Pooch PETicure: Trim Training Your Dog or Puppy

This is one of the most important procedures in caring for your dog and one of the most neglected. Why? Because most dogs don’t like their paws touched, and it becomes a contentious process between you and your fur baby. Trimming your dog's nails doesn’t always have to be a battle of the brains, you just have to work smarter, not harder. This article will cover everything you need to know to make pedicures less stressful and a normal part of your dog’s care. Let's have fun with Pooch Pet-icures, because trim training your puppy or dog is essential to 'care and a bonding experience. 

Why don't dogs like their paws touched? 

If you're a dog person then you know this without question, most dogs do not like their paws touched. Try this, simply touch your dog's paws while they are lying down and relaxed. Chances are it will be a challenge. Some dogs may simply pull their paws away. Some dogs will literally refuse and if you're persistent, they will get up and walk away. 

So the question becomes why? Why do most dog breeds dislike having their paws touched? While there is no one definitive explanation, there are a few theories. 

Pawing is a natural and inherent way for dogs to communicate with their world. Dogs have a high concentration of nerve endings in their paws, making certain areas more sensitive than others. You might not realize this, but just like dogs use their mouths to experience their world, they also use their paws to communicate, and explore. Their paws are essential to balance and movement. Instinctually, dogs understand the importance of health and physical wellness. Not allowing their paws to be handled could be an instinctual preservation of ‘self.’ 

The aversion to having their paws touched is not necessarily just linked to inherent behavior in all dogs. While some dogs are naturally more tolerant of paw handling, others may develop a dislike due to other factors. 

1. Individual Variation: Just like humans, dogs have unique personalities and preferences. Some dogs are more sensitive or particular about their paws, while others are more accepting. This variation can be influenced by genetics, early experiences, and socialization.

2. Early Socialization: Proper socialization during a dog's critical developmental period (usually between 3 and 14 weeks of age) plays a significant role. Dogs exposed to positive interactions with their paws during this time are more likely to tolerate paw handling than adults.

3. Negative Associations: Dogs may associate paw touching with negative experiences. 

For example:

• Pain or Discomfort: If a dog has experienced pain (such as an injury or soreness) related to their paws, they may become wary of any touch.

• Unpleasant Procedures: Nail trimming, cleaning wounds, or removing foreign objects can be uncomfortable for dogs. If these procedures are traumatic, dogs may resist paw handling.

4. Fear and Anxiety: Fearful or anxious dogs may react strongly to any handling, including paw touching. Fear can be learned from past experiences or due to lack of exposure.

5. Instinctual Behavior: Dogs' paws are essential for balance, traction, and exploration. They use their paws to dig, scratch, and interact with their environment. Some dogs may be more protective of this vital toolset.

6. Positive Associations: On the flip side, dogs can learn positive associations with paw handling. Consistent, gentle touch during positive interactions (like massage or play) can create a favorable connection.

In summary, while there are common trends, each dog's response to paw touching is influenced by a combination of genetics, early experiences, and individual temperament. As responsible pet owners, we can help our furry friends feel more comfortable by gradually introducing them to paw handling and ensuring positive associations! As a golden rule, I make it a practice to touch paws during cuddle time. 🐾

Puppy Nail Trim Training Protocol

Now that you have a better understanding of your dog's paws, you can start to focus on the protocol for nail trimming. Start handling your puppy's paws as soon as you introduce your new fur baby into the family. If you are training an older dog, it’s the same protocol, don’t start pedicure training until you develop trust with simple paw touching. 

Next, it’s important to establish a neutral association with the puppy and the tools before you start to clip. It’s equally important to educate yourself on trimming techniques before you try to trim your dog's nails. 

Puppy Specific: if you are starting this protocol with a puppy, chances are your nails do not need to be trimmed during the initial training process. Do not trim unless needed. This phase simply trains your puppy to allow you to touch their paws, and become familiar with the tools, and the process of trimming. They should also look forward to the reward at the end. Practicing Peticures, even if you're not actually trimming nails yet, helps them become accustomed to the process and reduces anxiety. If you are beginning this training with an older dog, the protocol stands the same, only clipping can begin at the end of training. Read on to hear how. 

Positive Association Training Tactic

This process is known as a positive association training tactic,  it’s designed for your dog to experience a positive association with the process and the tools and to look forward to the treat at the end. The listed guideline we share is simply a reference point, it’s important to know your dog, and feel free to change the process as you see fit. The important part of the practice is persistence & patience. It’s important that your dog understands what’s about to happen simply by verbal commands. So establish a name for the practice, like ‘wanna have a pedicure? ‘and make it fun.  Also note: this exact positive association training tactic works for older dogs too. Not just puppies. 

1. Peticure Location: To start, create a location that will be designated for pedicures. EXAMPLE, I’m starting my training with my 4-year-old, Levi. (slightly reactive Labrador retriever) in the spring. So I’m planning my training routines outside. I’m setting up a location in the shade on a cooling mat. I keep my clipper, a trimmer, magnifying glasses 🤫, and a few dog treats in a peanut butter jar. With a verbal command of "time for a pedicure,” and a visual of the peanut butter jar, with a little shaking sound of the tools inside, Levi knows the task at hand…or should I say ‘paw’. 🤭. Make sure all trimming and clipping tools are visible and sniffable. Encourage curiosity! 

