I dread, deeply, clipping Sadie’s toe nails. I go all queasy just thinking about it.
Sadie is shy and extremely sensitive. I wasn’t about to be the meanie coming at her with what I feared would look like hedge shears to her. It didn’t happen often, but when I did cut too close to the quick with my previous dogs…I swear I still feel molten guilt in my gut. (I need a desensitization and positive reinforcement reconditioning program!) So for the first time in three dogs, I decided to hand over manicures to the groomer. Ahh. The unbearable lightness of not cutting my dog’s toenails! But apprehension lurked on the fringe of my relief. I had a sinking feeling events would conspire such that Sadie would need frequent nail clippings and it would be up to me to provide them.
And, indeed, that’s just what happened. Three weeks ago while running full out, chasing a ball on flat, grassy terrain, Sadie stopped dead, heisted her left hind leg and sat down. No cries of pain. Just, “I’m not putting weight on this leg.” Long story short, the superficial digital flexor tendon under the third toe on her left hind paw had popped, probably detached. That’s a mouthful, but what it means in real terms is this: Sadie now has a permanently deformed paw. Her third toe sticks way out when she puts weight on her left hind leg. (When sitting or laying down, her paw looks normal.) There was nothing to be done about this other than give her anti-inflammatory medication and rest. Gradually she should be able to resume hiking, fetch and rough-housing with her friends. But, the nail on her injured toe needs to be kept very short at all times. Jutting out there like it does, we definitely don’t want it snagging on something and ripping off.
Heather, our groomer, assured me Sadie tolerates nail clipping very well. “You should have no problem,” she said. Her reassurance wasn’t the desensitization program I had in mind. Memories of my previous dog’s yelps, red dotted carpets and my aching heart would not so easily be quelled. I needed to approach Sadie with my nail shortening tool in hand and confidence in myself. I needed to feel sure I could help Sadie, if not enjoy manicures, at least easily tolerate them. Conditioning her to a dremel, the latest in the tool box of nailing trimming devices, could take months. I needed something I could implement immediately.
What to do? Finally, a creative insight pushed through my fog of anxiety.
The peanut butter manicure!
I took one large very coarse emory board. (pic 1)
pic 1
I stripped away the finer side. That exposed a white styrafoam-like material. (pic 2)
pic 2
Then I spread a thin layer of creamy organic peanut butter on the white side. (pic 3)
pic 3
When Sadie was very relaxed and laying on her right side on the couch, not an uncommon position for her, I casually sat down next to her on the floor and let her sniff the peanut butter. “Yum!” Then, I held the toe in question and began to file away. Sadie licked the peanut butter. 
At the exact moment she finished licking all the peanut butter off the file, I stopped. All done. For today. And, to make manicures extra special, peanut butter is reserved exclusively for them.
A little filing everyday is keeping that toenail just where it should be. In fact, we are moving onto her other toes. My anxieties about nail trimming are in check, and Sadie is loving her peanut butter manicures.
Brilliant! Simply, brilliant. This is as creative as it gets.
I LOVE your solution and the photos, too. Your text is delightful.
Thanks for this genius idea!
Mary Huber