Hello and welcome to our group! This group is self-study, where members ask clarifying questions to gain support and help with their techniques when needed. We are a very large group, and the Admin team spends many hours monitoring posts to make sure you are getting only the best science-based advice possible.  There is a wealth of information in this group that you must read, digest, attempt, and then inevitably, go back, read and digest about 15 more times.

That being said, there is no quick fix for your dog. Other than hiring a professional to teach you, this process takes time (weeks...months...years…), consistency, perseverance and most of all, patience. Your dog is your teacher, and you are the student. Your dog’s behavior will tell you when you are doing things well, and your dog will also tell you when you aren’t. Listen to them. They are never wrong.

Read this document from beginning to end before trying anything or trimming nails again. Each section of information builds on the next. You may be anxious to get started, but do not skip sections because you think they don’t apply to you - everything will apply, you just may not know it yet.  When you get to a link, click it and watch/read it before continuing on. Again, this is a progressive document, and skipping around will ensure confusion. Understanding Counter Conditioning and Desensitization is not an intuitive process - and you can’t just get a To Do list. You need to understand how all the pieces connect. We learn addition before multiplication, and learn multiplication before fractions for a reason. You can’t just jump to fractions and expect things to go smoothly. Do the work, see results. There are no shortcuts.

Are you ready??!

Classical Conditioning (CC): a type of learning in which a response is elicited by a stimulus (in our case, our hands, clippers and rotary tool) that has acquired power through an association with a biological necessity (food). Layman’s terms: Our dog begins to feel the same about seeing clippers as he does about being offered a steak, because clippers predict food and are never scary.

Counterconditioning (CC): the replacement of an undesirable or maladaptive response to a stimulus with a more desirable response, by means of conditioning procedures. Layman’s Terms: A dog that previously ran and hid when the Dremel turned on now salivates and wags his body happily due to Classical Conditioning.

Conditioned Emotional Response (CER): a learned emotional reaction or response to a certain stimulus.
Example:

Negative CER (-CER): a dog that hears a chirping smoke alarm and hides.
Positive CER (+CER): a dog that sees a leash and happy dances at the door.

Desensitization (DS): a technique very often paired with counterconditioning, in which the subject is kept below threshold (relaxed and alert) and exposed to fears in an increasing hierarchy of intensity to diminish the fearful response over time. Layman’s Terms: We keep the scary thing far enough away or at a low enough intensity, that the dog is able to be relaxed during the entire session. Over multiple sessions, the scary thing is able to move closer or be more intense.

Alternative Cut Line (ACL): trimming the nail along two specific angles, focusing on the nail hood and sides, which encourages the blood supply to recede, allowing the dog’s nails to become shorter over time.

Group Post Regarding Soft Center

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/1597074263770831/

Reinforcer: A primary reinforcer is something that an animal is born needing such as food, water, shelter. We encourage the use of food for our CCDS because it is the most efficient at changing how a dog feels about nail trims. The motivation to eat regenerates each day, and we can control the value and amount of the food - chicken, steak, bacon, cheese, hot dogs, liver, etc are good high-value reinforcers for most dogs. Belly rubs and praise are not.

Threshold: The threshold for CCDS is the point at which your dog’s body language is relaxed, and they can calmly eat food while noticing/being exposed to the stimulus. Remember, “being relaxed” is an emotion, not a behavior. Just because a dog is unmoving and does not bite does not mean it is relaxed. Read your dog’s body language signs to know whether they are truly relaxed and comfortable:

Body language indicative of being UNDER threshold:
-shows no sign of fear, anxiety or worry
-loose body, soft mouth and ears
-tail untucked, eyes soft, normal breathing, comfortable
-able to watch you or the environment with casual curiosity without attempting escape
-is able to lay down or rest calmly without you asking

Body language indicative of being AT threshold:
-shows increasing awareness/concern with you/environment
-ears up, focused eyes, jumpy
-head turns away from you often
-fidgety, yawning, licking lips
-able to do the exercise, but needs increasing support with food to do so (dog might leave if food wasn’t present)
-licking the tool, self or you (“kiss to dismiss”)
-moving away from you, hiding paws

Body language indicative of being OVER threshold:
-must be held or physically moved into place
-flinching, quick to startle, ears back
-trying to escape, either by running/moving away or by using teeth
-stiff body, pulling body parts away
-mouth tense
-panting from heart rate increase
-will not eat treats, or is hurting your hand when eating them
-dilated pupils, whale eye
-yelping or whining, mouthing hand or tools, fooling around (stealing items, rolling around, playing “Keep Away”, etc)

