Trimming dog toenails usually isn’t a favorite past time of most dog people, nor do dogs usually jump up and down in delight about it either.
It turns out though, it is way more important to your dog’s health than you may have imagined. And your dog doesn’t like it more from you freaking out about it than anything!
Not only that your dog is in more pain from long nails than from the pawdicure so let’s learn how to be comfortable doing it.
Maui Dog Trainer Advice on Nail Trimming
The dog trainer in my has to say it out loud again. Dogs pick up on emotion before they pick up on anything else. It may be a habit for your dog, this whole not liking it thing, after so many sessions of hating it yourself, but that can change.
That being said, most don’t know how to trim dog nails properly, so here is a video that is very helpful in illustrating how to do it as well as how to deal with your dog if it doesn’t happen to be the favorite activity you’ve ever done together.
Maui Dog Training Retreats and Staycation Boarding – Nail Trimming
Have you ever gone for a run and noticed your toes hurt, then discovered it was because your toenails were too long? How about the times you’ve put those sexy stilettos on and never mind your feet were killing you, but your toes were actually in horrible pain from just a little bit of extra length to make that french manicure look the way it should!
Imagine that is how your dog feels ALL THE TIME, when the toenails are too long. That sucks. And it is why it makes sense that the posture of a dog is compromised because of it. It freakin hurts. To the point they can end up with pain all over their bodies.
I’ve become a nail trimming fanatic when I realized how important it is to how dogs feel every single day. Being one of my own dogs is a Weimaraner with thick nails that grow like mad, I’ve had to become and expert.
So, when dogs come into my training retreats and staycation boarding programs they get a nail trim. Buster is a perfect example of a little snark issue that could have been brought on out of body pain. I noticed early on when I ran my hand down his back and towards his hind quarters he winces a bit. He certainly doesn’t like it. I took a look at his toenails. Oh boy. Buster Brown (my nickname for him) had quite the set growing.
His nails are trimmed up now and his person will get the run down on how to maintain it for sure. And I’m still his favorite person even though he didn’t dig it at first he got over it fast.
Jt Clough of Maui Dog Remedies is a professional dog trainer, pet industry business coach, health fanatic, and author. She is a 9 time Ironman finisher, with decades of training dogs and their people to better lifestyles, from behavior modification to fitness and health through natural remedies, mental stimulation and lifestyle choices. She is an emotional healer through dogs. Described as a seeker, Jt has an uncanny ability to teach adaptation to change and to take inspired action.
Flossie, a tropical storm predicted to hit Maui early in the morning finally hit about 12 hours later in the early evening hours before sunset. Lucky for the whole Island including me, my dogs and my dogs in training retreat all is well after heavy rain and losing power, which was quickly restored.
In the hours leading up to Flossie blowing through, what does one do with the dogs?
In the case of Max the German Short Haired Pointer Doberman mix and myself we decided to go for a run. It was good for both of us. It wasn’t the full on run I’d normally do with dogs like Max, but that’s the point of the story; doing something is better than doing nothing and sometimes getting a little creative about it is required.
Because we knew there was storm coming, there was no need to load up and head out into possible danger for major running space. Instead we stayed by the Dog Ohana and ran laps on on the 400 yard long driveway where we live! The neighbors might have thought we were a little nuts, but Max and I sure did feel a lot better.
With dogs and with people, movement dissipates anxiety. A little movement is better than no movement. Instead of choosing to just wait, get those good endorphins moving and have done your preparedness homework early on!
Preparing for Maui Tropical Storms, Tsunamis and Hurricanes
It is comes under common sense, but still there are things we should have ready living on an island like Maui.
Water – Drinking water is essential. Make sure to have some for you and for your dog. We have 5 gallon jugs filled with reverse osmosis water on hand but one of our tips was while we were waiting around for the storm to hit, we filled all the mason jars with filtered water. Just an extra little supply in case the water was shut off for a period of time due to flooding.
Food – Again, living on an Island, water comes into play. In the case of food, a flood could wreak havoc on your food supply so make sure to have dry food storage. Keep a sealed plastic container for your storage and even though I’m a great advocate of real whole food for both people and dogs, dry non perishable food is best. A few days supply of canned dog food will make the space and preservation an easy solution.
