Some of you may know that I recently purchased a tiny house. I’ve been vacationing in this area for about 15 years now, and always wanted a permanent place to land when I’m here. The problem, of course, was price. Housing costs here are crazy ridiculous and only getting worse. Luckily, I wandered into information about tiny house communities and found something that would work for me.
So I bought a tiny house! And then I realized that, in order to make it my perfect little hideaway, I’d need to make some changes. Now I’ve definitely never been a DIY person, but I do feel like I can learn how to do things. YouTube videos show you pretty much anything you want to know these days. I decided that if it was something I was physically strong enough to do then I would give it a try.
Before I could do any tiny house projects I was going to need some tools. But what tools? I decided I needed a power screwdriver based on my past experiences with manual ones and how much physical pressure they require. After perusing about 10,000 different options I chose a popular name brand one (Ryobi) that seemed simple enough to operate.
Is it possible to say that a tool is life changing? Because this one is! It has made all my little house projects so much easier! I never realized how easy it could be. Putting that first hole in a wall was scary, but then I was on a roll! I went from putting together simple pieces of furniture to adding wall art to my most ambitious job; replacing the front door deadbolt with a keypad fingerprint lock.
And while I still love my little power screwdriver I did discover that it can’t do everything. It’s not the right tool for every single job. For example, I discovered a stripped screw that needed something different, and a lot more elbow grease, to remove.
Of course, while I have been deep into my tiny projects I’ve also been thinking about the tools we use for dog training, particularly cooperative care work. It has become very clear to me that you cannot get good results with poor tools. It will always be a struggle and the results will be less than optimal. This becomes even more crucial when another living creature is part of the equation. When we work to shorten our dog’s nails, the tools we use can make or break the progress. They are not a magic fix; but they can make a significant difference.
My goal is always to make it as easy as possible to be successful; no matter what I’m doing or what I want my dog to do. By choosing wisely when it comes to tools we can set our dogs up for a more comfortable physical care experience, which will lead to more relaxation and cooperation from them. A little while back I compared a variety of rotary tools that are commonly used for nail shortening. You can find that blog post with videos here:
Start on the Right Foot: Choosing the Best Rotary Tool for Your Dog’s Nails
I’ve also tried a variety of nail clippers and found a huge variation in quality and ease of use. Even something as simple as using dull clippers can make a huge negative impact on your dog and set back your training goals.
I’ve pulled together my thoughts and experiences with a variety of tools into a webinar titled Let’s Talk Tools (for shorter dog nails) that will run Thursday, June 11, 2026 @ 6 pm ET. You can learn more about the webinar here:
Let’s Talk Tools (for shorter dog nails)
In addition to discussing tools I have a huge section in the webinar on making and using scratch boards for shortening nails. Scratch boards allow us to take a step back in the hands on care process with nails and allow our dogs to initiate and direct the action. They can be an excellent approach to use while still working on the cooperative aspects of your training.
Curved scratch board also referred to as a half pipe
If you are interested in a more detailed step by step approach to teaching our dogs to cooperate in nail trims then you may want to check out my Tackling the Toes 3 week course that begins July 1 at FDSA. You can learn more about that course here:
Cooperative Care: Tackling the Toes 3 week course
Make this summer the one where you finally focus on getting a handle on shortening your dog’s nails in a way that makes you both comfortable. This is NOT an impossible task! Join me as we work through the process together.
Deborah Jones, Ph.D. is a retired psychology professor who now trains animals full-time. She has been training for 30+ years and focuses on positive reinforcement based methods. Deb has written 13 books on dog training and has helped develop several DVD series way back in the day. She has also trained and shown multiple breeds to high level titles in agility, rally, and obedience. She is currently teaching online training classes, workshops, and webinars at www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com. Her latest project is the Cooperative Care Trainer Certificate course. Visit her website at www.k9infocus.com for her blog and more information.
Deb Jones, PhD literally wrote the book to cooperative care. Cooperative Care: Seven Steps to Stress-Free Husbandry is a practical guide that helps you prepare your dog for all the necessary physical procedures to keep him healthy and happy!
Thank you! I am still trying to find a rotary tool. So enjoy reading your blog and posts.