ears trimmed, etc. However, the last few times he has gone, the gal said he nipped at her when she tried to cut his nails (which I was surprised and embrassed since Stomper is just a lovable bundle of joy!). Well...over the weekend I took him to get groomed again. They were able to do everything but his nails. They said I'll have to take him to the vet to get him drugged up before getting his nails cut. I was shocked by the comment, so I took him to a different place today (referral that this person could do anything!) and she had the same problem. I actually was able to watch her do it and Stomper was so stressed out. He was a reck. He was drooling, jumping, crying, etc. She finally said she couldn't do it and also said that some yorkie's are like that. They hate their nails done.

Do any of your yorkie's have this problem? If so...what do you do??? Any sugggestions would be great. I don't want to drug him up, but I also know it is important to have their nails cut. Please advise.

I cut my puppies nails while their asleep. My older dogs, I don't have a problem with. As far as the groomers, ask them to leave the nails and try doing it yourself when their asleep. Good luck!

Poor baby - Some yorkies really do get stressed at this. I wouldn't go with drugs until you try other options.

Instead of a groomer - can you take them to a real VET to get his nails clipped ? Vets seem to induce a little intimidation - mine sit perfectly for the vet....

It sounds like you have a very spunky boy but if you don't get him used to it - he'll always freak ....See if your vet can clip them without you right there where he can see you ....

This is just an Idea....I'd love to see what others say about this - They act like they're on the torture Rack when it comes to their nails ....my youngest Cheri acts like I'm going to beat her when she sees the clippers.

Also - An emery board - a ROUGH emery board will help keep them short and it's quick too.

I wait until they are just waking up like Kimbery said, but I still always have the styptic powder on hand, just in case. Tino is a dream when I do his nails, but sometimes I think I am going to break a bone or something where Bunny is concerned bc she can really start squirming and gets out of control! I bet he got clipped a little short once at the groomer and just had a bad experience. My sister gives her cats some baby Benadryl to make them a little sleepy so that she can clip their nails. I would probably try that with Tino and Bunny before I took them to the vet to get their nails clipped.

I would not dare touch my baby's nails,let alone she does not even like to be brushed!

Mine have been cut to where they bleed before so it's no wonder they don't like it. I don't even like to have mine done when I get a manicure. I especially hate my toenails getting clipped. I think yiu can file them instead of clipping if hyou do it often enough. It might be worth a try.

I had Cooper's nails clipped by the vet on Monday. I held him and the vet had no problem cutting them. If I would try that at home, I'd be a nervous wreck and sweating bullets!

The groomer that I've used for Carter hasn't had any problems but Cooper is way more feisty than him. I may end up with problems if I ever try to have Cooper's clipped by a groomer.

Pebbles Mom -- hang in there . . . Cooper didn't like baths, dryings or getting brushed but he's getting better each time!

What is it with these "second born"??? It seems like all of us have the same issue... our first Yorkies are perfect little angels, so we decided to adopt a second Yorkie and they are little hellions!!!

I cut Stewie's nails:

1. I put him on his back on my lap and massage his paws for a bit, then rub his belly.

2. I let him sniff the clippers and talk softly (baby talk) to soothe him.

3. I go to town as quickly and efficiently as possible!

I've made him bleed once out of the dozen or so times I've done it. Not bad for a non groomer, huh? :) That one time I put some flour on it and it was fine.

Sing to your Yorkie when you're doing it and let them know that everything's gonna be great! Doing it when their sleepy is not a bad idea, either.

Hey all, groomer to the rescue. LOL just kidding. First off, the groomer you use may pinch his paws or squeeze a little too hard and he doesn't like it. If he nipped at her then she was doing something to him that he didn't want to be done and she should have just given him some time to chill and then tried again OR waited for you to get there and have you hold him so she could clip the nails.

I would try to have the groomer wait for you to come back to get him and have you hold him while she clips his nails. That is what I do if a dog just doesn't want them done. If she isn't willing to do it that way then the hell with her. (JMO)

Otherwise you can try what I do with Memphis. He isn't a big fan of the nail clippers so I take him for a walk or whatever to tire him out as much as I possibly can and then I take a really good sharp pair of nail clippers (the thing blade ones are the best. Thick ones aren't good cause it puts pressure on the dogs nail and they do feel it and dont like it). I have my boyfriend hold him not too tight but enough so that he cant take off on me and I clip his nails really quickly. Just take off a little bit at a time. If they arent short enough repeat the clipping after a few minutes. This way the dog isn't stressing out and you aren't getting ticked off. Keep a little bit of baking soda handy just in case you nick the quik and they bleed. just put a dab of baking soda on the nail that is bleeding and try not to let them walk around. If they get blood on something poor some peroxide on it and it should take care of it without damaging whatever is is's color.

Hope I helped. :)

HA! Kristy- you sound like a pro! But let me just tell ya... they HATE when I sing! They would really need drugs if I tried that method! When I am in the car with them and I start singing, Bunny will actually HOWL bc she wants me to shut up sooo badly!!!!

Oh and before i forget, try to avoid having to have your dog muzzled, if you go to a groomer and they make a comment about your dog being nippy. If possible insist that you are there when they are doing whatever it is that needs to be muzzled for. Muzzles seriously stress a dog out. BIG TIME!!

I have always cut Otis's toe nails. He's sooo passive he just sits there like a pampered socialite and lets me do what I want to his nails. I love that little guy.

Anyway, I have noticed that after taking Otis for long daily walks, his nails get filed down naturally by the cement, and I only have to trim like three of his nails.

Maybe you should try taking your baby for more walks and see if they naturally file down themselves.

First of all, I'm glad I'm not alone! Secondly, thanks for the advise of cutting his nails. I do have a few questions for the "pros" out there...