Identification – Have ID on your dogs in the horrible case you should get separated.
Gasoline – Not a good idea to have a vehicle to get to safer ground but no gasoline. Make it a habit to never have your tank below 1/2 full. Just in case!
Solar charger – New to the list of disaster preparedness, we operate on cell phones. Text, calls, news, the whole 9 yards. Keep your cell charged if you know a weather pattern is coming but research a good solar charger. You’ll have some connection to what’s going on and your friends and family will be much happier they can at least touch base and find out you are okay.
Are you prepared? is a great website to build your own kits and be ready to do well in the case our Maui paradise, dogs and all find ourselves weathering a huge storm, expected or not.
Need a little help with your dog to be best dog ever? Travel off island? Have a dog with some issues you’d really rather get fixed sooner than later? Maui Dog Retreats immediate pricing and information, enter your e-mail below and “Get it Now”.
This week A German Short Haired Pointer Doberman mix and a Sharpei mix have arrived for a Maui Dog Training Retreat. Talk about different personalities! It lends clarity to the fact dog training does not have a cookie cutter formula.
There is not a recipe that can be precisely written out and applied to all dogs. Though I hear it a lot from other professional dog trainers, and there were times in the distant past where I was even guilty of saying the rules of dog training are pretty cut and dried, I have come to understand clearly all dogs are not the same to train.
Dogs have personalities. They have things that make them wag and things that don’t. One may bark like a banshie at the neighbor and the other may go get a prized old sock and insist on giving it to them by jumping up to hand deliver it. Another dog may go hide under the table when anything new is introduced. Even if they were raised together, what one is wild about the other could care less about. And so, training dogs becomes something of a relationship undertaking.
Maui Dog Training for Lifestyle
As dog owners sometimes we forget dogs are not pre-trained. And we really forget that all the babbling human talk we are repeating to them doesn’t make any sense. It is our job as dog owners to take the time to not only show our dogs what to do, which could be classified as training, but understand the temperament or the general way we can bring the best out in our dogs.
For some that could be food. For some it could be play. For some it could be a stricter more disciplined set of tasks to complete. For some its about a lot of organized exercise, or it could be about a daily romp on the beach with the freedom to jump in the water and swim with wild abandon after a stick. And for some it’s really about being super calm and steady.
We finesse these things in our relationships with friends, family, lovers, and co-workers. On a conscious level we get to know these people and we know when to talk, when to be quiet. We know when a physical gesture makes all the difference in the world and when a small gift of appreciation speaks a million words of gratitude. We look to get the pono (goodness, do the right thing) response.
The same is true of our dogs. We just have been buying into the idea that to have a well trained dog, it must look utterly military style and there are only 6 words that should be followed through without fail. Sit, stay, down, leave it, come, and heal.
So not true. Your dog could be able to do those things and still not be that well behaved companion we’ve created in our mind’s eye.
The Balanced Happy Island Dog
Max the German Short Haired Pointer Doberman mix needs some big play time. He loves a food reward. He needs structure and he needs an all out speed racer run or big ass swim in the ocean. It’s what turns him on.
Loki the Sharpei mix needs to be with his person. Physical touch, a soothing voice to go along with some exercise and teaching structured things he knows how to do well bring out the playful guy he is. He needs calm to walk him through his moments of fear of other dogs, or of the leaf that suddenly blew up in his face in the lawn.
It’s a bit of time and understanding and a way to speak dog that explains my philosophy of training dogs. It is why I love doing retreats with dogs. I get to spend that one on one time and bring a dog’s personality out, showing off the best side. Understanding what makes a dog tick, what is their passion is truly he best way to diminish bad behavior, or to help a dog get over fears which on many occasions appear to be aggressive behavior.
Maui Dog Mahalos
Mahalo for spending more time with your dog and wanting to have the best life ever together. If you’d like to know more about my retreats with dogs on Maui, sign up below to get immediate information and be ready for some pawsome-ness for you and your dog.
