Why is it important to get your puppy used to handling?
Ask anyone who works at a vet or groomer about trying to work on a dog that does not like to be handled. It is a stressful experience for both the person and the dog. A dog that isn’t used to handling may require sedation at the vet or groomer; which exposes them to the risk of these drugs and it’s also expensive for you.
Being able to calmly clip your dog’s nails, clean their ears, or inspect them for injuries is also important for you to be able to do as the owner. You also don’t want your dog to snap at a child if they hug your dog or touch their ears - that could mean big trouble for the child, you, and your dog.
It’s easier to start puppy handling training while they’re young, but it’s never too late to start.
How to Get Your Puppy Used to Handling
Start off by petting, hugging, briefly touching their ears, paws, and tail, and picking your puppy up. Do this throughout the day to help desensitize them before getting into more intense handling like nail clipping and ear cleaning (we get more into this below, first come the basics).
Once your puppy is comfortable with you, let other people do the same. Make this a fun experience for your puppy, give them a treat when you pick them up. You want to make the association that handling is a good, positive experience for them. Be sure to have other people give treats as well and give a big reward when the puppy is calm.
After a couple of days of the “introductory” handling, start to hold your puppy’s paws, touch their ears, and hug them for a longer time. Reward them when you start to do these things at first to create positive reinforcement. Once they seem to be getting used to this, reward them when they are calm. You don’t want to be rewarding bad puppy behavior like nipping at you or squirming to get free.
Below we are going to get into specific handling that will help with puppy grooming, vet visits, and other situations that will help to set your puppy up for success.
Puppy Nail Trimming
Puppy nail trim may not be needed in the beginning, but you should start to get them used to having their paws held and getting their nails clipped (even if it’s faked!). Start by holding your puppy’s paws and touching their nails, they need to let you do this prior to introducing them to nail clippers.
Next, bust out the nail clippers! Let your puppy smell it and reward them for reacting positively to it. You also should “pet” them gently with the nail clippers (especially on their legs) to further desensitize your pup. Don’t let them bite or play with them, you don’t want them to think they’re a toy.
Once your puppy is okay with you holding their paw/nails and are used to the clippers, you can start to (or pretend to) trim their nails. Start by doing this when they are distracted, put a few treats on the floor or some peanut butter and start to trim their nails while they are busy. This takes their main focus away from the clippers, while it further establishes that a nail trim is a good experience. Having someone else to help you hold treats may be easier.
The key, like for any training, is to do this consistently. Most importantly in the beginning. Practice this for a few days straight at first and then gradually increase the time in between each “session” (then a weekly basis, then to when needed) if you notice your puppy getting better and better each time.
If you want to learn about how to safely cut your dog’s nails, click here.
Handling your Puppy's Ears and Mouth
Getting your puppy used to having their ears and mouth looked at is very helpful for both you and your vet or groomer. This type of handling can help make it easier to clean their ears, brush their teeth, or even wrestle something out of your puppy’s mouth. Similar to trimming their nails, you want to reward them as you begin to touch their mouth and ears.
- Ears - once your puppy is used to getting their ears touched, introduce a damp paper towel or cotton ball. Distract them with some peanut butter or treats and begin to gently wipe their ears. Do it for a second or two at a time at first.
- Mouth - First get your puppy used to you touching their mouth and looking at their teeth. Don’t forget to reward! Wait for another moment if your puppy starts to nip or get frustrated. When they are comfortable with that, introduce a toothbrush. Like in humans, good oral hygiene can prevent gum disease and infection. Let your puppy sniff the toothbrush first. Then, put a bit of peanut butter, salmon oil, or coconut oil on the toothbrush and begin to brush their teeth. Do this in small bursts every day.
Puppy Grooming
Similar to nail trimming and teeth brushing, you want to let them smell whatever tool you will be using to brush or cut their fur while rewarding them with lots of treats. Be sure to keep these sessions short at first. These are some of the benefits of regularly brushing your dog’s coat :
- Great bonding experience
- Reduces shedding
- Lets you check your dog (skin okay? Any bumps, fleas, etc.?)
- Distributes natural oils
- Prevents painful mats and trapped undercoat (can cause overheating)
- They look good!
Prepare your Puppy to be Around Children.
Prepare your pet for the unpredictability of children. The best way to do this is to expose them to children from a young age, if possible. Ensure to constantly oversee and keep everybody safe when dogs and kids are together!
You can also practice this by doing small ear and tail tugs, head pats, and hugs. You can do your best to prepare your pup for these situations as suggested, but too hard of a tail tug or an eye poke by a child could cause an unwanted problem. Above all, it is best to educate the children to be respectful around dogs. Contact your local dog trainer if you notice that your puppy continues to be uneasy around children.
Conclusion
Getting puppy handling down is crucial for various reasons, and we're not just talking for cuddles and pets! The key to progressive improvement and learning is to form positive associations and move slowly. If you believe your puppy is a little hesitant at one point, go back to the fundamentals. Desensitizing them to handling makes grooming, going to the vet, and being around children less stressful.