1) What type of clippers do you use? Can you please email me a picture to give me an idea?

2) How far do you cut the nail down? I'm really scared to do this...I don't want to go too far and make him bleed. If he does bleed, could it be serous?

Please advise. I don't know what I would do without YT!

Make it as shallow as you can. You can always go back over the same nail if the nail is still too long, but I always try to go really shallow.

I ordered mine from PetEdge.com. They are guillotine style and they work really well. I ordered these for a small dog: http://www.petedge.com/shopping/prod...ctID=1233&AS=1

Thats sad that he is that tuff to do. My yorkie is a big time squirmer but she is still young and we tend to do alright if I catch her closer to nap time. But my chihauhua freaks out. She will actually let out a cry before I even get close to her nails. So she makes me a complete wreck while trying to clip her nails. And hers grow faster than any dogs I have ever seen, of course.

There's a vein in each nail on a puppy. I think it goes like halfway out to where the nail ends. If it gets severed, that's why they bleed. If you trim a little at a time, you will eventually see a pink dot in the middle of the nail. That means stop! You have gotten them short enough. The best way to do it is to snip a little at a time if you can get your babe to hold still enough.

The other thing I would suggest is messing with his toes at other times... massaging his paws and touching his toenails. He will get used to the feeling of someone touching his feet and that might help!

Bailey,, does not dig this either!
So, I wait till he is asleep on my lap or beside me in the chair.. and I already have the clippers ready, (well thought out plan) I use the gilatine (Sp) style, and I wait till he is out, and been out awhile, and I've been rubbing and massaging his paws the whole time,, then I clip a few QUICKLY, and a little bit at a time ( less is more, where this is concerned) I can usually get 3-5 done before he BOLTS.. But, then later, or the next day I'll do the rest.
I do suggest when you get a pup,, rub their paws alot,, so they get used to this ,,, I did it constantly when he was little and he still doesnt like it,, You can touch his paws, but when he sees the clippers... its " GOODBYE"! :rolleyes:

Could be that one time at the groomer, they might have hurt his little nail. It's gotta hurt when they cut into the quick.

I saw the other day on Petedge.com a dremel type nail file. That would get the job done quickly, if you don't rev up the rpm too much.

Reagan isn't a fan of this either but we do it at home. I try and have my husband hold her and I cut them but sometimes this doesn't work. I think that since she's more attached to me she would probably feel better if I held her and he cut them but he won't cut them to save his life. He's afraid he's going to hurt her.

This weekend though I cut them and didn't have quite as much trouble. I took a treat that I had crushed up and put it down in front of her. I just let her stand and eat the treat. I have to say I got her back nails down without any problems. The front nails were still a little tricky but easier this way than someone holding her. I just kept putting another crushed treat down when she finished one.

Maybe you can try clipping them yourself and distracting him with treats.

A bypass clipper is best- I don't have a pic, but will look. It's easiest to do afetr a bath when the nails are soft from soaking. Hold the clipper flat against the bottom of the foot so you are just cutting across the part that curls down. Try having him on a slick surface, like a countertop so he has no traction to pull away. If you are successful with one foot let him have a break and get another one later.
Try to hold and massage his feet repeatedly during the day when you are not clipping, so he gets used to having his feet handled all the time.

I just hold Riley and TJ and soothe them or I have someone else hold them, especially their head. Just let the Yorkies sniff out the clippers and get used to them before you use them. Make them know that it is okay. I have also used treats in the past. Have someone hold a big chewy treat for them to chew while you clip. I hope you find some alternative other than drugging your Yorkie.

Hi! I've had two dogs with this problem. I sat on the floor with them on their back in my lap. I gave a small treat before I trimmed the first nail, and then another treat after each nail was clipped. They soon began associating nail trimming time with treats!
I use the guillotine style clippers as they do a very clean and fast job and cause much less discomfort than traditional fingernail clippers.
Good luck with your baby! :)

concrete is a great nail file. Because of the frequent walks on the pavement Buckeyes nails have never had to be trimmed. I was even concerned they were too short. Ahia, on the other hand, is every hard to trim.
I have to drag her on the pavement to file hers. That was only a joke I do not do that. (I saw your mouth open and eyes bug out :eek: )LOL
If they ever had a bad experience with a trimming they probably would freek out with the next one.

Yikes! I am too terrified to cut Tucker's nails. I've always heard you could cut a vein, etc. So, I'm a chicken. I don't want to even think how he'll be. My sweet little boy turns into Cujo when you brush him. He just hates it! He snaps at the brush and twists and turns like a pretzel. I guess my groomer will get rich off of me. Good thing I wasn't planning on growing his coat out long!

I also cut Jack' while he is asleep, but he wakes up on the first nail.
So. One nail Monday, one nail Tuesday, one nail Wednesday, get the drift. By the time I have the last one done it is almost time for the first one again.
Mainly though he keeps them worn down by walking a mile on asphalt twice a day. He pulls so hard that the road is like a emory board.
Good luck.

Wow! I really admire those of you who are brave enough to try it yourself. I could not get Gracie and Sampson to sit still long enough so I take them to the vet and she nips them off in no time at all. I did recently read that you can also use a dremel with a sandpaper tip on it - that might be easier than scissors.

I used to be told that in order to get them used to someone grooming their feet that it's a good idea to massage their feet slowly and gently and then take your fingers and pinch at each nail as if you were going to cut it. Generally, they love to have their feet massaged especially in the center in between the pads. Spoil them rotten, I say! :p

http://www.petedge.com/shopping/prod...ProductID=2125


This is the kind of clippers that I swear by. They are really good cause they are thin and they dont put much pressure on the dogs nail.