By now most of us have seen or heard about those videos showing dog owners covering their foreheads with peanut butter and trimming their dog's nails. While the videos might look ridiculous, what these intrepid owners are doing is turning a challenging situation into something more enjoyable by using positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement is used in training to pair any situation with a reward in order to make it more pleasant. Numerous studies have shown that reward-based training is by far the most effective, not to mention the kindest. As a recent publication by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists stated, "Punishment causes fear and has no place in dog training. Dogs learn confidence and skills with reward based training." While this statement applies to all areas of training, it is particularly relevant to nail trims.
Nail trims are the perfect place for positive reinforcement because they need to be done frequently and for your pet's entire life. I give this advice to all my clients who have dogs of any age. Whoever said you can't teach an old dog new tricks was totally lying! Dogs, like the rest of us, are always learning — sure it might be a little slower as we/they age, but it is still possible.
The most important thing to remember is patience. The time it takes for each step will depend on many things, but in reality this is an adventure that will take days, weeks, even months. It is important to always be working "below threshold," which basically means not pushing your dog to the point that you're making them nervous or uncomfortable.
First off get your dog used to having their legs and feet touched any time you are petting them, do it like it's no big deal, do it in a way that they don't even notice. When you're next to your furry friend, petting their sweet face and cute belly, include their legs and feet. Once they're completely relaxed and not noticing what you are doing, you're ready to begin nail trim training.
Time to get out the treats! Pair giving treats with each of the steps below. Each step should be done gently and repeated until your dog doesn't care or react in any way — only then should you move on to the next step. It may take days to master each step. This is a great place for a frozen peanut butter stuffed kong (use unsweetened — xylitol is toxic to pets!). For trimmers, I recommend using the scissor-type because they are easier to see where you are cutting — remember the "quick" is alive and painful if trimmed.
Step One.
While sitting in front of your dog gently run your hand all the way down the leg and over the foot.
Step Two.
Hold the paw itself for one to two seconds after running your hand down the leg. Slowly increase the time you are holding the paw.
Step Three.
Add in gentle rubbing and pressing the toes apart (like you will need to do when trimming the nails). Keep those treats flowing!
Step Four.
Introduce the nail trimmers. Start with the nail trimmers just in view, then gradually — over a series of sessions — bring them forward until they are next to you while you are holding the foot.
Step Five.
Hold the trimmers in one hand and the foot in the other hand. This is where the treat giving gets complicated, hence the peanut butter on the forehead trick. You can try wedging the treats between couch cushions or spreading peanut butter on a plate that doesn't require you to hold it.
Step Six.
Gently touch the nails with the trimmers.
Step Seven.
Tap the nails with the trimmers.
Step Eight.
Now the moment of truth — trim the very tip of one nail.
Then have a big party for yourself and your dog! You have accomplished the Sisyphean task of trimming a single nail.
Remember it's a marathon not a sprint. If it's one nail a day for a while that's fine! Eventually it will be two, then five, then maybe all of them in one sitting.
The keys to remember are to go slow, offer lots of treats and stay "below threshold." It will be worth it. Even if you decide you don't want to trim the nails yourself, I strongly recommend that you do this whole routine right up to the trimming part. Your dog, your groomer and your vet will thank you.
Sara Shaw is a small animal veterinarian who lives and works in the Spokane area.