We tend to get our dogs with the most rose-colored loving glasses on. A picture of a best friend that we can do every thing with. And we want to do every thing with them. Until it starts to become difficult. More difficult than we thought it would be. More difficult than we remember our last dog being. Especially that perfect childhood dog lodged in memories.
Other people begin to judge our dogs and though our love for our own dogs prevail, we tend to find ourselves falling to the judgement, taking our dogs to fewer places.
And before we know it our dogs who are supposed to have at least 12 or 14 years of life, tend to only have one year over and over. Because we limit them to very few experiences and spend time being frustrated with behaviors that bug us. Daily.
It all started with the best of intentions, but dogs don’t come already trained. And though there has been repeated dog training attempts, the same behavior keeps showing up.
Thinking In Pictures
No matter how young or old dogs are, they can turn all of that around.It’s a matter of learning a few dog training tricks. One of which is thinking in pictures.
Its one of the biggest mistakes in dog training. It’s the biggest reason people find themselves asking, “Why isn’t my dog getting it? What am I doing wrong?”
Here’s the long and short of that answer. Dogs don’t logic. They think in pictures. And humans, logic things right to death!
It’s a paradigm shift that’s way cool.
It works in the dogs’ lives. It works in people’s too.
Get More Of What You Want fom Maui Dog Training
Get more of what you want with your dog, and with your own life. Start creating pictures and stop chatting your head off, trying to logic your dog through a habit that’s been going on daily for sometimes years. Your dog doesn’t get it. And you probably are really tired of listening to yourself.
Learning that your dog thinks in pictures will end up bringing that best friend that can in fact do everything with you here on this gorgeous island of Maui.
I don’t know about you, but I’m really tired of legislation messing with our health. And now they are messing with our dogs’ health. It’s been a tiring month. First the GMO thing, and now listen to this video on how legislature is trying to pass a bill that will basically start the over vaccination process for our puppies and dogs out super early. Waaaay too early.
Risks of Early Vaccinations for Your Puppy or Dog
First, most rabies vaccinations have mercury in them. Bad. Really bad. As you’ll hear in the video, there are veterinarians who say they have never seen a bad reaction. I’ve got one word on that. Bull… you know the second part of that word!
There is actually big reason to believe that early vaccination will leave puppies and dogs open to neutralization so they get the bad effects but aren’t even covered for rabies after all. Read The Alarming Proposed Bill That Could Threaten Your Pet’s Life.
Big Pharmaceuticals Creating Income Through Legislation Using Our Dogs
Ugly. Sad. We are now killing our dogs early over once again pharmaceuticals making more money.
We are filling ourselves and our dogs full of chemicals that we are being force fed through the media are good for us.
In the dog world it’s not only this bill but most other vaccinations and medications too. Take heart worm for example:
We’ve been told we need to make sure and feed the heartworm pill full of chemicals monthly. Read this article Are Drug Companies Honest About Heartworm by Dr. Dobias and you’ll find it’s impossible for a heart worm to even mature in that time. So why monthly? Add it up. That’s why. It’s certainly not for the health and longevity of your beloved best friend.
What You Can Do To Keep Your Dog Healthy
First, don’t sign up for every vaccination suggested for your dog. Do some research before you start shooting your dog or puppy up with unnecessary vaccinations. Find a vet willing to do a titre or look into alternative treatment.
You have to stay informed to know, so do your research. Like our own food and medication these days, just because it’s on the shelf in the local store or health care office does not mean it is safe or good for us. And on the other side of that, there are also a lot of things that are, they are usually just not placed on a shelf that is the easiest to access.
Look up and look down and all around, there are better choices we can all start making. For our dogs and for ourselves.
I post information about dog health, natural remedies as well as training and fitness, which I have a personal passion for my own dogs and for all the dogs I’ve been honored to be a part of their lives in my work. So PLEASE join my INBOX so you don’t miss something important.
Jt Clough lives in Maui, Hawaii and practices health, happiness, natural remedies and training for dogs and their people. Her way of communication with both dogs and people is healing and her training is effective physically and emotionally. Her work at ReVIBE | Dogs + Joy + Vibrance is for people looking to live healthier and happier lives through their dogs and her passion for it has helped so many to find more peace and joy in every day life with dogs. She is a dog whisperer for our best friends, specializing in private training and dog retreats. Her latest publications are Pumpkin Dog Food + Treats Recipes and 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs.
