Your dog and their feet

January 18, 2023 Posted by The Bibbyboo Team

Not every dog will let you trim their nails.

The head of security at Lounge Around Lodge was a Rhodesian Ridgeback called ‘Khy’, and he was a terror when it came to nail duties. Sadly, he passed last year, but his antics live on in our hearts. He hated his feet being touched, and at 63kgs, he could basically do what he wanted when he wanted. Thankfully, our French bulldogs are not so intimidating large and can be picked up, hung in a sling, or nursed. That’s not to say that they are going to sit still!
If you do not cut your dog’s toenails regularly, the bloodline/vein in the nail will become too long, and when trimming occurs, the nail will bleed, which could possibly be painful. This creates an uncomfortable situation for both the dog and you, as you will feel bad if you hurt them—it’s a given. If a nail trim goes wrong, the dog is very cautious and has difficulty with the next nail trim. They have a perfect memory of what they don’t like. Once a bad experience has been had, the dog is never the same and will fear trimming in the future.
If you can not get the nails done regularly, it becomes a much bigger job, as the dog will need to be sedated at the vet, the nails taken back to the correct length, and the bleeding stopped in the vet’s surgery. This is expensive, painful, and avoidable.

Good housekeeping involves getting into a routine. I start trimming the French Bulldogs’ nails when they are tiny puppies. Good habits are formed over time, and so the Frenchies get their nails trimmed fortnightly. Bath day is popular, and for the puppies, I handle their feet as much as possible. Any resistance is met with good grace and more attention. A little treat never goes astray at this time, either.

I am aware that this only works with some dogs. There are dogs out there that, for no good reason, don’t like their feet being touched, and for these special little individuals, we have to try a little harder and be more patient with them as they develop trust in the process. Again, treats are a good distraction.