-squinty eyes, becoming frozen or immobile, “submissive" (aka learned helplessness)
-trembling, shedding, being “overdramatic” or “stubborn”

NOTE: If you bring your dog to a groomer, or vet, or restrain them for trimmings while doing CCDS, your dog’s emotions and behavior will not change. In order to make progress, you need to completely alter how your dog feels about trims, which means they must feel safe each and every time they are exposed to a nail trimming tool. Please watch this short video on CCDS and feeling safe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwnSdvHI8mg

We take our group rules very seriously, because with a group as large as ours, one off topic post can become a lot of work for Admins very quickly.  

A. Read over this short list of rules:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gi1FGMwNcu-2bqMQNToHRn1N5tHEXc3qFkmlp9T4j3A/edit?usp=sharing

B. Make sure you are aware that forced trimmings (holding down/restraining the dog to get it done) is heavily discouraged and comments that refer to this will be deleted. Posts about slings or outside links will also be deleted.

Choosing your equipment will depend on you and your dog’s comfort level. We have a list of recommended tools and they consist of different brands of clippers, rotary tools and files.  If your dog has an intense fear of clippers, consider starting fresh with a file. If you’d like to recede your dog’s nails further, consider conditioning your dog to a Dremel. There are specifications within the link below that we have found are the most important and can make your nail trims more comfortable for your dog, which goes a long way to helping them love trims.  You would hate the dentist if they used an old, malfunctioning drill that randomly hurt you!

For dogs that are extremely fearful or aggressive with nail trims, you can teach your dog to file their own nails on a scratchboard while doing CCDS separately.  The instructions for building one and teaching the behavior are within this file, as well.

Click here to read this list to make sure the tool you currently use is recommended, or for a new tool for your dog (hand file, clippers, dremels, scratchboards):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1etwhJhTWpC_hhauMZnTSA9vkNUjRhWP8n5fswK0iGLE/edit?usp=sharing

General safety to know for each tool:
*Clippers: should be super sharp and cut like butter without any pressure to the nail. Your trimmings should never be chunks - you should be slicing off tiny fragments, like confetti. The quik finders on clippers are not recommended.

*Dremel: the Dremel can heat up if kept in place for more than 1-2 seconds. Quick swipes (not taps), while holding the base of the nail to minimize vibration is the most effective way to provide comfort for your dog. Hair can get tangled very quickly in a running Dremel, so make sure you tie your hair back, and use a guard for long-haired dogs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYtTh8B1MZI

*File: Using the proper grit nail file will help shorten your sessions. It is also ideal to go in one direction while filing, and to hold the base of the nail to minimize discomfort for your dog.

*Scratchboard: Check your dog’s paws often when they become avid scratchers. Dogs can quick themselves!

Understanding how your dog’s nails are composed is imperative to knowing how to trim without hurting your dog. It is difficult, if not impossible, to be able to truly tell from pictures of the outside of the nail. It may give you an idea of where the quick begins, but that does not show you the layers that you need to be comfortable with, especially if you want to shorten your dog’s overall length.

The links below are going to give you examples of dog nails, the layers, and how to read them. If you are still uncomfortable with reading nails, you can always ask your local groomer or vet to watch a few nail trims so you can see these layers without stressing your dog.  If your dog (or a friend’s) has any sedated procedures that are upcoming, think about asking to watch the nail trim to inspect and feel the inside of the nail yourself.

Layers of a dog’s nail: 
https://youtu.be/Hj7q9AH7Msk

Dremel tutorial (black nails) showing layers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/576656815812586/

Video clipper tutorial to find layers (black nails) from Anna Lee Sanders: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/595803457231255/

Step-by-step photo tutorial showing layers on a black nail (be sure to check the comments for all the photos and video): https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/650107751800825/

What it Looks Like when you Quick a Dog with a Dremel: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/650708575074076/

What it looks like when you trim too far: https://m.facebook.com/groups/356060287872241?view=permalink&id=1108153422662920&ref=bookmarks

Terminology of nail layers:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/1597074263770831/

(REMINDER: WATCH EVERY LINK! This is the most important section.)

