Who doesn’t love a day at the spa? Sitting back and being pampered goes a long way toward relieving the pressures of stress and obligations that build up. And a good pedicure is always part of the total experience. Proper, scheduled nail trimming will help maintain good health for your Goldendoodle.
The reasons you want to keep your Goldendoodle’s nails trimmed are simple and not as numerous as you may fear. If the nails are not trimmed regularly, it can cause foot pain and even physical damage to your companion. Untrimmed nails can lead to splayed or deformed feet, possibly leading to injured tendons.
If your Goldendoodle has long nails, it can put pressure on the foot and leg when they hit the ground. Some dogs may not have to have a nail trim as often as others if they spend a lot of time outdoors and are able to grind them down.
A trip to the vet or a relaxing day at home
If you have never trimmed your Goldendoodle’s nails before, it is best if you take her to the vet or a professional groomer for at least the first time. By doing this, you will be able to see the needed tools and learn the proper techniques.
Much like introducing your Goldendoodle to a new environment or new pet, this process needs to be done with patience and care. Whipping out the grinder or clippers and going at it will give her a negative association with the procedure. You want her relaxed and even looking forward to it.
It’s best to start them young. You don’t want to wait until her nails have already grown too long and have started creating problems. The procedure can cause some dogs to experience anxiety. The whole process can be quite simple if handled in the proper manner. If you’ve learned to do it correctly but it still makes you uncomfortable, there is nothing wrong with making it a day trip for the two of you.
The tools of the trade
There’s no single specific tool for the task. It depends on what is best for you and your Goldendoodle. There are nail trimmers designed for dogs that look like broad-headed wire cutters or miniature hedge clippers. You may be able to use good scissors with smaller dogs.
They make specialized grinding tools to trim your dog’s nails. These look like a Dremel tool—in fact, there is even a Dremel brand trimmer—with different heads for cutting down and smoothing. Then there are guillotine trimmers that work just like they sound: put the nail in the hole, and a blade comes sweeping down to cut it off.
Prepare them when they’re young
Getting your Goldendoodle puppy used to a nice nail clipping isn’t that hard. Just as with other training, you need to build a positive association with it. If you do it yourself, let your puppy smell the trimmer or grinder. Then praise her and give her a treat.
Over the next few days, go from letting her sniff the equipment to hearing it being used to touching her feet with them. Always praise her and give her a treat. Build the positive association. Make it an adventure or playtime. Start small when you start trimming. Before you know it, she’ll be sitting in your lap—or the groomer’s—while she gets her pedicure.