For those who prefer to handle their own dog’s care in an area like nail trimming, training to prepare your animal for these sessions is just one part of the picture. Many dog owners will also utilize certain specific items or pieces of equipment to assist them here, and this is often a beneficial pursuit.
At Innovative K9 Academy, we’re happy to provide numerous forms of dog training to various clients in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah, from puppy school to individual classes and more. We regularly assist our clients with training for some specific form of care you’re trying to provide your dog, including parents looking to make nail trimming less of a hassle every time. Here are a few of the items or approaches we might recommend for you in these situations.
Lick Mats
One simple way to help lower your stress during nail trimming is to move your dog’s focus elsewhere so they don’t fight you, and a lick mat is a great way to accomplish this. When you place a treat on this mat, the animal’s instinct will be to lick it off, meaning their attention is pulled away from the task at hand.
You can also utilize this behavior by getting a toy your dog really wants and giving them access to it when they are near the area in question for nail trimming. This will give you an opportunity to take care of the task at hand while they’re distracted with their toy, or otherwise occupied licking the mat itself.
Treat and Train
Treat and Train is a specific product that allows you to train them for the nail trimming or other processes without too much stress. It involves a button that dispenses food or other treats when you choose to reward the dog, which you can do after a successful nail trimming session.
Dremels
Some dogs simply will not tolerate large nail clippers at all, but they’ll often do much better with a dremel that grinds down the nails instead. This way, the process is slower and takes more time than simply clipping them off in a manner of seconds. Also, because this method is typically less traumatic to the dog overall, he or she will likely be more open to it over time as well.
Scratch Boards
Is your dog the type who tries to groom its own nails somewhat often? For these dogs, a scratch board is an excellent resource that allows them to dig at the surface and grind down their own paws — this will leave you fewer responsibilities here, and most dogs love it!
For more on tactics for making nail trimming a bit more bearable for both you and your dog, or to learn about any of our dog training programs or services in SLC, speak to the staff at Innovative K9 Academy today.