If you answered yes to any of these questions, take heart! It is never too late to correct past mistakes and you can gradually train your pet to allow you to perform this necessary part of its grooming routine. Remember that these behaviours are a sign of fear rather than disobedience. To overcome your pet’s fear, you will need lots of patience and plenty of treats!

Before beginning the desensitization process, be sure to buy plenty of your pet’s favourite treats. In fact, it is a good idea to save these treats just for the desensitization sessions. This will make them even more enticing to your pet and will make him more cooperative as you coach him through the process. If your pet is particularly food motivated, you can alternate among his preferred flavours to as to keep his interest sharp and make the desensitization sessions more enjoyable.

If your pet is particularly nervous, make things easier for him choosing a specific time and location for the sessions. It is easier for a nervous or anxious pet to learn new things if he recognizes the routine and if the routine is predictable and pleasant. Keep the sessions short! It is actually better to schedule several short sessions throughout the day rather than one long session. For a cat, a session of no more than 2 to 3 minutes is ideal, and it should always end on a high note!

You can consult and print at home our nail trimming training and desensitization sheet by following the steps described: Nail trimming sheet

You can also watch our nail trimming demonstration video on our Youtube page :

N.B. Every animal is different. Desensitizing your cat or dog to nail trimming may take weeks, maybe even months. This process must not be rushed. Once you have mastered the steps described below, you and your pet will be on the right track. Remember never to punish your pet if he does fails to behave the way you want him to or doesn’t progress as fast as you would like. If you run into problems, contact your veterinary team for further assistance. 

Start by introducing the nail trimmer to your pet without handling his paws, and feed him treats whenever the trimmer is visible. Then hide the trimmer and stop giving him treats. Repeat this sequence several times per session. The goal is to get your pet to understand that whenever the trimmer is visible, treats will be provided!

Whenever you handle your pet’s paws, reward him with treats. During a session, begin by touching a shoulder or hip and work your way down the leg to gradually touch his paw and toes. Remember to reward him every time you touch these areas. Look out for any signs of stress in your pet. If he seems uncomfortable, go back to the previous step, shorten the sessions and reduce the number of handlings.

Once your pet is comfortable being handled, start showing him the nail trimmer during the sessions. The idea is to show him that the presence of the trimmer does not automatically mean that you will trim his nails and that there is nothing for him to worry about. The purpose of this gradual introduction is for your pet not to hide or run off whenever you pick up the trimmer.

In this step, you will handle your pet’s paws while holding the nail trimmer and gradually bringing it closer to the paw. Working in several small sessions, bring the trimmer close to a toe, then tap it gently against the nail, hold the paw and toe for a few seconds and then simulate trimming the nail without actually cutting it. Be sure to repeat the process for each paw and every toe, and be sure to give your pet a treat after every handling.

Once your pet is comfortable with having his paws handled and he associates the nail trimmer with something positive, you can begin trimming of his nails. Ideally, start with a quick recap of the desensitization steps by simply handling your pet’s paw, then approaching the trimmer to his paw without trimming, all the while dispensing treats. Once the warm-up is complete, trim off a small section of just one nail, and reward your pet LAVISHLY with treats. Finish the session the same way you started it, by handling the other paws without cutting any other nails.

In this last step, keep repeating Step 5 until your pet is comfortable with the process and willingly allows you to trim one nail per session. Then you can gradually increase the number of nails you trim at each session. With time and patience, you will eventually be able to trim all your pet’s nails in one go, but remember to keep rewarding him. Treats will keep him cooperative throughout his life, so don’t be stingy!

Here’s a handy tip:

You can combine nail trimming sessions with short periods of play to lighten the mood and give your pet some enjoyable breaks. This will make the learning process fun and positive.

Read more about nail trimming : https://passionimo.ca/en/post_type=conseils&p=17069