Is their a better way?

"I had just watched the dog whispere show on National Geographic and the topic was being the alpha in situations like that. It took me about 10 good minutes of holding her and clipping and then she just suddenly submitted and I didn't have any trouble at all."


Gads it is one reason I'm not a fan of Mr. Millan. His techniques work but not because of the reasoning he gives to it.

1. there is no evidence that dogs domestic or other wise view humans as pack members.

2. dogs are not social climbers or status seekers. Wolf pack structure and dogs if it even exist ( there is much doubt and conterverse on where dogs are pack animals at all) is not a dominence hierarchy but a submissive hierarghy.
see: Social Hierarchies

The Macho Myth

The History and Misconceptions of Dominance Theory

Debunking the Dominance Myth
Are dogs lying awake at night plotting a coup?

Giving kudos where they are due, one of Millan's strong points is treating dogs as dogs not as humans. Hunanization of dogs is one of the biggest causes of behavioral problems and fustrations of many owners.


Dogs do what works, well what works for them. If struggling stops toenail clipping then hey they will keep struggling. If struggling doesn't work over time they will quit strugggling a term know as extinction. Nothing to do with alpha or dominance. PS 10 minutes she calmed down, very low energy level even for a basset ;o) Some dogs can easily go 8 hrs, so if you plan on using the above technique make sure you have plenty of free time on your hand. Cuz once start if you give the dog the impression that struggling works, he/she will will contine to struggle longer and harder the next time.

Another technique that still requires patients just not hours at at time.
Nail Trimming for Senisitve Dogs

[ February 11, 2006, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: Mikey T ]

This may sound somewhat weird, but worked with Beethoven and today it is quite easy to cut his nails.

When he was very young, he showed that it would become a real trouble to cut his nails when he get older. I known that because I had another Hound (Mac, now ATB) and it was a dramma to have his nails trimmed. As Beethoven used to observe quite interested everything I did, I showed him that I loved to cut my nails using my trimmer. I did it a couple of times, while he was watching and let him to sniff my figers and toes to show him that it was alright. Also, I played with him, touching and sizing gently his nails, after and before to cut mine own. Then, after one weeek or two, I made my move and, just after cutting mine, I started to trim his nails. It was quite a surprise to see how easily he allowed to have his nails trimmed. Today, I just need to shown him his nail trimmer telling him that we are going to cut nails, command him to lay down and start the trimming session. He does not like it too much, but there are no struggle. See that I need to size his pawns carefully, but gently, avoiding to make the session too much unpleasant. And, remember that today Beethoven is a heavy (79 lbs) and strong hound and I need no help to trim his nails.

As I said before, this method of "canine psychology" may sounds weird for some of you, but it workerd fine with Beethoven and I guess that it may works with some other hounds. I think that it worked so fine because he was just a very young puppy and he always has been quite curious and prone to imitate and participate. Also, because he had never been forced to cut his nails before that. Probably it would not work so well with older dogs always, if it work at all. Or, probably it may not work with dogs with different personalities, as I just used some of his personality characteristics to apply the "method".