Your Rhodesian Ridgeback Puppy: The ultimate guide to finding, rearing and appreciating the best companion dog in the world

by Denise Flaim

Start with your Dremel unplugged, and a pile of cubed cheese at your side. Tap the Dremel gently against your puppy’s nail. Treat generously and repeat many times. Once your dog is more interested in the cheese than the Dremel, plug the Dremel in, but do not apply it to the nails yet! Your Ridgeback will likely be alarmed by the sound it makes. Turn the Dremel on in short bursts, giving treats generously after each one, until your dog is more interested in the cheese than the sound of the Dremel. (If you are really ambitious, you can turn the Dremel on as “background noise” whenever the puppy is eating. This will quickly desensitize her to it.) Once your puppy is comfortable with the sound of the Dremel, begin alternating these two pieces: tap with the Dremel, turn the Dremel on for two seconds, tap, Dremel sound, tap, Dremel sound. When the dog is familiar and accustomed to both, then and only then put them together. Don’t worry about accomplishing anything with the first “live” Dremeling – just tap the toe, praise lavishly, and administered cheese. Generously reward as you go, slowly progressing to more nails and more time on each nail. Do not stint on the food reinforcement: With enough Gouda, all things are possible. Though it is tempting, do not acquiesce to your Ridgeback’s reluctance to have his nails ground. Instead, proceed firmly but positively, even if you must do only one nail a night. A Word About Bathing Ridgebacks are wash-and-wear dogs – they typically don’...