3 y/o beagle bit my face need some advice

[cblyles]

Gf and I tried to clip my beagles nails. We knew he didn’t like it and we ignored verbal warnings so it was definitely us ignoring boundaries. After the bite I’ve sorta gotten stricter on training him by kenneling him when we sleep instead of letting him sleep with us, making him walk behind me, no people furniture, and minor treat training. Is there anything that might help better? I see a lot of mixed reviews about muzzle training but it might help since he doesn’t get along with other dogs.

Edit: Thank you everyone for you comments obviously I have a lot more research to do it is my first dog I’ve owned on my own. Also thank you so much for the depression warning that’s the last thing I want for him.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@cblyles This is not him being aggressive in a way that you need to start being super strict. Some of the sweetest dogs will bite for nail trims. You have to get him used to nail trims, not punish him for being scared.

 

[kreke]

@cblyles This trigger is pretty specific so there is no need for a broad shot. Start training to clip his nails without him being scared or intimidated.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@cblyles He doesn’t need a stricter schedule imo he needs desensitized to the nail clippers…

Have you guys got him used to the clippers WITHOUT clipping?

Did you guys do anything to try to distract him for example a lick mat?

Imo your making his life stricter and took away his comfy bed, extra treats, mutual respect for what? Him biting when he gave you warning to back off when he was scared? That makes no since to me and I doubt will make since to him..

Show him the clippers and see how he reacts. When he is comfortable with seeing them touch him with them. Again when comfortable touch his paw. When comfortable pretend to clip. When comfortable attempt a clip with distraction.

Listen to your dog when training anything because they will tell you more than you realize.

He was trying to tell you he is not comfortable and scared. Also dogs bite when they get hurt so there’s a chance you may have hurt him.

Show him it’s not scary vs dictating his life even more.

 

[lizzrr]

@cblyles I don’t know what the stricter schedule is supposed to change about him not liking his nails clipped? Muzzle training is always a good idea but I think you’d profit more from cooperative care and desensitization the clipping. Get him accustomed to it slowly by feedings lots of treats. I hope you respect his boundaries in the future

 

[justiceonipa]

@cblyles No reason to be strict. You admitted to ignoring the boundaries and warning signs. Why are you punishing your dog for his genuine fear? Yes, he needed his nails trimmed. Is this new to you? Have you taken him to the vet before and decided to try it yourself? Beagles are super loyal dogs (yes there are exceptions) but if he has never showed this type of behavior before, then it was an incident in which he was scared. Most beagles want to be close to their owners. Keeping him away from you will cause depression. As someone else said, try desensitizing him to the mail trimmers. Try having peanut butter or cheese available to distract him when you try to trim his nails. You can also look into the electric nail filers. Please don’t punish your baby for being scared.

 

[p4m3l4]

@cblyles It sounds like you’ve fallen down the dominance training rabbit hole. Not letting him walk behind you and not letting him sleep on the bed does absolutely nothing at all. Nail trims are scary and sometimes painful. Your dog gave you warning that he was going to bite and you ignored that. Your dog doesn’t think he’s above you or anything like that where making him walk behind you would help. He’s actually being a good boy.

Muzzle training is good for dogs and in situations where you have to do something scary for the dog’s welfare, they prevent biting. But the other thing to do is make nail trims less scary. There are tons of videos on YouTube about using positive reinforcement to make them less scary but basically you use lots of treats or peanut butter on a lick mat and go slow.

 

[largeli]

@cblyles Literally nothing that you’re doing will address the issue. Your dog needs to be desensitized to nail care. I recommend getting an electric nail grinder — it’s the only thing that my pug will tolerate.

 

[kanyen]

@cblyles You were doing a scary thing to your dog. Dog asked repeatedly for you to stop doing the scary thing. You kept pushing him past his comfort zone and he defended himself. Your problem here is that your dog is uncomfortable or fearful of nail trims. Look up cooperative care for nail trims. Here's a blog with lots of good info to get you started: https://thoughtfuldogs.com/2019/10/...or-toenails-and-grooming-handling-in-general/

All of the not allowing him on furniture, making him wait for you to walk through doorways first stuff is based on alpha theory that we know isn't actually true. Your dog doesn't need to be taught that you're the boss. He doesn't aspire to be more dominant than you. He's a dog, and he's wholly dependent on you for food, affection, even access to good pooping spaces.

