Nail Trims Do Not Have to Be “Torture” for Dogs or You

Nail trimming can be a dreaded task that many dog owners choose to defer to a professional. Some dogs are taken to a groomer, and some have their nails trimmed once or twice a year during their annual or biannual veterinary examinations. If a clinic does not have a groomer on staff, a veterinary technician often trims nails with the help of an assistant.

The temperaments of patients during nail trims can range from “polite” dogs that tolerate or even enjoy the procedure to “Cujos” that would just as soon eat you as let you touch their feet. The upside to trimming the nails of Cujos is that their temperament often causes them to produce highly desired laboratory samples, such as feces and urine. However, nail trims should not be psychological “torture” for patients or veterinary staff. In addition, nail trims should not be painful for patients unless there is an underlying pathology.

Our goal is for patients to think that only “wonderful things” happen at our animal hospital. We encourage owners especially with puppies to start regular touching or playing with their pets’ feet.  We also encourage clients to make “footwork” sessions fun, to carefully choose the timing of sessions, and to reward good behavior with lots of attention, play, and/or treats.

So what should you do with a growling, anal-gland wielding “land shark” ironically named Princess or Sweetie? The answer is desensitization and counterconditioning. These simple techniques involve gradually introducing a pet to the feared stimulus (e.g., nail trimmers) in the presence of a valued reward (e.g., toys, treats, attention). When this method is used, the “evil” nail trimmer becomes a predictor of something good. However, timing is important; the pet must learn that the nail trimmer predicts something “good,” not that the “good thing” predicts the nail trimmer.

Nail trims can be performed by almost anyone. Desensitization and counterconditioning are simple techniques that can be used to help patients overcome their fear of nail trimming. With some time and effort, clients can gain the confidence required to trim their pets’ nails on their own. If you do happen to cut the "Quick" or also known as the blood vessel within the nail, you can always try some cornstartch to apply to it, to control the bleeding.

Shown above the yellow line indicated where you should trim the nail.