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11-21-2009, 01:07 PM | #1 |
YT Addict | Getting to sit still? I would like to be able to trim my girls nails soon, they are getting very long and I want to do it because I don't want to have to keep paying to have it done. But I want to do it every time so she can get more and more used to it. But so far even though I work with her paws a little each day petting and rubbing them, when it comes to the nail clippers she pulls her paw away from me. She doesn't seem entirely scared and shying away from the clippers themselves, just more like she doesn't like me holding her paws. How can I get her to hold still so I can clip her nails? If I grab hold of her leg and don't let her move it she yelps and I don't want to hurt her. Does anyone have any suggestions? How do they do it at the groomers on dogs who pull their legs away?
__________________ Lollipop my Pretty Little Princess |
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11-21-2009, 01:15 PM | #2 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | Don't let her win the battle...continue trimming her nails even if she fights you...eventually she will realize it will be done and stop fighting. Another tip...wrap her completely in a towel with only the paw you are trimming exposed.
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com |
11-21-2009, 01:46 PM | #3 |
Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 7,959
| There are three ways of nail trimming that work for me, depending on what dog it is. Most will be still if they are on a grooming table with the noose around their neck. Others I will have to pick up and trim their nails while I am walking around holding them. The really difficult ones I will let my husband hold while I trim their nails. |
11-21-2009, 02:35 PM | #4 |
YT Addict | I forgot to mention that when I tried the first time I had my mom holding her. I don't think I tried when I had her on the cuonter but I will have to. If she keeps trying to tug her paw away and yelps/whines at the same time, should I keep holding it or what?
__________________ Lollipop my Pretty Little Princess |
11-21-2009, 03:00 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 7,959
| Yes, you have to keep trying. If you let her win then she will learn that all she has to do is whine and jerk and you will leave her alone. Just make sure you are not cutting them to short. Some people recommend giving them a treat when they allow you to touch the feet. I have never tried that. The best thing is to invest in a grooming table with a grooming arm on it. A small table like the one shown in the link below might work well enough for your needs if you don't want to invest in a full size grooming table. PetEdge: Master Equipment Small Pet Grooming Table - Pink Top |
11-21-2009, 08:17 PM | #6 | |
YT Addict | Quote:
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11-21-2009, 09:51 PM | #7 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Western NY
Posts: 231
| I do what I call the "suplex" on squirmy dogs. It works best if you can get a counter at least waist high to you. Tuck your dog under your arm with their head facing away from you (so poking out near your back). Lift her paw back so her pad faces the ceiling and her leg is bending in a natural position. You can do this with all four feet. Your arm should cross underneath your dog's tummy towards your body. Bjh is right. The more you keep giving in, the more they'll keep fighting. Dogs are a lot stronger than most people think! Just stand your ground and talk to her in a neutral and confident voice. Try not to coo or raise your tone or she may think you're telling her its ok to be scared. Good luck!!
__________________ Kelly and Wookie Have you hugged your groomer today? |
11-22-2009, 06:29 PM | #8 |
YT Addict | I was playing gently with her back paws today, she had some 'stickers' from outside in her fur on her feet/leg but they were not embedded or anything. I was just plucking them out and she did NOT like it, she even snapped at me. Not to bite but just snap and growl. Aqeuous, I'll definitely try turning her backwards. Is there anything specific for that type of behavior I should try? Grooming for yorkies is fairly important so I want to get this worked out. I appreciate all the tips so far.
