"Even if he screams, I am not letting go of his foot."
I felt it coming. It's usually helpful to prepare people for what they are about to see and hear from their dog while I simply hold a paw in one hand and the nail clipper set in the other. Seconds later, the dog started screaming as if I was beating him.
True to my word, I did NOT let go of his foot. He collapsed to the ground as if he was melting and tried to "alligator roll." He wailed. He tried to get away. He even bit at my hand (albeit with basically no real intent or commitment). And I held. I waited. I did not contribute to a struggle- my fist was just stiff as iron holding his foot in place, waiting for him to understand. When he was done with his meltdown I continued trimming nails. He gave a few half-hearted attempts at another meltdown, but he had learned that under no circumstances whatsoever would I let go of his foot. Period. I was able to trim the rest of his nails with ease, and when he resigned to calm himself and be cooperative, he started to realize that he was eligible for a never ending stream of his very favorite treat after each foot. After all his nails had been trimmed and I let him go, he accepted several minutes of petting and more food from me and we returned to BFF status.
See, when dogs get upset, they start trying things. They want to know what will get them out of the dreadful situation ("Oh NO, not another BATH! I was recently bathed- just last year!!"). Aggressive or threatening behavior is calorically expensive and risky, and dogs want to know that it's going to work. So if a dog snaps or puts warning teeth on skin, and someone pulls away and stops doing whatever they were doing, what the dog learns is that aggressive or threatening behavior works to gain space from that person/activity/thing. They understand that they can stop a person's behavior by acting that way.
But is that the best way to deal with a dog who does not want his nails trimmed? Couldn't we do something with more gradual exposure where he felt comfortable at every single stage? I'm sure you were at least a bit concerned once you read the word "screaming." I heart you- seeing or even reading about dogs being panicked, sad, hurt, or uncomfortable is a lot for some people. The answer (as always) is "It's complicated." I knew this dog very well having already completed a basic training with him. I knew that if he put teeth on me, it would go no further to an actual bite. I new that due to his size the danger to myself was very low. And after various temperament indicators I had witnessed on other days, I knew that his recovery rate was good and that his learning in this session would make the juice worth the squeeze. So for this dog, this was the fasted path to peace and acceptance of this very necessary life task which was already overdue. This task will need to be continued over his entire life and will never be optional. And in fact the sooner he understands that the very best option is just to hold still and get fed, the better. No need for a dramatic meltdown every single time because he will never win. Nothing will ever get him out of it. It is a fact of life. He will get his nails trimmed, and he won't even die!
Certainly other dogs may need a different approach, if not due to their size or behavior history. They may need a muzzle and other restraint considerations to get from A to B with the least amount of disruption as possible. A professional groomer or a professional trainer who also has salon experience (such as myself) can help you determine what your dog's needs are. In my experience, vet staff are not as good at identifying ways to improve the experience for each dog simply because they are not dealing specifically in dog behavior day to day. In fact, when most dogs go to the vet for nail trims it is because the groomer has fired them for behavior and by then becomes quite the ordeal for vet staff. I cannot tell you how many of my clients tell me that 6 vet techs had to pin their dog to the ground to get the job done, just for me to do it on my own with minimal drama and restraint. If your dog is struggling I would highly recommend seeking help from your dog trainer if it's something their regular groomer cannot resolve or you are doing nails at home. I strongly recommend against attempting the method I described above without the oversight of a professional trainer.
There is a lot circulating these days about "Positive Only," "Cooperative Care," and "Consent Based Training." Also in that umbrella of related terms is "Fear Free." I have tried basically every method, from taking literal months to get a full nail trim one nail at a time, counter-conditioning with food every step of the way (moving a hand toward a foot, giving a treat.... working up to actually grabbing the foot). I have also done many repetitions of "Flooding" (described above) with great success. I've done just about everything in the book (that I know of). By and large, I strive for low stress handling as much as possible, as soon as possible. There are husbandry tasks that I would choose to take slowly and others where I have more of a "this is happening" kind of approach. Certainly, so much really depends on the dog and the people who own it- so certainly none of this is to advise you on what to do with your dog.
As for me and my own dogs, anything that needs to be done often on a schedule and is absolutely necessary usually gets "this is happening." Nail trims, getting a medication, etc are some good examples of tasks where we just really need to be successful right off the bat. Things like getting teeth brushed, getting a rectal thermometer reading, muzzle conditioning, etc are some examples of areas where I can (and probably should) take a little more time. As I said, so much just depends on the dog and person. After all, our lives are all so different- only you can determine what's right for you and your dog.
But I'd like to make at least a small case for the value of teaching dogs at some point with some training opportunity that there will be scenarios, which they will survive and which are for their own good, that are completely not optional. The less drama and pushback the better! Some things just won't work. In the strange human world these apex predators live in, they must understand what is truly a threat and what battles are worth fighting. In order for dogs to live happily and harmoniously with their people, without a struggle, they must understand how to appropriately respond to environmental pressures they encounter. That could be anything from going home from the dog park while play was at it's best, having to enter a crate, having to ride in a car, having a medical exam by a stranger, getting a bath, getting a medication, even having to share attention from a human with another dog etc. Bad things can happen when dogs learn that aggression can actually get them things they want or get them away from situations they don't want. If dogs never learn that surrender is often the best option, and instead learn that fighting gets them what they want- certainly the problem will grow. Certainly, the dog will just escalate beyond what initially works for them. If behavior does not work, it will shift to something that does work.
So even if nail trims are a task where you prefer to take a little more time and use a lot of food and praise at the dog's pace (up to weeks or months), great! Start asking yourself about where in life your dog is going to learn how to most constructively respond to environmental pressure. You and your dog will be SO much happier in your lives together if there is clarity and they understand exactly what to expect. Reach out to your trainer if you are not 100% clear on how to make that happen. It's really important that you understand what your dog is ready for. But most importantly, you just need to take action in your dog's life so you both can have the very best life together possible.
If you need help with nail trims or any other behavior challenge, just text or call us at 385-220-5403! We'd love to help!
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