• Hi! My dog is very anxious about having his nails trimmed, I’ve taken him various places and they can’t keep him in their muzzles or harnesses- he doesn’t bite he just wiggles and wiggles out. I have to make a whole ordeal at home to get him to let me trim his nails once a month. (I adopted him at six months and have never been able to make him comfortable with me holding his paws) I know they bother him because he keeps chewing at his nails. Is that a behavior I should discourage? Or is that actually okay? I want to make sure that by doing that he won’t split or damage his nails and make them painful. Let me know if there is any additional context I may have missed. Thank you! Alondra

    Alondra, thanks for contacting us about your dog. Many dogs are sensitive about their feet being handled and nail trims. There are many things you can do at home to help make it a more positive experience.  Use treats and give positive rewards when he allows you to touch his feet, go slow, and allow breaks. Chewing on the nails and feet are fairly common for dogs. Sometimes this is normal behavior and/or them just grooming. Sometimes dogs will chew because the feet are irritated possibly from an allergy. I would discuss these behaviors with your veterinarian and also your concerns about stress and nail trims. They will be able to determine what is normal for your dog and may be able to help find better ways to handle his feet.

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