b"Taking the Fear Out of Nail Servicing the Littlesby Alyssa Farinas-DowdSmall dogs must be easier than large dogs because they are so little orOur number one priority is safety, and how to handle a dog, big You would think I'd be able to do my small dog myself.or small, plays a huge role in why our method of nail shortening Big dogs arent the only ones who dont like having theiris so effective. nails trimmed. The reality is, dogs are dogs. Size doesnt matter.Mostofourlittlesareaccustomedtobeingwiththeir Even little dogs, with a fear of nail trimming, can be difficult toperson/persons,sothethoughtofastrangerhandlingthem handle for the inexperienced. The anxiety of both the ownersends them into a spiral. This is why we do our best to take some and the dog is often too much. Owners may believe their onlytime before service to build trust, but it doesnt always happen option to have their dogs nails trimmed involves sedation orin one visit. I feel as though sometimes, little dogs automatically perhaps, just leaving their pets nails untrimmed altogether. know that they can be picked up, so they are prone to being mouthy or bite. We dont take offense to that, but sometimes littles need a muzzle to keep everyone safe. I state this often: Muzzles do not equate to a bad dog.At Lucky Puppy Nail Specialists, we use it solely as a safety tool and usually, we can work dogs out of needing a muzzle. Lucky for us, we have a great client base that understands there are beneficial reasons behind everything we do. We even have owners who are one step ahead of us and come in prepared fortheworstbecausetheyknowtheirpetisntnecessarily receptive to nail care. Take Loki for example, this little duck.I mean dog.had never previously bitten, but he did show major signs of discomfort with nail care, and he would growl. So just for good measure, his owners brought him in with a muzzle that happened to be shaped like a duck bill. Long story short, Loki was fantastic. He didnt fuss or growl as before, never motioned like he wanted to bite, and stood nearly perfectly still for service. Second visit, he did just as well and we didnt use the muzzle. We also have a little guy named Faolan, whose favorite game is Catch me if you can and if you try, I will try to bite you. And this is just how he operates in his everyday life. He was a special case adopted by a special family who understands him. He is a happy guy, but he doesnt like being picked upby anyone. His first appointment, we spent longer desensitizing him to our touch and muzzle than the actual nail service took. Faolan is all of 10 pounds, but this goes back to body safety. He would sling and thrash himself around if I tried to pick him Snickers, a Lucky Puppy Nail Specialists client. up, which can cause serious harm or injuries to his body. With Patience and peanut butter! Faolan, we slowed it down, gently touching, then petting him until he stopped reacting. I could then safely secure him with a Understanding that most dogs communicate by wiggling,special hold so we could muzzle him. Once in the hammock, he pulling, biting, and being vocal when they are uncomfortable orcompletely settled down and paid no mind to what I was doing dislike something is key. Dogs reactions vary and may includewith his paws, just licking away at the peanut butter. excessive trembling or urinating on themselves. Occasionally, ISince then, we have seen him five times and he has been have had some who turn into statues or sacks of potatoes whenless reactive each time. On the last visit, his mom just picked him they are uncomfortable.up, set him on the table and started feeding him his peanut but-Ultimately for small dogs, yes, you can hold onto them bet- ter, while I got him loaded in the hammock and put his muzzle ter,but they are fragile. Their bodies, bones, joints and every- on without him snapping back at me. thing else are smaller, which can make them more prone toBigorsmall,alldogsaredifferent.So,wetailoreach injuries if not safely handled and secured. appointment to meet the needs of each dog.58THE NEW BARKERwww.TheNewBarker.com"