Expert veterinarians recommend trimming your dogs’ nails as frequently as every 2 weeks. But this frequent activity isn’t as simple as it sounds like. Unlike us humans, dogs need to be prepared for any kind of grooming.
Chances are your dog will be scared and act restless when you try to cut his nails. You may wonder what can I give my dog to calm him down to cut his nails?
Well, this article will answer this. Here you will get to know about certain methods that will help you to cut your dog’s nails without him being restless.
Sedatives:
Keeping your dog calm during clipping his nails can be quite a difficult task. It can be impossible in some cases. Moreover, your dog can get hurt if your dog is not calm when you are clipping his nails.
But, as it’s a mandatory thing that you must do, the best option available for you is to calm your dog in the most harmless way possible. The most effective thing you can do is to sedate your dog before clipping his nails.
There are different types of over-the-counter sedatives for dogs. Such sedatives are mostly harmless. They just block the dog’s central nervous system. This makes the dog relaxed and comfortable for a really long time.
Your dog won’t be scared during the nail clipping anymore, nor there are any reasons for you to be scared as well. These sedatives won’t harm your dog in any way.
Here are some of the most popular sedatives you can use.
- Benadryl: This is a mild antihistamine sedative. It is very effective to calm dogs while it’s nervous or scared of anything.
- Valium: Also known as Diazepam, Valium is a popular sedative drug. It is commonly used to relax dogs. But you must consult your vet before giving valium to your dog.
- Melatonin: Melatonin effectively regulates body rhythm. Though it takes a bit of time but melatonin helps calm down dogs for quite a while.
- Natural Method: If you don’t want to calm your dog by sedating it then there are natural methods available for you as well. Valerian root is a very popular sedative herb. It’s actually an anti-anxiety herb but it works great to calm dogs.
- Casein Supplements: Casein supplement is a natural substitute to sedative drugs. Casein mainly balances the dog’s behavior. It effectively reduces anxiety, making the dog calmer. But you should be cautious before giving it to your dog because an overdose of it can be very harmful.
These are the most effective and harmless sedating methods to calm your dog. If you can properly utilize any of these methods you will be able to calm your dog enough to clip its nail with ease.
How you give these sedatives to your dog is also a major issue. You can prepare chamomile tea and mix the medicine in it before serving it to your dog.
Adding skullcap and catnip will make the tea more relaxing for the dog. You can soak the sedative in his favorite treat as well. Be sure to ask your vet about the dosage. Do not eye-ball the dosage at any cost.
Aromatherapy:
Aromatherapy is an efficient method that helps to relax nerves and makes it easy to fall asleep. It doesn’t only work with humans, but with dogs as well. Massaging actually reduces the production of Cortisol. This reduces the stress level of dogs.
To calm your dog using aromatherapy you can follow a simple massaging technique. You can use lavender oil for this method. Massage the back of your dog’s head using your hand. Massage softly with light pressure.
After a while move your palm to its spine and massage down the base of the spine. Massage the spine for a while. After going through this massaging process for a while your dog will be calm enough to allow you to clip his nails.
A Few Tips for You:
Clipping your dog’s nail requires preparation. And it’s a very delicate yet an essential task. To conduct the task effectively here are a few tips you can follow. These tips will surely make the process easier.
- Tire out your dog: This is a simple old trick Before trimming your dog’s nails go for a long walk or a vigorous run. Play with your dog for a while. This will eventually wear them out. Once they get tired, they won’t resist like before. Your tired dog will just lay there calmly, resting and it will allow you to clip your dog’s nail with ease.
- Be patient: Take your time to cut the nails of your dog. Never yell at your dog or clip his nail by force. Get to clipping your dog’s nails only when you are calm. Cut the nails slowly taking your dog’s feelings into consideration as well. If you are restless yourself it can harm your dog’s mental health. Praise your dog after clipping each nail. Give it a treat after the whole process. This will bring them to eventually like the process of clipping nails.
- Make trimming a frequent activity: It is important to trim your dog’s nails once every two weeks. You can make the task more frequent by doing it once a week. If you regularly do the task of trimming your dog’s nail then it will eventually get used to it. This will reduce their fear of nail clipping.
- Use the right tool: It is very important to use the right tool for clipping your dog’s nails. Cheap tools will only pinch the nail and it is very harmful to dogs. Buy a good pair of sharp clippers. Grinders are also effective tools for this. But whatever tool you use, see if your dog is totally comfortable with it.
Conclusion:
Cutting your dog’s nails is very important. But making sure that your dog is safe while you do it is also a matter that you must take into consideration. Do not rush the process and be sure to stay calm the entire time.