Nail Clipping Piranha Dogs: Ned Tries the Hanging Bag Method

Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.

There’s one bit of ‘healthcare housekeeping’ that I really dread when it comes to Ned, and that’s nail clips. He is a nightmare. So I was dismayed to notice that his claws had started to resemble something Cynthia Erivo would wear to a red carpet event.

In my Ten Commandments for Successful Puppy Training, I have made clear that dog owners must “not let puppies make the rules,” meaning that we should teach our dogs from a young age that they must allow us to look in their mouth, touch their feet, examine their eyes and eyes, and be able to take food and toys away from them. I don’t like hearing the excuse of “he doesn’t like me doing it” when people can’t get their dog’s ear drops in. He may not like it, but it still needs to be done.

When Ned came along, I had to step down off my high horse and acknowledge that in some cases, no matter how early you start, and how persistent you are, there are some dogs who just will not go along with the plan. But out of 5 dogs and 5 cats, having only one that gives us grief over nail clips and other minutiae of maintenance and grooming isn’t too bad. Fortunately, he’s also the one who will cause the least damage if and when he tries to sink his teeth in. To date, the closest he’s come is leaving a small indent in my skin 😆.

Thinking Outside the Box

He’s just so small that it’s impossible to hold him still without the risk of hurting him. As a result, we’ve had to think outside the box and come up with some alternative methods to achieve our goals. Last week, we managed to get to the bottom of his anal gland problem using a burrito wrap, and I have previously worked out a method for cleaning his eyes and applying eye drops. This week, having been inspired by something I saw during a weekend doomscrolling session, I am going to try the ‘hanging bag method.’

How Does It Work?

The premise is fairly simple.

You’ll need a fabric bag – not a plastic one! – that is of a similar size to your dog. Make four holes for the legs that will fit snugly, but not tightly, and one for the head. Ideally, this hole should allow the face to pop out, but not the whole head, though this will depend on the head shape. It’s important that your dog feels secure, not suffocated.

If you’re going to try this at home, get the bag ready long before you need it, and allow your dog to get used to it, sniff it, even lie on it, providing praise and/or treats when they interact with it. If you go straight to using it for a nail clip, they are going to hightail it out of there when they see it come out next time.

Obviously, this is going to be more suitable for small dogs, but I have seen some interesting images of large dogs being carried onto subways in very large bags to get around the rules!

You’re also going to need somewhere to secure the bag, or preferably, someone to hold it for you. Once you have your dog securely held aloft, allow them to relax for a few minutes. Give them a treat and wait for them to calm down before you start gently touching their paws. Don’t go straight in with the nail clippers. At this stage, you should be able to swiftly but carefully trim those talons with no one getting injured or overly stressed.

Why Does It Work?

Much like the burrito wrap, applying firm, constant pressure over the body stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing about a feeling of calm. It is the same principle used for thundershirts in dogs and compression therapy in autism.

Because they’re being restrained by you, they aren’t trying to squirm, fight, bite, or scratch their way free, keeping you both safe. Hopefully, if the first few sessions go well, your dog will soon learn that this isn’t the horrific process they always imagined, and may even come to look forward to their hanging mani/pedi with treats.

Did It Work?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I’m going to let you be the judge. You can also check out the video to make sure I’m not making things up!