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- May 11, 2006
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As some of you may know, trimming Ferris' claws is a near impossibility for me. He panics and yanks his paws away, and will sometimes try to bite me in his annoyance.
In May, when I had him shaved, the vet's office trimmed his claws for me. They were pretty long at the time, but not ridiculously so, as I had managed to get in and trim one or two here and there over time.
Since our move at the end of July I haven't had the ability to try to trim any claws - the apartment has been in too much chaos, with me trying to get unpacked with limited time availability, as I work full time.
So Ferris' claws were starting to get overgrown - this week, as he walked on our rugs, his front paws would get stuck at just about every other step he'd take. So I knew it was time to TRY.
Last night, when he came up for his scritches and to nap next to me (it's becoming habitual, this early evening nap) I started talking to him while giving him lovies.
I explained that he really needed to let me trim his claws for several reasons, and I outlined them: stuck/twisted/broken claw, bloody painful paw, or that they could grow into his tender little toe pads, and we don't want that. That trimming his claws is ONLY to help him, NOT to hurt him, and that it doesn't hurt to do it, it's just a little pressure is all.
I begged him to PLEASE let me trim them, and then I started with his right front paw. I clipped the two longest claws (which were starting to curl under) and then stopped and exclaimed over what a good boy he was letting me do that FOR him.
Then I asked him to let me continue, and he did - I clipped two more claws, this time on the other front paw. Many more scitches and exclaimations over him, then I stopped for a few minutes, but kept giving lovies.
Then I told him I needed to do some more, and asked him to please let me, as in his kneading the blanket next to me, I could hear his other claws catching. I told him this will prevent that from happening. Then I picked up his right front paw again, and finished the last three on that paw -
One paw DONE!!!
More scritches & lovies, and I was able to do his dew claw on his left front paw, and then he got annoyed and bit at me, which scared me so I jumped, which scared HIM, so HE jumped and ran away, and that was the end of that. He still has two more than need trimming, but this was a new record: 8 claws trimmed in one sitting!!!
Good boy, Ferris!!!!
Patience, love and communication. It works!!!
In May, when I had him shaved, the vet's office trimmed his claws for me. They were pretty long at the time, but not ridiculously so, as I had managed to get in and trim one or two here and there over time.
Since our move at the end of July I haven't had the ability to try to trim any claws - the apartment has been in too much chaos, with me trying to get unpacked with limited time availability, as I work full time.
So Ferris' claws were starting to get overgrown - this week, as he walked on our rugs, his front paws would get stuck at just about every other step he'd take. So I knew it was time to TRY.
Last night, when he came up for his scritches and to nap next to me (it's becoming habitual, this early evening nap) I started talking to him while giving him lovies.
I explained that he really needed to let me trim his claws for several reasons, and I outlined them: stuck/twisted/broken claw, bloody painful paw, or that they could grow into his tender little toe pads, and we don't want that. That trimming his claws is ONLY to help him, NOT to hurt him, and that it doesn't hurt to do it, it's just a little pressure is all.
I begged him to PLEASE let me trim them, and then I started with his right front paw. I clipped the two longest claws (which were starting to curl under) and then stopped and exclaimed over what a good boy he was letting me do that FOR him.
Then I asked him to let me continue, and he did - I clipped two more claws, this time on the other front paw. Many more scitches and exclaimations over him, then I stopped for a few minutes, but kept giving lovies.
Then I told him I needed to do some more, and asked him to please let me, as in his kneading the blanket next to me, I could hear his other claws catching. I told him this will prevent that from happening. Then I picked up his right front paw again, and finished the last three on that paw -
More scritches & lovies, and I was able to do his dew claw on his left front paw, and then he got annoyed and bit at me, which scared me so I jumped, which scared HIM, so HE jumped and ran away, and that was the end of that. He still has two more than need trimming, but this was a new record: 8 claws trimmed in one sitting!!!
Good boy, Ferris!!!!
Patience, love and communication. It works!!!