Dogs That Bite When Getting Their Paws Touched – Dog Training – Dog Trainer – Behaviorist
Call Today!
Sam Basso
PHOENIX , AZ AREA: (602) 708-4531
OR, if you are out of this area, inquire about a telephone or e-Lesson
Email: [email protected]
The Problem: Many dogs don’t like their paws being touched. Some dogs will just try to pull away, and other dogs will hurt you. This is a common problem.
Case Study: I recently worked with a student that had a dog with this issue. When it was a puppy, she tried cutting the dog’s toenails herself, but was unsure of what she was doing. In the process, she hurt the dog. After a number of these experiences, the dog wouldn’t let her do it. So, she then took the dog to a veterinarian. They then proceeded to pin the dog down and forced the nail clipping. A pet store groomer did the same thing. She then talked to that pet store’s trainer who gave her even more bad advice, telling her to scold her dog, and banish him to a crate if he growled or bit her when touching his paws, and to keep touching them until the dog allowed her to do it. He said the dog was being “dominant”, and then went on to tell her a bunch of TV inspired “dog whisperer” gibberish. After being bloodied several times, with visible scars on her hands, she called me.
I explained to her that what everyone did to this poor dog made it aggressive with it’s paws. It wasn’t the dog’s fault. I also told her that the trainer wasn’t qualified, and that his advice was absolutely the wrong thing.
The Solution: I put her on a program that night, and we are working on turning this around.
I have worked with numerous dogs that had similar experiences. For some, it was putting on the leash and collar. For others, it was putting medicine in the ears. The dogs were worried about what was happening, and the owners forced their dogs to the point they started to defend themselves. Veterinarians are terrible at giving poor behavioral advice. I’ve seen lots of these foot problems that started with the way the vet did the grooming and handling. The same is true with some groomers. And pet store trainers are a waste of money.
If you have such a dog, then get professional help from a dog behaviorist.
