Don't hold him down and be very patient. Patience and calm energy (with no raising of pitch, tone or volume levels in your voice) are key. It is a myth that high pitch talk is soothing to dogs. Such behavior only raises their excitement levels and adds to the chaos. Have someone else do it for the time being... Like a vet or groomer, while you build up trust and bring your dog around to where he'll let you do it. In order to build that trust, you must make it a good experience... One step at a time. Always, and this is crucial, ALWAYS remain calm and kind. Also, never stare him in the eye while doing any of this. Looking away, believe it or not is a way of showing trust and kindness to a dog. Showing trust is key to earning trust. Coming at him with your body at a sideways angle (right or left side, hip and shoulder first) instead of facing forward also displays trust and kindness in the dog world. Give him a reward every time he lets you hold his paws (one at a time, of course) for any length of time... Without any clippers. The reward doesn't have to be food, but it needs to be a favorite thing for him. It can be food or a massage, or both ...accompanied by calm, quiet energy (loving thoughts ...like how cute he was as a puppy, how much you appreciate his unconditional love for you when things are going perfectly, how much you love it when he does that special thing you appreciate the most about him, etc.). After he is completely comfortable with letting you hold his paws, up the anti. Give him a reward when he lets you hold each paw while manipulating each and every toe on it. Slowly separate and move each toe around and handle his nails between your fingers. Reward him after you do this with each paw and he becomes and remains calm while you do so. Keep doing this exercise, manipulating paws and toes and toe nails over and over for long enough that he is comfortable enough to practically fall asleep, or at least lay practically limp while you are doing so. After he's mastered that procedure calmly, let him sniff your outstretched palm with the clippers and a treat in that hand before you start the exercise. Let him eat the treat and if he is calm while sniffing it, immediately lay the clippers aside ...and let him see you lay them aside so he knows you are going to do the exercise without them. Repeat this same procedure, again for long enough for him to be completely relaxed to the whole thing. For the next step, do the manipulation of paws, toes and toe nails... with clippers in hand ...after letting him sniff them and treating him as before, from the same hand as you offer the clippers for him to sniff. DO NOT CLIP HIM YET! Just do the manipulation and touch his nails with the clippers this time and for the next several times, merely touching his nails, not in the same manner as you would clip him with - simply touch them to his nails and reward him after manipulation and touching of the clippers with each paw (all toes thereon). Before you ever start actually clipping his claws, if you are not already well versed at it, practice clipping claws on a cooperative dog, so you, too, are not nervous which you will be if you have any worries about not doing it right or accidentally cutting too close to the cuticle. Most vets or vet techs who are worth anything will be glad to instruct you if you ask. If you can't find a vet or vet staff who will help you with this, offer to clip the nails of a friend's or neighbor's dog for free. I guarantee you will find someone who will jump on the chance at the free service and let you practice on their dog. After your dog is calm and relaxed throughout the whole procedure you have practiced to this point, you can END each session by actually clipping the last toe nail only. Immediately reward him for allowing this, if he does so calmly. If he doesn't... Drop the anti and go back a step in procedures and don't try clipping him again till you have regained the trust you have lost and moved back to that level again... At his pace, don't push it or you'll just keep losing trust. Remember, always use a low-volume, calm energy. As long as he is moving forward and calmly through one procedure after another, you can too. Next time, clip the last two for awhile and so on. Always take it at a pace he agrees to and he will always trust you. You will be amazed at what you can do with a dog that trusts you! Good luck!
