Comments on: Sometimes it’s nice http://www.moderndogblog.com/2008/03/10/sometimes-its-nice/ Dog Training....Unraveled Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:14:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Patti Abramowicz http://www.moderndogblog.com/2008/03/10/sometimes-its-nice/comment-page-1/#comment-226 Patti Abramowicz Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:47:18 +0000 http://www.moderndogblog.com/2008/03/10/sometimes-its-nice/#comment-226 Huray for the people who want to help their RR work through this. RR's as a rule hate their feet touched so desensitizing them to this is very important if you ever want to clip their nails:) It's best to start early, but when we have an older dog it must be done slowly. I've had RR:s for 26 years and currently have 2 RR's adotped as adults. I've never had much luck with the conventional nail clippers as RR"s nails are so thick and it actually seems to hurt them. I like using a Dremel. Yikes! I started very slowly. First showing them the tool, treat. Laying the tool next to their food bowl when they ate. Turn it on, treat. Touch one nail, treat. This went on for a week. Then I moved on to turn in on, treat, very lightly touch one nail, treat, big praise. Over a 2 week period we did this 3 times a day. Eventually we worked up to doing all nails. When I am done their nails, they get a Kong with Peanut Butter in it. It has been a year now and they both get excited when I bring the Dremel out., They actually race to be the first one to get their nails done since they know what is coming at the end. I am able to do all their nailes in 10 minutes with both of then just calmly laying their. After each nail, a soft belly rub is given. Patience pays off and go very slowly. Don't rush into doing them all. One a day at first. It pays off. As for the ears, the treats and praise will work the same way. Going slowly is the key. If you rush the process they will balk. Eventually, they will realize that it doesn't hurt and actually feels good. My female likes nothing better than a finger in her ear and a nice massage. RR's are very smart and get bored easily so any training or desensitizing sessions need to be short and broken up over a few times a day. If you try to train for too long of a period, they get bored. Keep them short with lots of praise and they will learn anything. Huray for the people who want to help their RR work through this. RR’s as a rule hate their feet touched so desensitizing them to this is very important if you ever want to clip their nails:) It’s best to start early, but when we have an older dog it must be done slowly. I’ve had RR:s for 26 years and currently have 2 RR’s adotped as adults. I’ve never had much luck with the conventional nail clippers as RR”s nails are so thick and it actually seems to hurt them. I like using a Dremel. Yikes! I started very slowly. First showing them the tool, treat. Laying the tool next to their food bowl when they ate. Turn it on, treat. Touch one nail, treat. This went on for a week. Then I moved on to turn in on, treat, very lightly touch one nail, treat, big praise. Over a 2 week period we did this 3 times a day. Eventually we worked up to doing all nails. When I am done their nails, they get a Kong with Peanut Butter in it. It has been a year now and they both get excited when I bring the Dremel out., They actually race to be the first one to get their nails done since they know what is coming at the end. I am able to do all their nailes in 10 minutes with both of then just calmly laying their. After each nail, a soft belly rub is given. Patience pays off and go very slowly. Don’t rush into doing them all. One a day at first. It pays off.

As for the ears, the treats and praise will work the same way. Going slowly is the key. If you rush the process they will balk. Eventually, they will realize that it doesn’t hurt and actually feels good. My female likes nothing better than a finger in her ear and a nice massage.

RR’s are very smart and get bored easily so any training or desensitizing sessions need to be short and broken up over a few times a day. If you try to train for too long of a period, they get bored. Keep them short with lots of praise and they will learn anything.

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