"This question is for those of you who clip the nails of dogs who REFUSE to have their nails clipped." Well I went through this for four years with Athena, who sounds like the spitting image of your girl. Then some very wise person got a hold of me and beat me about the head and made me realize the problem was ME!!! This is going to be a little long, but have patience my child and you too shall see the error of your ways! Wise Person: "What do you mean Athena REFUSES to let you cut her nails?" Me: "Well, she won't let me. She fights and struggles and cries and hyperventialtes and I can't get her to hold still. I was thinking of asking the vet for some Ace to calm her down so I can clip her" Wise Person: "And what do you do when she does this?" Me: "Well, I usually just end up giving up before either one of us gets injured." Wise Person: "So how do her nails normally get cut?" Me: "I usually take her to the vet or groomer." Wise Person: "And they have no problem cutting her nails?" Me: "No. I don't get it." Wise Person. "Well, I do and frankly, you don't need drugs to calm the dog to clip the nails. Its your fault that she gets away with this. YOU created this behavior." Me: (a little offended) "Exactly what do you mean by that?" Wise Person: "YOU are the reason she gets away with this. Sounds like you are scared of your dog." Me: (very offended) "That's ridiculous. I am not scared of my own dog." Wise Person: "Sounds like it. You start to cut, she struggles and carries on, you give up. SHE WINS. She's playing you." Me: "Well its my fault she acts like this because I quicked her once." Wise Person: "That is bull. Dogs get quicked all the time even by groomers or vets. Yes, it hurts momentarily and it bleeds like a son-of-a-gun which is scary. But then you freak out because the blood is gushing everywhere and the dog picks up on that and associates nail clipping with a negative experience. The the next time you go to clip, you are nervous and apprehensive, the dog picks up and that and then too becomes nervous and apprehensive and struggles. You give up because the dog is obviously upset. So then the next time you are even more apprehensive because you know a struggle is going to be involved, and again, the dog picks up on that and ups the ante by struggling even harder. You give up again and a pattern is set. Me: (still mildly offended and a bit cynical that I the great Rottweiler am afraid of my dog and have created this ridiculous behavior) "Ok. So how do I do I get around this? How would you do it?" (HA!...there you go...my dogchair quarterback...) Wise Person: "You just do it. You put them in a down, lie them on their side and clip their nails. You do not stop. You let them know you mean business and that no matter what they are getting all their nails clipped." Me: (incredulous) "What?!@#^&#??? And what exactly do I do about the flailing Rottweiler legs and twisting and turning Rottweiler Death Spin?" Wise Person: "You put them back down and continue clipping. You do this every time they get back up or try to struggle. Do not be angry. Do not coo at the dog (reinforces the behavior), do not yell at the dog. You must be devoid of emotion. Speak in clear, concise and calm voice...be calm in all your actions and the dog will soon learn that if you are calm, that there is no reason for her to be freaking out and that he should be calm as well. The most important thing to remember is to stay calm and to continue no matter what until all nails are done. He must learn that no matter what he does his nails will be clipped...end of story." Hmmmm...end of part I. ===== Samantha Canuso Vom Lowenherzig Rottweilers Canuso's Athena Bellissima CGC Decimus Vom Claussen aka Disel workingrott@yahoo.com ___"This question is for those of you who clip the nails of dogs who REFUSE to have their nails clipped." Part Deux OK, so now having the ego a little brusied by that verbal spanking as I consider myself a long time dog person and fairly educated in canine behavior and Rottweilers , I started talking to other Rottweiler people and realize that there are a WHOLE NETWORK of reformed "My Rottweiler refuses to let me cut their nails" people. So then I start thinking, ok, if these people can do it and if my vet and groomer can do it, then why can't I? And hey, I am sick of paying $15 every two weeks to get nails cut. Who does Athena think she is @#T^@%@^&#? But how to go about this? I tried the food bribing and it did not work no matter what I did. So here is the method I came up with. I devised a very devious plan to end this struggle with trimming Athena's nails. Here was my plan of attack: Tools: (1) prong collar (1) 6-ft double-ply nylon leash (1) deck railing (1) 1 variable speed dremel with sander drum (1) handful of very favorite treats Procedure: 1. Put prong collar on cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch (no pun intended :) ) 2. Tie nylon leash to deck railing...um, three or so knots should do it. Leave only enough slack to stand and sit. 3. Attach leash to dead ring on prong collar on cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch 4. Plug in most evil dremel device (unless you have cordless model) 5. Place pile of treats in front of cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch...just out of reach......I warned you that it was devious. Stay tuned for part three.... ===== Samantha Canuso Vom Lowenherzig Rottweilers Canuso's Athena Bellissima CGC Decimus Vom Claussen aka Disel workingrott@yahoo.com Didja like how I left ya hanging on that last post.... 6. Turn dremel on. Let cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch thrash for a minute or two until she realizes...(1) "Hey this pinches when I struggle" and (2) "OMG those are treats, must...find...way...to...get...them." 7. Wedging cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch between you and deck railing , pick up first foot, wait for cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch to stop struggling, dremel 1st nail, give treat. Repeat for other three nails and dewclaw. Do not talk to her, do not yell at her. Stay calm and methodical. 8. Pick up second foot. Repeat as first, but make wait until whole foot is done before treating. Realize cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch is still being a PITA but not struggling as much as before. 9. Repeat with feet three and four, but only give treat once cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch's entire foot is done. 10. Turn off evil dremel, release cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch and give remainder of treats in form of OB rewards and praise. Results: 1. Unscathed owner and non-hyperventilating cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch 2. NO cut quicks due to stupidity (and bad aim) of cantankerous old Rottweiler bitch's owner. And the moral of this story: Always listen to Wiser Rottweiler People when they say it can (and will) be done! BTW: This also works for puppies minus the prong collar. Disclaimer: Newbies...please see someone on proper use of prong collar before use. Do not use prongs on puppies. I have now been dremeling Athena's nails weekly for the last three months since we brought Disel home. I will always have to do her this way, and she is still a pain, but now understands that she is getting her nails done no matter what! She's so retarded that she now prances over when I pull the prong collar out...I told you she was whacked.... My biggest advice to you is to SWITCH TO A DREMEL! 1. Dremels are SO much easier and SO much faster and create a much smoother edge to the nail. 2. Problem with clippers is it puts a lot of pressure on the nailto cut it and many dogs do not like that pressure...and its very bad if the clippers are dull. 3. It is very hard for people to aim with clipeprs and black nails. With a Dremel there is no lining up. You put the dremel on the edge of the nail and sand 4. You can still quick a dog with a Dremel, but it is much less painful. Plus, they prevent you from cutting up very high on the vein, when you catch it with a dremel it is right down on the edge of the vein and can stop right away. 5. If you do quick the dog, the dremel actually kind of cauterizes the cut...at the very most I;ve had oozing for a few seconds with the dremel. With clippers I have litterally had spewing blood for up to 30 minutes. One time she jerked and I clipped her up so high with the clippers that it required a vet trip and it was very painful when they stuck styptic up the nail to stopt he bleeding. She oozed for two days. I started this with Disel right away (obviously minus the prong) and now he just sits and hands me his paw as soon as I attach him to the leash. From a reformed 'My Rottweiler refuses to let me cut their nails' person, I sincerely hope this helps! ===== Samantha Canuso Vom Lowenherzig Rottweilers Canuso's Athena Bellissima CGC Decimus Vom Claussen aka Disel workingrott@yahoo.com __________________________________