Part A: Positive Conditioned Emotional Response

1. What is a +CER and Why do I Care? Kim Pike https://kimpikespositivepaws.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/what-is-a-cer-and-why-do-i-care/

2. How do I achieve a +CER? Canine Behavior Science http://www.caninebehaviorscience.com/class-card/

3. How do I know if I have achieved a +CER?
CER to Dremeling- Eileen Anderson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--3dyc0lFFo

4. CER to Tools- Leah Drapeau
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/632675136877420/

Part B: Counterconditioning and Desensitization (CCDS)

1. The Basics of Counterconditioning: https://boogiebt.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/counterconditioning-lilichin.jpg

2. The Basics of Desensitization:

3. Are You Really Performing Classical CounterConditioning?
“In dog training, we use classical conditioning to change the dog’s physiological and emotional response to a stimulus. For example, if a dog is afraid of the sound of delivery trucks we can consistently feed the dog roast chicken after the sound. The dog’s attitude towards delivery trucks will likely change. It will go from fear to, “Yay, chicken is coming!” The truck sound itself will come to trigger the body’s preparation to ingest food and the happy feelings that can accompany that. The happy feelings and behaviors are why we do this. We aren’t trying to teach the dog to want to eat delivery trucks. We are attaching a positive conditioned emotional response (CER+) to something that was formerly scary.”

Read the entirety of Eileen Anderon’s post on CCDS: http://eileenanddogs.com/2016/07/30/are-you-performing-classical-counterconditioning/

A written breakdown of criteria, and steps for CCDS to a Dremel: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/945276755617255/

***If this list overwhelms you, BREATHE. Your dog only needs you to focus on the first 1-2 steps.  CCDS is a marathon, not a sprint. You have lots of time.  In fact, your dog would LOVE if you just did one step at a time, and didn’t pressure or rush them at all! Take the first step, and do 20 repetitions, and then put the tool and food away. The next day, repeat. When you see a +CER, you can move to the next step. If you notice that your dog begins to shy away, or is displaying behaviors that are AT or OVER THRESHOLD, you need to slow down and add in a few baby steps.

For example: You decided to start at a step where you are conditioning the reach to touch the dog’s paw. After a few repetitions, you notice the dog is pulling its paw away. Adjust as soon as you notice this, by only reaching part of the way to the paw for the remaining repetitions. By pulling his paw away, your dog said, “I’m not ready for that.” By adjusting, you said, “Ok, no problem. We’ll stay at this easier step until you’re ready.” By doing this, you broke the reach down from 1 large step, to 2 (or even 3) smaller steps, and built trust between you and the dog. This will happen many times as you go through the process, and the more you are able to adjust and respond to your dog in real time, or during the next session, the quicker your progress will be.


4. Video examples of CCDS: 

Playing with Paws vs Paw Handling CCDS (video):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/1147199018758360/

Handling CCDS (video):
https://m.facebook.com/groups/356060287872241?view=permalink&id=1270580433086884&ref=content_filter

Dremel CCDS (video in comments):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/945276755617255/

Clippers CCDS (timelapse video and why Operant Conditioning (rewarding behavior) doesn’t work for long term progress): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqII3pM9YH8

CCDS Needing 2 Hands:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Uzd_DdDx4

5. “But, my dog’s nails are so long. They need to be trimmed now!” or “He does “fine” at the groomers!”

Take a look at this image of Systematic Desensitization for a Spider Phobia:

Imagine that every few weeks, a person(s) holds you down, against your will, and forces you to have a spider placed on your bare arm, and it begins moving - maybe even toward your face. Because this is the scariest thing imaginable to you, you lose all trust in these people, and your fear of spiders likely gets significantly worse over time, maybe even eliciting outright aggression at the mere thought of a spider.  You don’t understand why this is something that needs to happen - all you can think is that you need to do whatever it takes to make it stop. Sometimes, an animal is so frightened, they completely freeze in shock, and this is called learned helplessness.

The fear of nail trims is very real to your dog, just as the fear of spiders is very real to this patient. During your CCDS process, it is imperative that you do not allow your dog to be forced to endure a step they are telling you they are not ready for. If they are still on the first step, but you continuously ask them/force them to endure step 5, they are going to be over threshold, you will see unwanted behaviors, and your dog will not progress. Your dog is your teacher. They are telling you what step they need you to be on - and you may need to break down the steps you’re doing even further! There is always a way to break down steps into tinier baby steps, just ask us. We’re here to help!