__________________ Lollipop my Pretty Little Princess |
11-22-2009, 07:04 PM | #9 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 881
| I think it's important to have confidence when you do nails and teeth. Once you decide you can do them, it's funny how the yorkies "change". Humans that have to be sure of it. Use a treat on the side. Remember, a wet nail is a weaker one. A yorkie being bathed is a distracted one. Take advantage of these things. I don't like the old fashion nail clippers. They take too long to get ready to cut. I prefer a pair that look like these: Millers Forge Designer Series Dog Nail Clipper I'm not promoting this company. You should be able to buy them for less than this price. For the worst situation you could mummy wrap after bathing. Then pull out each hand/foot from the towel. Regardless. They should be barley snipped with each bath. Keep some stop bleed on hand just in case. Do not fear a bloody nail. Once you get past a few you won't be as leery of it happening. IMO some yorkies have ticklish feet. Some yorkies will lay there. Just be confident and go for it. |
11-22-2009, 08:28 PM | #10 |
YT Addict | I try to remain as confident as possible, I always keep a firm confident voice, but inside I do fear getting bitten. This was the 2nd time she's snapped at me touching her feet and it's frightening because you never know when they will chomp down on skin. I'm not even as worried about accidentally getting into the quick a little. I want to avoid it as much as possible of course but my real fear is mostly just getting bit. LOL
__________________ Lollipop my Pretty Little Princess |
11-23-2009, 10:54 AM | #11 | |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 881
| Quote:
It is important to only cut a tip of the nail. Do it often! I don't know anyone that has the time to take them in as often as they "should" be done. Although it's better than nothing, who takes them in to be cut biweekly? This makes them grow out too long and the yorkie never gets used to them being cut. If you'll notice, when you take her to have them cut they only cut a tiny bit. Without a long post on nail growth, it makes things tougher on keeping short nails. Hold her firm with one hand. I keep treats close by. They smell them. You can feel free to give a treat after each hand/foot or nail for that matter if it suits you. Do what you works for you. If she wails, so be it. Some will scream like you are beating them. Try it w/o the clippers. Use a phoney clipper to see the acting job she can perform. Let it empower you! I have too many yorkies to bait them cutting nails lol. When one is finished grooming they stand awaiting their treat if I forget to give it to them. I set this bar. Once you decide you can cut her nails is when you will be able to. | |
11-23-2009, 11:24 AM | #12 | |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 881
| Quote:
This is a separate issue. Biting is NEVER allowed. Biting is dangerous & you don't bite the hand that feeds you. Dogs read body language very good. Even if you sound confident, she KNOWS better. She's proving it and you cannot allow it. Not cutting her nails, not ever. We can never hit, smack, beat or in any way hurt a dog. She has to know YOU ARE the alpha bitch. An obedient dog is a loved dog it's also a confident one. There are many things to do. Some people turn the dog over on her back and scold in her face. Putting her on her back is a position of submission against her will. She will fight you at that time b/c you are scolding her. She won't want to be on her back. Then scold her say "NO BITE" and have a first one to stop staring looses stare off stare her in the eyes I'm not telling you to do this. What's worked for me is to grab face furnishings and say "NO BITE" then have a stare off. As soon as she looks away resume to cutting those nails. I NEVER back off from a bite. Once you back off you are approving a future bite. They bite b/c they are entitled or scared. We don't want them entitled above us or scared of us. We are their everything. Kind of funny b/c we really think that they are our everything I know, huh? Don't let her get away w/ biting you. | |
11-23-2009, 02:19 PM | #13 |
YT Addict | Okay I'll have a stare contest with her if she nips at me again. Does this help them relax and not get so scared? I would never hit any animals I have.
__________________ Lollipop my Pretty Little Princess |
11-23-2009, 04:44 PM | #14 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hugo, MN USA
Posts: 325
| sitting still I used to cut Belle's nails when I first got her at 12 weeks. She was really good and I played with her feet all the time. Then she decided she didn't like me cutting her nails and she's cry and pull away. I didn't let go and got the job done but found it much easier if my DH held her tight against him and I just grabbed a foot and cut. Fast and easy. Belle started the growling and nipping at me when I would groom her, especially if she had a snarl in her fur. I always grabbed her face by the furnishings and looked her in the face and said no bite and waited until she looked away first. She has bitten at me a couple times but she was aiming for the brush. She still got the same no bite and now she knows better. It can be a battle with some dogs but if you let them win, you'll never be the alpha. A dog that bites is totally unacceptable Just be strong and don't let her sense any weakness. Good luck, keep trying, you'll do fine. |
11-23-2009, 04:48 PM | #15 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hugo, MN USA
Posts: 325
| biting puppies I just wanted to add that Belle has been a bit more of a challange then some puppies as her Yorkie mama had seven babies and at about 7 weeks old got sick of them and was being mean to them so mama got taken away and I think Belle and probably the others didn't get the benefits of teachings from her mama. I still wouldn't trade her for the world |
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