Just 4 Minutes: Train Your Dog to Tolerate Toenail Trims by Dr. Sophia Yin
- Dr. Rachel Francis
- Jul 24, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 8
This video is 3:00 minutes long and shows Dr. Sophia Yin going over proper techniques for doing nail trims on aggressive dogs.
For more information by Dr. Sophia Yin: go to cattledogpublishing.com
Video Transcription:
"This dog doesn't like having his toenails trimmed. We'll take a few minutes to counter condition him.
First, I give him treats without handling him in order to change his emotional state. Now that he's happy, we can start the desensitization and counter conditioning.
(Then you're just going to feel his feet while I'm giving treats. Okay. So, go ahead.)
The assistant should wait until the dog's occupied with eating before she starts handling and then stop handling right before the dog finishes the treat.
This way, the dog's attention is focused on the food the entire time he's being handled, which lessens the likelihood that he'll try to bite the handler. Notice that our timing is off the first several times, and then we get our teamwork down better.
Our goal is to always keep the handling at the right level so the dog doesn't even seem to notice that he's being handled. After repeating one step a number of times, we move to the next step.
In this case, the next step is that my assistant taps his foot with the clippers.
In between handling bouts, wait long enough so the dog can understand that handling equals treats and no handling equals no treats.
He should be looking expectantly at you for more treats.
The assistant now puts the clippers over the nail, but doesn't clip. (Stop. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Okay.)
And finally, she clips his nails while he's getting a treat.
This dog doesn't even seem to notice. He's having a good experience.
So, on the next visit, he'll be even better. This entire counter conditioning and toenail trim process has only taken four minutes."
About Dr. Sophia Yin and the History of Low Stress Handling®
Sophia Yin, DVM, CAAB, MS was a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, author, and the creator of Low Stress Handling®.
Through scientific methods, rigorous research and testing, she created the techniques which are the foundations of Low Stress Handling® and are the origins for many modern animal behavior and training programs.
To this day, her methodology has been used in schools and clinics all around the world and her teachings have shaped the new standard of care for veterinary professionals, pet professionals, shelter workers, and pet owners. Dr. Yin passed away in September of 2014, but through CattleDog Publishing® and VIN, the Veterinary Information Network®, her work and legacy lives on.