If your dog is desperately in need of a trim (nails are curling into the paw pads, affecting gait or damaging people/items from getting caught on things), but definitely not ready to have nails be trimmed, then you can look into the options below.  These options should be done rarely, and in the interim, you should be doing daily CCDS sessions.  Each time your dog is made to endure a step he is not ready for, it destroys the trust you’ve built in the CCDS process.

Option 1: Build a scratchboard and allow your dog to file their own nails. Info in STEP 3: Choosing Equipment.

Option 2: Talk to your vet about a trim while under sedation.  There are different levels of sedation - from something light to take the edge off to being knocked out completely. Your vet can give you more information about this, but the goal of this option is to trim the nails (ideally, using the ACL - never quicking the dog), without destroying the progress you’ve made by forcing them through a nail trim. (NOTE: Be mindful of the type of sedation your veterinarian is using: http://fearfuldogs.com/acepromazine/)

Option 3: Distracting with food during a trim - sometimes called a “management trim”. Distraction is NOT Counterconditioning, but can help you get length off when it is absolutely necessary. This may work once in a while, but is not a long term solution. Watch this video about the difference in body language between distraction and CCDS.  Distraction trims (or management trims) should only be done when absolutely necessary, otherwise, you should be doing proper CCDS sessions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pasT9FTGHo

How often do I trim?

This depends on what your overall goal is. If your dog’s nails are overgrown, and the quick is very long, then you are going to be working to recede the quicks, which means you will need to trim every 2-3 days. If you are maintaining the current length, once a week tends to be sufficient. Any more time between trims, and your dog’s quick is growing out.  However, you can only dremel as fast as the nail grows. You can't trim if there isn't fresh growth, and you should never purposely quick your dog.

How short should I aim for?
This group aims first for the dog’s nails to be off the floor when standing still. Then, we aim for no ticking when walking given the reasons stated in the video in the pinned post. The length to achieve no ticking is HIGHLY dependent on foot conformation. There are dogs in this group that don't tick with quite long nails - nails that people outside this group would likely even think are long. There are also dogs that need nails that are quite short to achieve no ticking.

Dogs that have “cat feet” (pictured below) tend to need shorter nails to achieve no ticking. Common cat feet breeds are Doberman, Viszla or Great Dane. “Hare feet” nails can grow longer before clicking because of the structure of the foot. Our culture has normalized long nails through pictures of dogs on dog food, treat bags and in commercials. The maintained nails you will often see in our group are functional, and they are not too short. Dog nails do serve a function, and even very short nails do their job when the dog is making quick turns or climbing.  It is very rare that we see nails in our group that cross the line of being “too short".  If you think something is too short, please report it to Admin (rather than make a rude comment), and we will address the post.



Cat feet examples with well-maintained nail length:

We would prefer that this group not get into the length debate. It comes up quite frequently and there's a lot of misinformation passed around which requires moderating effort to correct. Thanks!

How do I recede my dog’s quicks?
Slowly, consistently, and over time. It took time for them to grow out, and it will take time to recede them. Take pictures frequently to see progress. It will be a while before you are able to see progress with your own eyes. It takes months, or even years depending on starting length, to recede nails to our goal length. Be patient, and know that it is a marathon, not a sprint, to reach your goal. If you have a puppy, this is why nail maintenance is SO VERY IMPORTANT. You can avoid this hard work by properly maintaining their nails so that the quick never becomes overgrown.

Explaining the ACL and Quick Recession: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/files/

How do I trim?

If you are using clippers, they are helpful at taking off nail length, but you will need to follow up with a Dremel or file to get close enough to the quick to encourage recession. Do not focus on taking off nail at the bottom of the nail, as that is where the nerves are located.  Using the images below as a guide, plus your knowledge of the layers of the nail, focus on the sides and the tip in a horseshoe shape, similar to sharpening a pencil by hand, and you should end up with a bullet shaped nail.

                Traditional Cut:                                Alternative Cut Line:

By doing a traditional cut line (the 45 degree one), the portion of the nail missed is the portion that must be taken off in order to get the dog's quicks to recede. The alternate cut line (the 90 degree cut) works to recede the quick, because you are doing BOTH cuts. The 45 to take length off, and the 90 to take the extra nail hood casing part off to make the quick believe it needs to recede to protect itself. The final product should be close to the quick, leaving the intact blood supply at the tip feeling unprotected, because you took the hood (its protection) off. In 2-3 days, you should have new growth around the quick, and look again like the nail on the left (below), allowing you to repeat the process.

