Question:

Do you have any tips for cutting nails? Our 2 yr old beagle has to be muzzled and my husband has to hold her down across his lap. She screams even before I clip. It’s such an ordeal for all of us.

Answer:

Makes sure your nail trimmers are the pliers type and they are sharp. You want to cut not pinch or crush.

Firstly, Beagles HATE to have their nails done. Secondly, Dogs pick up on our emotions. It is difficult to hide our apprehension of doing a certain task from our dogs. But, that is the first thing you need to do. You need to be totally relaxed. Your tension will come across as insecurity. And this will increase your dog’s unwillingness to cooperate.

Aside from the mental and emotional aspects, You can start with desensitization. Keep the nail trimmers out and touch her with them on her body, head, and feet. Bribe her with lots of treats. Some dogs can’t tolerate the feel of metal on nails. For others it is the sound of the clippers snapping shut. Does she fight when you hold her? If yes, you can desensitize her for that as well. Does she HATE the muzzle or does it calm her?

I had a client that used cheese wiz to do things that her dog hated. He looked like a baby with his bottle.

As far as special holding techniques, that changes with each dog. It sounds like that hold would work. I think things will get better with time and being calm. Don’t feed into her panicked energy. Do one nail per session and don’t release her until she is calm. Have a session where you just touch her nails with the clippers and again, don’t release her until she is calm.

It may seem overly complicated answer to a common problem. But, you are working with a living being’s psyche.