365 Days of Dog Training - the dreaded nail trim!

I woke up this morning a bit apprehensive about a dog that I would be working with.  He has always had to be sedated for nail trims but when I met him he didn't give me a vibe that he was unworkable.  So I decided to take a chance and work with him.  Well guess what he did GREAT!

I spent the morning with this little guy - he was so happy and excited to work.  We desensitized and counterconditioned him to handling of his feet while he was on the floor.  He barely even flinched.  Then I thought let's try putting him on the exam table - immediately he stopped taking food.  What does that tell me - he doesn't like the exam table and probably doesn't like restraint.

This again proves to me the importance of a good understanding of dog behavior for all people who work with or live with dogs.  If you can figure out what they are trying to tell you then you can help them to get more comfortable with the things they find scary around them.

Nail trims are FUN!

We will see this guy again next week and teach him to wear a basket muzzle just so he is comfortable in case it is needed in the future but honestly I think we will be able to trim his nails with no trouble at all.

Stay tuned - powerpoint on the basics of dog body language is coming very soon!