The dog, man’s best friend, is our four-legged best buddy. We have to take great care of our dogs mentally and physically. So what are some reasons why your faithful pet won’t let you touch his or her paws, and what can we do to fix the issue? You might need to seek out the help of a dog behaviorist near Fredericksburg VA.

So why does your dog not want their paws touched? It’s not necessarily anything that you’ve done wrong. Paws are sensitive and give the dog a lot of information about their environment. That sensitivity triggers the dog’s instinct to protect themselves. It’s also possible that the dog has had a bad nail trimming experience or one of their paws was hurt at some point.

Paws are like Hands

Our hands are filled with nerve endings. The same goes for our dog’s paws. Dogs use their paws for a number of tasks that benefit their everyday life such as:

• Digging
• Scratching
• Walking and running
• Grasping

Since all of these tasks require a dog to use its paws, its no wonder that they can be so sensitive to being touched. However, being able to effectively touch your dog’s paws without having to tussle with them is a must. You may need to look into hiring a dog behaviorist near Fredericksburg VA to help your dog overcome the fear they have over someone touching their paws. In fact, utilizing dog training Spotsylvania Va dog owners trust with the well-being of their pets can be an effective move for you and your sweet pooch.

Dog Training in Spotsylvania VA

Professional dog training Stafford VA, Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania VA dog owners are known to turn to might be how you need to help your dog. The trainer uses specific methods to train your dog to not shy away from a person when touching their paws for any reason. The following are techniques they might use:

• Giving treats for good behavior while touching the dog’s paws
• Touching the dog’s paws a certain number of times per session
• Massaging the dog’s paws to ease anxiety

A dog behaviorist near Fredericksburg VA might also use these same techniques to guide your dog to a more submissive attitude when it comes to touching his paws. It’s important to get to the root of why the dog doesn’t want his or her paws touched.

Conditioning a dog

Conditioning a dog to not pull away or bite when you touch their paws can be extremely difficult. Trying to do so yourself can be frustrating and could possibly result in you getting bitten. Calling a dog behaviorist near Fredericksburg VA is an investment, but it’s one that can reduce struggles that you and your dog have or could have. One of the most heart-wrenching things is when a dog bites its owner or, worse, someone else. Biting someone else can lead to legal issues and the dog being put down.

Because of the potential risk that exists when a dog doesn’t like their paws touched, dog training in Stafford Va can be the answer to reducing those risks. Any time you mitigate an issue, you prevent future challenges like having to deal with a bite victim’s injuries or even dealing with your own. Nonetheless, it’s not always about risks but about your dog’s well-being.

If your dog has an aversion to having his or her paws touched, Wag Ur Tail Dog Training can help. Our behavioral consulting service will get to the bottom of what is going on and help your dog feel better about their paws being touched. Call us today at 540-324-3518.