Nail Trimming
Grooming & Handling · 25 steps · by @allison
Your Dog will learn to enjoy having their nails clipped.
Alternate between right and left sides as you work through this plan.
**Any position is fine.** This plan never asks Your Dog to stand, sit, or lie down, and you should not make them. Most dogs find lying down easiest, on their side or in a relaxed down, because the leg is supported and they are not balancing on three feet while you work. Some prefer to stand, and small dogs are often happiest in your lap. Let Your Dog choose the position they settle into, then keep it consistent so the picture stays familiar.
**A start button makes this much easier, though it is not required.** This plan builds Your Dog's feelings about the clippers. A start button handles a different job: it lets them tell you go ahead or not yet before each individual nail. The two work beautifully together.
- **Start Button: Side** is the natural fit for nails. Your Dog offers lying on their side, then lays their head flat on the mat as the go-ahead for each nail. Head lifting, rolling up onto the chest, or pulling a paw back all mean stop. - **Start Button: Chin Rest** works if Your Dog would rather stand, especially with the chin onto a surface so both of your hands are free.
If you are using a button, wait for it before every rep here, and treat it coming undone exactly as this plan already treats a pulled-away paw: stop, and let the step get easier.
**Safety:** Make sure the nail clippers are sharp. Dull clippers can hurt Your Dog.
**Puppies:** Getting your puppy happy about having their nails trimmed is wonderful socialization during the puppy window (around 4 to 16 weeks), when puppies learn what is safe and normal in their world. Because a young puppy usually has no fear to undo and soaks up new experiences fast, you can often run this plan in **proof mode** (proof levels 1 and 2, the harder review steps) so your puppy breezes through it faster than an adult dog might need. Keep every rep positive and let your puppy set the pace.
**Split:** If Your Dog is scared of having their nails trimmed, start the plan on the first split. It can help to start with a new pair of clippers that they have no negative history with.
Training steps
Pair the sight of the clippers with treats at a distance
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, show them the nail clippers from a distance and then surprise them by tossing a generous handful of tasty treats so they do not have to move closer to the clippers.
Success: Your Dog eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Pair the sight of the clippers with treats
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, show them the nail clippers, then surprise them with a generous handful of tasty treats. Do not approach Your Dog with the clippers. Stay where you are and encourage them to come get the treats so they are choosing to approach the clippers on their own. Between reps, sit with Your Dog without feeding them and keep the clippers hidden. This contrast will have Your Dog thinking, “Where are those clippers? I want to see them again because they make great stuff happen!”
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Put the clippers on the floor and sprinkle treats around them
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
When Your Dog is not expecting it, put the clippers on the floor, sprinkle a generous handful of tasty treats around them, and then back away so Your Dog can approach and find the treats without any social pressure.
Success: Your Dog approaches and eats the treats.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to front shoulder for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's shoulder for 1 second and quickly feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to front shoulder for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's shoulder for 3 seconds and feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to front leg for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's leg for 1 second and quickly feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to front leg for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's leg for 3 seconds and feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to front foot for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's front foot for 1 second and quickly feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to front foot for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's front foot for 3 seconds and feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to back thigh for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's thigh for 1 second and quickly feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to back thigh for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's thigh for 3 seconds and feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to back leg for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's leg for 1 second and quickly feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to back leg for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's leg for 3 seconds and feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to back foot for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's back foot for 1 second and quickly feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch clippers to back foot for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Hold the clippers against Your Dog's back foot for 3 seconds and feed a treat with your other hand while the clippers are in contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold the front foot but touch clippers to the leg
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's foot, but touch the clippers to their leg only, not the foot. Hold, do not grip or pull, and let go the moment they draw the paw back.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold and touch clippers to front foot
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's front foot with one hand, touch the clippers to the foot with your other hand, and then feed a treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold and touch clippers to a front nail
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's front foot with one hand, touch the clippers to one of the nails with your other hand, and then feed a treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold the front foot and pretend clip
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's front foot with one hand and use your other hand to open and close the clippers in front of a nail as if you were clipping, but without making contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold and touch clippers to back leg
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's back leg with one hand, touch the clippers to the leg with your other hand, and then feed a treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold the back foot but touch clippers to the leg
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's foot, but touch the clippers to their leg only, not the foot. Hold, do not grip or pull, and let go the moment they draw the paw back.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold and touch clippers to back foot
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's back foot with one hand, touch the clippers to the foot with your other hand, and then feed a treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold and touch clippers to a back nail
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's back foot with one hand, touch the clippers to one of the nails with your other hand, and then feed a treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold the back foot and pretend clip
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Gently take and hold Your Dog's back foot with one hand and use your other hand to open and close the clippers in front of a nail as if you were clipping, but without making contact.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Clip a nail
Setup: Your Dog is nearby.
Clip one of Your Dog's nails, then praise and feed an extra tasty treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during clipping.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Congratulations! You now have a dog who loves to have their nails trimmed.
Keep the positive association strong by giving Your Dog a high-value treat for every nail clipped.
Do not chase a full set. One paw, or even two or three nails, and then finishing on purpose is a genuinely good session. Nails only need doing every few weeks, so you have far more time than it feels like you do, and a dog who leaves the room when the clippers appear costs you much more than a long nail does.
If you have trained a start button, this is where it earns its keep: wait for Your Dog to offer it before each nail, and stop the moment it comes undone. See Start Button: Side, or Start Button: Chin Rest if Your Dog prefers to stand.
If Your Dog starts avoiding having their nails trimmed, that's completely okay! Simply Drop back to a step they're comfortable with and work through the plan again or restart the plan with proof steps. Go at Your Dog's pace and do as much training as they need.