Any tips for grooming paw area?

odckdo

Grooming my dog this afternoon with a Andis clipper which does most of the job very well. I always have problems around the paw area and the hair inbetween the pads. I end up using a pair of small Roseline scissors to tidy it up but she gets stressed when I do this.

Does anyone have tips for doing this part?

Or would a electric trimmer do the job better - if so could you recommend one?

VonVix

I learnt how to tidy up my shelties feet by this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbjfgfZZpBw&list=UUpdTuNXzY1YG3e4hBk6n_kw

Does your dog have very hairy feet? If so do you push up the hairs from between the toes up and then trim them from the top first?

I do usually see groomers use a clipper across the pad, but I don't think I could do that to my own as the vibration from the clipper would be too ticklish.

odckdo

VonVix wrote: »

I learnt how to tidy up my shelties feet by this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbjfgfZZpBw&list=UUpdTuNXzY1YG3e4hBk6n_kw

Does your dog have very hairy feet? If so do you push up the hairs from between the toes up and then trim them from the top first?

I do usually see groomers use a clipper across the pad, but I don't think I could do that to my own as the vibration from the clipper would be too ticklish.

Thanks for the video. There is no way my dog would be as relaxed as the dog in the video!

No I never really pushed the hair up between the toes - its kinda cut what I can when I can. A trimmer for paws would be good but like you said we may have a problem with vibrations.

I have only been grooming for about a year or so. I am not very good at it tbh - I just can't get the knack for it. I am stressing my dog out (and me) so I am thinking I might go back to the groomer. Its not as easy as it looks.

Rips

Be careful using a clippers to trim hair around the paws, short spiky hairs or regrowth between the toes can cause problems. A small comb (like a flea comb) and scissors is the best way really.

Reward training is really the only way.
I got a dremel for nails the other week, its mostly for dogs but I tried it out on the cat ... every time he hears it whizzing he comes running = treats.

I don't have any paws to groom, but I do nails and things when the dogs are already flat out relaxing. Same with the cat for nail clipping, he's usually fine but you do need to catch him the right mood.

VonVix

odckdo wrote: »

Thanks for the video. There is no way my dog would be as relaxed as the dog in the video!

No I never really pushed the hair up between the toes - its kinda cut what I can when I can. A trimmer for paws would be good but like you said we may have a problem with vibrations.

I have only been grooming for about a year or so. I am not very good at it tbh - I just can't get the knack for it. I am stressing my dog out (and me) so I am thinking I might go back to the groomer. Its not as easy as it looks.

Sounds like you're just moving too fast for your dog. One of my dog's used to try and bite me when I'd groom him, he now gets really excited when I bring out the brush box, he used to be really bad when I was handling his paws but he has improved so much as I have moved slowly with him when progressing, I just have to make sure I don't tickle his pads. I have only been properly grooming mine for the last year or so since I stopped taking them to the groomer.

Treats really need to be part of your grooming schedule, whenever your dog is doing well stop grooming for a moment and give them a treat, resume grooming, if your dog gets stressed/upset, stop! Let him have a break a moment, tell him he's a good boy (assuming your dog is a boy here!), wait for him to settle down then resume, even brush him twice and if he does not react give him a treat!

The more you try to groom a dog who is freaking out/stressed/trying to get away, the harder it'll be each time, you're just reinforcing that being groomed is not a nice experience at all.

odckdo

VonVix wrote: »

Sounds like you're just moving too fast for your dog. One of my dog's used to try and bite me when I'd groom him, he now gets really excited when I bring out the brush box, he used to be really bad when I was handling his paws but he has improved so much as I have moved slowly with him when progressing, I just have to make sure I don't tickle his pads. I have only been properly grooming mine for the last year or so since I stopped taking them to the groomer.

Treats really need to be part of your grooming schedule, whenever your dog is doing well stop grooming for a moment and give them a treat, resume grooming, if your dog gets stressed/upset, stop! Let him have a break a moment, tell him he's a good boy (assuming your dog is a boy here!), wait for him to settle down then resume, even brush him twice and if he does not react give him a treat!

The more you try to groom a dog who is freaking out/stressed/trying to get away, the harder it'll be each time, you're just reinforcing that being groomed is not a nice experience at all.

tbh I find grooming a difficult task. With this girl she is very timid. Over the weekend the grooming was going well. I have all the proper gear including a grooming table with supports for a dog. For most of this session I didn't even need to use the supports. But then around her paws and pads I knicked her with the scissors so any confidence she had in me was gone. (Yes, I use treats aswell!) So to finish off the grooming toke an age as she wouldn't settle for me. (It takes me 3/4 sittings in an afternoon to get it done with long breaks away from the table.)

Even over a year of grooming I suppose I haven't done it enough times yet with all my dogs to have sufficent experience. Looking back the grooming over the w/e probably went better than ever before except for the part near the end.

I'll see how it goes. I don't want to stress the dog out though.