Teaching Your Dog to Drag Her Nails Across Scratch Board

By now, your dog will place one paw on the scratch board, usually holding her paw still as you click and treat. Now, we’re clicking for a front nail drag along the board so get your clicker and treats ready.

Paw Drags

This is probably the most challenging part when teaching dogs how to use a scratch board. The timing of your click is important right now so you may want to practice your timing before moving forward. You’ll notice frustration creeping in. Take a deep breath. You and your dog will get it.

Goal: Using one paw (left, right or both front paws) to drag (slides paw down board) nails across board.

• Settle in chosen room with door closed. Set up treats and scratch board.
• Place board on ground with top portion leaning against your legs. Get ready. When board is in place, this gives your dog the green light to start offering paw movements.
• Watch for when her paw slides down (click for either left or right front paw). This happens once your dog places her paw on the board.
  • When she doesn’t hear a click, she will remove her paw from the board (meaning she’ll remove her paw and try to place her paw on the board again).
  • Removing paw off board looks like a slide down the board. The moment you see this, click and treat! It usually takes two or three clicks at the right moment and she learns “Oh, moving paw downward on board earns treats. It’s not placing paw on board and holding still any longer.”
  • Paw pads are tough so dragging across fine grade sandpaper is safe. For thin or sensitive paw pads, choose finer grit sandpaper grit, such as 100.
• Practice five times and end session (place board on shelf).

Teach Dog To Trim Own Nails: Teaching Nail Drags

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Nail Drags

Now, your dog understands to drag her paw along the scratch board. Great job! Now, we’ll wait for nail drags to happen. You may have noticed a few attempts when teaching paw drags. Since the scratch board is held at a 45-degree angle, your dog needs to extend out her paw to promote nail drags.

Goal: Dog drags nails across scratch board once.

• Place scratch board against legs again, keeping at a 45-degree angle.
• Wait for nails to touch board instead of paw pads. This usually happens at the beginning of a paw touch to board.
• Some dogs place paw on board and then flex nails out. When this happens, click and treat!
• Within two to three clicks, your dog will immediately offer nails dragged across board.
• Now, don’t get greedy. Click and treat for one nail drag and not several, or you’ll totally confuse your dog. We’ll work on multiple nail drags later.
• Practice five times, then pick up board and place on shelf.

READ MORE: Why Dogs Dislike Nail Trims