OWNER’S ATTEMPT TO TRIM DOG’S NAILS GOES VIRAL ON TIKTOK
Well, it’s happened again and probably won’t be the last time that something like this goes viral on TikTok: Arthur, a lovely 9-year-old Shih Tzu and Westie mix, has stolen the hearts of millions of TikTok users, all because of the dramatic reaction the owner got after she attempted a manicure.
TikToker @jibberjabberwockey has candidly posted videos throughout July of her attempts to cut Aurthur’s nails.
Arthur was originally found by animal control on the streets, after which he was shifted to a shelter in Chicago late last year. The owner claimed that he had not been cared for as of late, especially as part of his ears and the end of his tail needed to be amputated due to serious matting.
After getting adopted in December 2022 by the TikToker, Arthur has never been happier, however, living ever so happily with the new family.
Oh no… not the nails again!
While all is fun and dandy with the new family, there’s one thing Arthur will have none of: nail trimming.
“Jibberjabberwockery” shared a video on her TikTok in July 11 this year where Arthur is sitting nicely in a grooming sling, with an inflatable dog cone around his neck while suspended in the air.
The video has already gotten over 10 million views, where “Arthur’s mom” tries to snap away one of his front toenails. Little did she know that the dog would growl, cringe, and shriek every time she’d approach him with a nail clipper. This was despite Arthur receiving his anti-anxiety medication beforehand.
In the video, the TikToker can be heard exclaiming: “He just wouldn’t let me near him”. However, the dog’s disdain over having his nails clipped did not surprise the owner in the least bit because previous attempts, including the one she made in February, had failed as well!
Not one to quit, the TikToker has posted many follow-up videos since then, documenting the entire journey of Arthur’s ‘nail days’. What’s really commendable is how loving and gentle she has been in all her videos, at times, even affectionately holding Arthur’s paw to make him feel at ease. In fact, in this video, you can see how she cuts her attempt short at trimming Arthur’s paw pad hair as he wouldn’t stop barking and flailing around.
However, being the persistent owner that she is, she couldn’t resist but share another video on the very same day where she successfully clipped one of the nails on Arthur’s front paws.
Vet says: “Important to desensitise anxious dogs prior to nail trimming”
While dog walking, dog grooming in Winchester or taking your pet to a doggy day care centre are certainly great ways of thwarting off your pet’s anxiety, Dr Stacy Choczynski Johnson (Dr. Stacy online) says that it’s actually common for dogs to experience anxiety before getting their nails clipped, and that it can also be painful for them if the nails are cut sharply and shorter than necessary.
Dr. Stacy recommends going slow and providing lots of treats to make your pet feel more comfortable as chances are, they might become anxious and even aggressive as you attempt to trim or cut their nails.