nail issues

I got my dog when he was 7 months old.  He was about 6 months and I cut one nail a little short.....after that I was nervous to hurt him again so when we had him in the vet we asked them to trim his nails.  They took him in back and shortly the returned him telling me that he was uncontrollable so they tried to mussle him and he freaked out so they stopped cause they didn't want to tramatize him.  Ever since he has progressivly gotten worse about getting his nails cut.  My husband used to help me by holding him while I cut, however he is getting quite snippy about it and my husband is afraid to get bit and no longer wants to help me.  The vet has labeled him potentially agressive and would rather not deal with him.  I don't know how to get this job done without getting hurt or someone else getting hurt.  the only option i have been given so far is to knock him out at the vet, however my husband doesn't want that expense and I would rather find a way to do it without sedating him......any advice would be very helpful....

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

This is a common behavioral issue and may require some therapy with a veterinary behaviorist board certified in behavioral medicine, especially if your dog's aggression is no longer isolated to nail clipping.  

Many puppies have their nails clipped too short resulting in pain and do not become aggressive about it as they grow older.  Allowing the aggression to continue is allowing your dog to be the Alpha in your family pack and this is not acceptable.  

The two choices that you have are:
1. tranquilization while also using a muzzle and
2. going to an animal behaviorist.

It might be possible to clip your dog's nails at home if he were given the right dose of  Acepromazine and muzzled.  Muzzles and the tranquilizer, Acepromazine are not expensive.  I don't believe that Acepromazine alone would be strong enough.

[tanker725]

should say 7 weeks for when I got him