2. Commands: Regardless if you are puppy training or grown dog training, the first phase is getting them to ‘lay down’ and ‘stay’ on the mat. This might not sound like a nail-trimming activity, but it’s rewarding in dog training just the same. It’s a combination of commands your dog must learn. ‘Down & stay’ and it’s the beginning phase for ‘PET-icure.’ As your dog trains in this phase, they are becoming familiar with the location, the mat, the commands, the tools, and the idea of the reward in the end. If you need rewards during this training phase, feel free to use them. As I said earlier, these are positive association procedures, but you should feel free to implement and change them so they work for your dog. Just be sure not to enable negative influences. You train your dog, not the other way around. Make sure all trimming and clipping tools are visible and sniffable.

3. Safe Tools: Use safe, dog-friendly clippers or grinders. Choose the right tool based on your comfort level and your dog's needs. Safety always comes first. Again, make sure all trimming and clipping tools are visible, and placed around you during every training procedure. The idea is to make tools a normal, neutral part of the process. 

4. Paw Practices: As discussed earlier, most dogs inherently do not like their paws touched. This phase is designed to get them comfortable with paw touching. Take your time, this piece of the positive association is key. It’s also not just a learning behavior, it’s an inherited characteristic. You are literally deactivating ancestral coding in your dog. So patience with yourself and your dog is valuable to the lessons learned. Do not move on in the pedicure procedures until you master this phase. Make sure all trimming and clipping tools are visible and sniffable.

5. Tools & Process: As you maneuver through this training phase your tools should be present and in sniffing locations starting day one. If you're using battery-operated tools, allow them to buzz as you train, even if you're not using them. This phase develops the tools as a ‘normal’ association with the process. Make sure all trimming and clipping tools are visible and sniffable.

6. Progression tactics: Each time you conduct “PET-I cure” practices, introduce the tools more and more. At this stage, your dog should be comfortable with you handing their paws. If not, do not move forward until you have established a positive association with paw touching. Once you have a positive association with paw touching, we progress with the tools. Your dog should also have built a positive association with the tools, easily accessible to touch and smell throughout the process so far. Once your dog actively and positively reacts to the commands: “pedicure,” “ Down,” “Stay”, and “paw,” we move on to tools, sounds, sensations, and pretend to clip. 

Side Notes: As we stated earlier, puppies may not be ready for their nails to be trimmed yet. So we pretend and move through the process. The same goes for the big dogs. Even if your dog is ready for a literal trim, don’t do it just yet. In this phase, we pretend. We allow them to continue in their comfort zone. We simply allow them to feel and hear the tools. Rub any battery-operated noisy tools on paws and legs. Pretend to snip with the trimmer. If they make a noise, great, if not just let your dog see the movement of the tool. In this phase we:

• Let your puppy sniff the tool 

• Lightly touch the tool to each paw 

• Introduce the sound or vibration 

• Touch the tool to their feet

Lastly, develop a reward system that suits your puppy. Levi is high energy so I only reward them at the very end of the entire training session. If I reward him at intervals throughout the training, he hyper-focuses on the treat and not on the training, but some dogs might need reward ‘coxing’ throughout. As I’ve said earlier, know your dog, but don’t spoil them. Make them do the work. Lastly, remember 5-10 minutes max. Anything longer and your dog may lose his or her attention span. Typically inducing a ‘bad dog,’ effect…which is actually a ‘bad human’ responsibility. 

Once your dog has built a positive association with the entire process, including paw touching and tools, we move on to actual trimming. Trim just the tiniest tip from one front paw nail.

Trim the tip off two nails. Keep progressing until your dog is comfortable with the process. This is not a real trimming experience. It’s designed for sensory training. It establishes the sound and feel of the true experience. Do not move forward in the process if you are not getting a positive, or passive reaction from your dog, remain at this stage in training each day, until your dog initiates a treat, or passively goes unaffected. 

Proper Technique

Now that your dog is comfortable with the entire process, we focus on proper techniques. This is training for you. I recommend that during the initial training, you should be doing your own solo training. Research trimming: there are lots of videos on YouTube created by trainers and vets. This is a very helpful video to get you started. How to Cut Black Dog Nails: Locating the Vein. Do your due diligence so you're ready for this part of the process. One wrong move and you will lose all your hard work thus far, and your positive association will turn negative forever. 

Pick up a paw and place your thumb on the pad of a toe and your forefinger on the top of the toe above the nail.

Make sure no fur obstructs your view. Push your thumb slightly up and backward on the pad while pushing your forefinger forward. Trim the nail straight across, avoiding the quick (the pink area inside the nail).

Black Nails: If your dog has black nails (where the quick isn't visible), trim small amounts at a time and check the cross-section after each cut. Stop when you see a black dot in the center of the white area.

Remember, patience and positive reinforcement go a long way in making nail trimming a stress-free experience for you and your furry friend! Be patient, and keep training sessions short, typically between 5 and 10 minutes. Be consistent. Go slow. Enjoy the bonding experience. 🐾