It's very important that you get your puppy used to having his feet touched while he's still young. We see many dogs at the clinic that need to be sedated in order to have their nails trimmed. They hate it that bad!
Perhaps if their owners had spent a little extra time handling their feet while they were little it would not be such a big issue.
The best way to get your puppy accustomed to having his feet touched is by everyday handling. It only takes a couple of minutes. When your puppy is sitting or laying quietly simply take his paw in your hand.
If he pulls his foot away you don't have to be bossy about it. Most puppies will pull their foot away because it's an instinctive response. Just talk to him quietly and take it slower next time if he seems unsure at first.
Once you have his paw gently touch and squeeze each of his toes. If he is sleeping you may be able to do all his paws at once. If he is awake and sitting up you may only be able to do one paw before he gets too excited and wants to play. That's fine.
Just do a little bit at a time everyday and you will have an adult dog that doesn't mind having his feet touched.
Your vet will thank you!
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