I just don’t understand, I give my dog a great home, good food, lots of love and the best of everything. Yet the moment we see another dog, it’s on. My dog bullies. A big bully fest breaks out and I don’t know what to do. It’s ugly. It feels awful and I just don’t understand.
The whole thing makes me feel really bad and I’m really mad at my dog for it. Yet I love her dearly. What can I do?
As a professional dog trainer living on Maui, I see the imbalance behind the very basis of bullying in fear, in anger, in miscommunication or simple non communication, come out in dogs all the time. It is a sure sign of our society. When dogs are having problems, I get the call and it usually starts with the concept, “I wanted this dog to be different than he or she is,” even as we live here in our Hawaiian paradise.
Understanding the Development of Dog Bullies
We tend to be a society that wants to be something we aren’t, and we are taught this from the time we are young. Just the idea that you must have more, be better, and live up to something is a basis of instability. We tend to pick our dogs to match that behavior. Either we bring them to us in that state, or we create it all because it has become more comfortable to have discourse in our lives than it is to have peace.
We don’t even know what it is anymore to live a day without stress, anxiety, uneasiness. Is it any wonder our dogs’ are acting out in the same way?
Where to Start to Train the Bullying Dog Behavior Away
We need to start with a place of acceptance and move forward to be honest with ourselves about our true needs and who we are, rather than what every one else thinks we should be. We need to do that for our dogs as well. No need to make excuses, just start taking different actions.
When we don’t feel okay about who we are behaviors like fear aggression appear. It can show up with actions towards someone else or actions towards ourselves, but when the underlying feeling is “I need to be someone else”, fear is part of it.
Dogs are the same. They don’t know how to act in an urban society and studies have shown that they learn best by mimicking. The number of dogs bullies or who have bad behavior based on fear is rising. Doesn’t that speak loudly about how many people are acting out of fear and how we are teaching our dogs to be the same?
It’s really okay to calm down for ourselves. It will help our dogs tremendously.
Your Dog Needs to be Led by Example
It’s easy to look at bullies and point the finger. It’s really easy to do when people see big dog bullies acting out. The truth of the matter is that “bullying” is many times about fear and missing the chance to feel good about ourselves, someone else, our dog, or our relationships and it comes out with blame or ugly behavior.
If your dog is bullying, first slow down and take some time to accept that you may be feeling fear, anger, or discouraged because of the situation. Then realize you CAN do something about it.
STOP focusing on what your dog does bad and start encouraging the things your dog does well.
True, you may not be able to get through the “bad” behavior with your dog because there is in fact a communication disadvantage. Dogs don’t necessarily understand the English language. But they do understand your own sense of calm in that you have decided to stop blaming your dog’s bad behavior and seek help.
Get a professional dog trainer to help you learn how your dog does think and learn. Hint: It’s in pictures, not in a long drawn out explanation!! Re-wiring comes from repetition. I teach dogs a new way, than I teach you how to follow up with it. Quite gratifying I must say for everyone.
Practice Calm Courage
Stop being hard on yourself, or your dog and start to take steps to accept who you are and how you can make life feel more balanced. Dogs can reflect our behavior in such a huge way. Your dog’s behavior may be telling you that it’s time to stop and take a look at yourself. Slow down. Feel okay to be who are and to make choices that are good for you.
Know That Its Never to Late to Be the Change
It really is about taking small steps everyday using the things you CAN do while leaving thoughts of what you can’t do behind.
How Our Dog Reflect Good Behavior Too
I work with dogs all the time that have fear of other dogs, certain places, or people. I get to watch how a personality can come out with just a little encouragement on how much is already right and creating more of those feelings by actions based on what you CAN do.
Do This For Your Dog Right Now!
It’s a concept for everyone. Write down three things you CAN do to feel better about yourself and be who you are today and do one of them. Do the same for your dog! Take a walk, chase a ball, go for a run, and spend some time playing. Concentrate on spending more of your moments doing things you CAN do.