Before       90       45       After

Examples of nail trims using the traditional and ACL to recede the quicks:

What does a trim look like once my dog is properly conditioned and desensitized to trims?

We are often asked what our recommendations are if someone feels they have exhausted all options and still can't trim their dog's nails:

-Check mechanics. The vast majority of people that think they're counter conditioning aren't. CCDS always works when done correctly.

-Take a look at the state of the dog. Is learning possible? Do we need meds on board?

-Look at other methods to get nails done in the meantime (scratchboard, fear-free groomer, filing, sedation).

-Feedback on training sessions through observing video. Post a short video in the group for feedback of your technique, or if you are not comfortable with that, email a short video of your session to nail.maintenance.videos@gmail.com for feedback.

-Refer to a trainer or groomer in the area, or an admin can suggest a good handling course to aid the person. Www.fearfreepets.com is a good place to find knowledgeable groomers/vet techs.

Before & After

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/592250284253239/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/592370634241204/

Little Successes

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/591531120991822/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/589716147839986/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/587858601359074/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/588367697974831/

Big Successes

Mavi Michelle Sarandis- https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/1268898929921701/

Cara Moynes- https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/586855478126053/

Sheena Neil- https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/575041112640823/

Alex Walker- https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/929911030487161/

Emilee Grace Michaud -https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/permalink/1139486312862964/

-Understand what threshold is, and what it looks like for your dog. Review the signs of a dog that is under, at and over threshold. This one thing can make or break your progress.

-Choose the tool you think your dog will be most comfortable with (Section 3).

-Review the pictures of the inside of nails (Section 4) or go watch a grooming session.  You may not be ready to actually trim nails yet for your dog yet, and that is okay. You still need to know!

-Create your DS plan (Section 5). Separate sessions for handling and the tool until your dog has a +CER to both of those things separately, and THEN combine them together. Writing out your list is the most efficient way to think ahead and make sure you’re staying organized, especially if you have multiple dogs. Even if you think your dog is “fine” with paw handling, start at the beginning. There’s nothing more frustrating than being on step 15 and needing to go back to step 4 because you rushed something along the way.

-Understand what a +CER looks like (Section 5) and DO NOT PROGRESS to the next step until you have it. Just because your dog let you touch them somewhere does not mean you’re ready to push to the next step. This takes patience. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Rushing through steps is the quickest way to make a mess! My dog lights up when I pick up her Frisbee … that is the EXACT look I want when I pick up the Dremel. Keep that image in your head for your dog!

-DO THE CCDS WORK (Section 5). There is no way around this - 1 session a day for 5 minutes using the good stuff (bacon, liver, cheese). Work on one step at a time, with no agenda. There is no catch. You’re not using the food to placate your dog to trick them into clipping one nail.  This is not a trick. You’re not trying to sneak in a nail trim. This is a very transparent session where you clearly tell your dog that you are a predictable human that will showcase and communicate exactly what is going to happen. No surprises. Touch shoulder, feed dog 10 treats consecutively, stop touching shoulder, stop feeding treats. That can be your task every day for Week 1 until your dog lights up (like my Frisbee dog) when you touch his shoulder. You can create a weekly CCDS plan that works for you, or hire a professional to create one for your individual dog.

-Your practice sessions become real trimming sessions (Section 6). As you do the work from above, you’ll notice that your pretend clips and your real clips begin to blend, and you actually trim the nail. It might just be one or two, but these sessions will become actual trimming sessions, while your focus is still CCDS, +CER and threshold. Before you know it, you’re able to do all the nails during each of your “practice sessions”.

- “But, it’s not working for MY dog!” …. Then, you’re probably doing something wrong or haven’t worked the steps for a long enough period of time. Post a 60 second video of one of your sessions to the group for feedback on your mechanics. If you want admin to post your video anonymously and give feedback, email it to nail.maintenance.videos@gmail.com. Either way, it’s human error, not dog. CCDS works on all animal species when it is being done correctly.

-And finally, post your happy stories so we can all love your post and tell you congrats :)

YOU DID IT! You made it through! Now, you are ready to go start the beginning steps of CCDS to create a +CER, and by using the ACL, you will have a Ninja Dog (one that doesn’t click on the floor) some day!