This Adorable Dog Nail Trimming Hack Proves How Far Pet Parents Will Go (Even If It Doesn't Work)

While it would be nice if all dogs behaved as well as humans do while getting their nails done, we all know that's not the case. Some dogs whine, recoil, bite, growl, attempt to roll over, or flat-out run away when it's time to trim those overgrown nails. A smaller percentage will submit, but not without letting you know how unhappy they are. Many pet parents know this struggle and have gone to great lengths to make the nail-trimming process a less stressful experience. They've tried everything from peanut butter to grooming hammocks, but one pet parent tried something else and shared it on TikTok. She pretended to grind her dog's favorite stuffed animal's "nails" before rewarding it, hoping her Doberman, Oliver, would mimic the toy and no longer have fear.

@oliverdoberman

Me pretending olivers favorite toy likes getting his nails trim so he can see his toys not scared like him 😂😭

♬ original sound – oliverdoberman

Many of us have seen a similar trick on social media in which parents try to get their babies to eat a certain type of food. While the trick does often work for children, it unfortunately did not work for Oliver, as the TikToker shared in a comment in her now-viral video. "He grabbed his toy after and went to bed," she added. She even shared an update a few months later after trying the trick again — this time with a nail clipper — but the result was the same; he still refused to submit to the free manicure. Oliver is just one of many dogs that are fearful about nail grinders and clippers, but why? What is it about these tools that causes such a negative reaction in dogs?

Grinding a dog's nails is typically safer than clipping them, but one major downside is that nail grinders make noise. This scares many dogs, making them resistant to having their nails ground. Standard dog nail clippers make no sound, except when they're actually clipping the nail, of course. If you're clipping your dog's nails for the first time, you might have success in clipping the first nail. However, once they hear that clipping sound, it might be enough to frighten them for the rest of the nails. They may not understand where the sound is coming from, or maybe they do understand, and are just confused about why their nails are making noise.

Another reason dogs fear nail trimming is that they had a bad experience in the past. Maybe you or someone else accidentally clipped a nail too short, resulting in pain and causing a form of PTSD. Some dogs get anxious by just seeing a pair of clippers after a bad clipping episode while others book it after an attempt is made to grab their paw, like Oliver did.

Other dogs have their own reasons for hating the nail-clipping experience. If your dog shares Oliver's sentiment, and they have a favorite toy, try the trick that the TikToker shared. Even though it didn't work for her, it just might work for you. Although she doesn't indicate how often she tried the trick, you might see better results if you attempt it on a daily basis. Good luck!