Regarding muzzles. Having a dog muzzle trained is a great idea even if just for a backup. My pup is anxious with vet exams, so I've conditioned her to a basket muzzle just in case it's ever needed in an emergency. Check out the https://muzzleupproject.com/ to get started with finding a good muzzle and introducing it in a gradual way.

 

[justsomegirl]

@cblyles So to start with I find the grinder is a lot easier than the clipper maybe wrap a towel around his head and dose mad treats while you do it. And when you dog lets you know that they don't like what you're fucking doing, listen. Or see a professional groomer and let them know about the prior issue.All that other stuff you're doing is bullshit just love your dog homie

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@cblyles This is not the dogs fault at all. Dogs are incredibly sensitive to nail trimming and you might have accidentally hurt him but he can’t tell you…so making stricter guidelines, like he understands, will just put a wedge between you and your dog. Please just Bring him to a vet tech or a groomer. I won’t touch my dogs nails.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@cblyles My mother bit a dentist who decided he needed to work without anesthesia. My mum doesn’t usually bite and didn’t need to be kept off the furniture to prevent future incidents.

 

[nnchoe]

@cblyles Muzzle him for nail trims of it is the only that sets him off.

 

[jensdreams]

@cblyles Another thing you might try in addition to muzzle training is picking up a dremel for trimming dogs nails. I have a dog that tries to bite every time we clip her nails, but she tolerates the dremel. I agree that I think changing the whole training regimen isn’t really going to alter the fact that the dog doesn’t like nail trims.

Also positive reinforcement! I got my boy used to nail trims by just going slow, telling him what a good boy he is, and rewarding him with treats and belly rubs throughout the process.

 

[jeannied]

@cblyles Don't muzzle train your dog has no idea why you're suddenly unwilling to bond and let him do family things anymore dogs don't connect events long term like this. The behavior has to be modified as it is happening for training to stick.

My suggestion would to be desensitizing training. Take the clippers out and simply have them by him at first. Any time he doesn't react, give him a kibble treat. Then start touching his paws but don't clip, giving him a treat for each quick touch. Don't do this all at once and more than a minute or two at a time so he's not overwhelmed. Cut baby carrots or something that snaps with the clippers and every time it snaps, give a treat so the sound doesn't shock him. Once he's comfortable with all these things, give him a licky mat (frozen ones with yogurt/fish oil/puréed fruit and pb are good for high value treats like this) and try to do just ONE nail. If he freaks out, wait a few minutes and try again, giving treats the whole time and dial back to just touching his nails with the clippers.

After a few min try again. Even if it goes slowly or you only get one paw or just a few toe beans, don't overwhelm him. Some dogs take better to a dremmel than clippers but I say get them desensitized to as much as possible.

 

[lundberry]

@cblyles Your dog acted totally appropriately and your response was to make his life less comfortable (and what’s the point of having him walk behind you? What’s that solving?). Those rules are fine but the fact that you enacted them as punishment is weird. Literally read any article about trimming your dogs nails. He’s afraid of the clippers, get him used to them and he won’t be afraid

 

[comicboy]

@cblyles Honestly some dogs do well having their humans and some do not.

My current dog I’m able to clip his nails with husband holding him.

Last two dogs never ever. Ended up taking them to the vets.

Max The Wonder Basset was the biggest baby (totally lovable, he was the Goober Pyle of basset hounds, except when getting his nails clipped) and a total drama king. For me to do it took 45 minutes and I would be in tears. So we just took him to the vet to get them done. Way better experience for us all. Though he would start the howling dramatics as if he was having a limb removed with anesthesia even before they touched him. I’d sit in the lobby pretending it was my dog making that god awful racket.

Off we ended up using to amputate his tail at the very base when he developed at timer. He handled that without blinking. Didn’t faze him at all.

Sadie was purely terrified and given her history we needed her to never equate her terror to us. She needed to have us be her safe space. Again off to the vet, which terrified her but it was better than me torturing her.

I’m also in the dominance training accomplishes nothing but telling the dog you can no longer be trusted. That you are no longer their safe space.

 

[nonaffiliated]

@cblyles But try not to punish him unnecessarily, if someone was threatening to hold you down and cut your nails with the risk of cutting your cuticle, you would also bite out of fear

 

[jeremymeeft]

@cblyles He's just afraid of getting his nails done and good the rest of the time? Show him the clippers while feeding high value treats. It might take a few weeks, but slowly work up to touching his nails and rewarding with treats.

At my vets office, when they trim nails, they give whipped cream or squirt cheese after each nail.