Please take action today and write at least one thing you plan to do for your dog’s well being in the comments below. Love, love, love Retweets on Twitter and know I answer any e-mails I get personally about what you can do to help your dog today!
Jt Clough lives in Maui, Hawaii and practices health, happiness, natural remedies and training for dogs and their people. Her way of communication with both dogs and people is healing and her training is effective physically and emotionally. Her work at ReVIBE | Dogs + Joy + Vibrance is for people looking to live healthier and happier lives through their dogs and her passion for it has helped so many to find more peace and joy in every day life with dogs. She is a dog whisperer for our best friends, specializing in private training and dog retreats. Her latest publications are Pumpkin Dog Food + Treats Recipes and 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs.
Maui dog people: Get ready, get ready, get ready for the best dog training and fitness sessions combined on Maui.
Have you been looking for ways to stay in shape, get fit to start with, get ready for paddling in a bikini? Or how about fun things to do with your dog on Maui? Looking for some really cool rockin’ dog training on Maui or what about just finding ways to have a better relationship with your dog and yourself by getting out and being active?
Maui Dog Training + Fitness = K9 Cross Fitness
Maui Dog Remedies and Get Glad Maui announce K9 Cross Fitness: A really super cool way to get in shape, stay in shape, lose a few pounds AND train your dog, or just have fun playing with your dog at the same time!
Who is K9 Cross Fitness For?
Anyone who has a dog! All levels for both people and dogs are encouraged.
When is K9 Corss Fitness?
Sundays at 3 pm
Where is K9 Cross Fitness in Maui?
The North Shore and UpCountry Maui.
When I was training dogs in San Diego I created K9 Cross Fitness because I found the common factor lacking in most dog’s behavior management was not enough exercise. So I started incorporating fitness into all of my training programs. I found out that when people go out and do something fun with their dog, training happened from both ends of the leash, from beginner to advanced.
So, here I am on Maui. Doing my dog training thing here and what better place to enjoy our dogs then the outdoor tropical paradise we live in. Jenn and I will be introducing you to different trails and parks and urban settings in our tropical paradise over the weeks to come. Each week you can expect a different setting than last week.
How Do You Find Out Where K9 Cross Fitness Is This Week?
Easy. Just sign up in the form below. You’ll get a weekly update on where to show up and what to bring with you.
How Much is K9 Cross Fitness?
Our classes are much like a yoga class format in that you can show up when you can make it, and hopefully that’s a lot! We are sure your dog is thinking that at least which enough reason for you to think it and you get to get a workout too!
Each class is $20.
For those of you who get hooked, and yes, I’ve done these classes both in San Diego and on The Big Island and people get hooked there will be a discount class card available.
Now that Jenn of Get Glad Maui is joining me with her fabulous personal trainer for people skills here on Maui, I’m sure the wow factor for both dogs and people will keep you coming back for more fun every week so be sure to ask about class cards. *Your first class is no charge so you certainly have nothing lose and a really great time with your dog to gain. More on K9 Cross Fitness Here
If you have things you’d like to do with your dog, training tips you’d like to know about, or fun things you’d like to do more of with your dog, please leave it in the comments below. It’s sure to end up a class designed all around you and your dog!
If you have friends on Maui with a dogs PLEASE send this post to them and we wag big time about TWEETS and Facebook shares too!
Trimming Dog Toenails Tutorial
So, when dogs come into my training retreats and staycation boarding programs they get a nail trim. Buster is a perfect example of a little snark issue that could have been brought on out of body pain. I noticed early on when I ran my hand down his back and towards his hind quarters he winces a bit. He certainly doesn’t like it. I took a look at his toenails. Oh boy. Buster Brown (my nickname for him) had quite the set growing.Jt Clough of Maui Dog Remedies is a professional dog trainer, pet industry business coach, health fanatic, and author. She is a 9 time Ironman finisher, with decades of training dogs and their people to better lifestyles, from behavior modification to fitness and health through natural remedies, mental stimulation and lifestyle choices. She is an emotional healer through dogs. Described as a seeker, Jt has an uncanny ability to teach adaptation to change and to take inspired action.
