Universal Press Syndicate
Q: My arms are ripped to bits from my dog's habit of jumping up and clawing me. Trimming is a wrestling match, and walking her on hard surfaces isn't helping. I'm getting to the end of my rope on this problem. Can dogs have their claws removed like cats can? -- N.W., via e-mail
A: While a dog's claws could in theory be surgically removed, it's not commonly done, and you'd have a difficult time finding a veterinarian who'd agree to such a thing.
Instead, get a trainer's help in teaching your dog to keep her feet on the ground. If the nails are really overgrown, consider having your veterinarian cut them all the way back while your dog is under sedation. This will give you a fresh start to the problem, so trimming a little off each week after the quick recedes will keep the nails short. And unless your dog is doing miles and miles of sidewalk time a week, walking on hard surfaces won't help with the nail-length issue.
Don't make nail-trim time a battle. Start slowly by handling your dog's paws without trimming nails, and build up your pet's tolerance through treats and praise.
Some dogs do better having their nails ground down rather than cut. You can buy an appliance designed to grind dog nails, or use a rotary tool such as the Dremel to do the same thing. The advantage to grinding is that you won't go too far -- as soon as you see the quick, you stop. As with using a nail-trimming, make sure you introduce a grinder slowly and gradually, with lots of praise and treats along the way.
Q: Would it be a good idea to get two puppies at once? I'm not home much and worry about leaving a puppy alone. Would getting two help to ease their loneliness? -- L.E., via e-mail
A: Are you sure you're not too busy to have a dog? If you're never home, you really need to reconsider having a pet of any kind. But even if you were home all day long, I don't recommend getting two puppies at once.
Two puppies raised together will often bond more tightly with each other than with the human members of the house, especially if the pups are from the same litter. Experienced show breeders, who often "grow out" a pair of promising puppies, routinely get around this problem by sending one of the youngsters to be raised by another breeder.
House-training can be a challenge with two puppies because one may not get the concept as quickly as the other. Fresh messes from the one who's not getting it may prompt backsliding in the other pup. Obedience training and all-important socialization can also be hard, since you have to find the time to work with each puppy individually.
If you really do have time for a dog and wish to have two dogs more or less "instantly," I'd recommend adopting two adults.
Rescue groups and shelters often have dogs that were abandoned together and would be heartbroken if split up. These pairs are already companionable and can help keep each other company during the time you're away.
Puppies are wonderful, but there's a lot to be said about skipping those crazy first months of their lives. For many families, an adult dog is flat-out a better match.
Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.
