Woolworths bag hack helps with tricky dog task - but is it a good idea?
A TikTok user has shared the ingenious Woolworths shopping bag hack she's come up with to help with the tricky task of clipping her dog’s nails.
TikTok user, @iggyhoney, aptly captioned the adorable eight-second video: “How to clip your dog’s nails 101”.
In the video, the clever dog owner sits her Italian greyhound, Honey, inside a Woolworths green enviro bag, which is suspended from the patio on a hook, to clip her nails.
The Queensland dog owner had strategically cut holes in the Woolies bag for Honey’s feet and head, before pampering the pooch with a doggy spa day.
Honey appears unfazed as her owner proceeds to clip her nails, while she comfortably hangs out in her makeshift Woolies hammock.
The TikTok video has since gone viral, gaining over 664,000 views, 34,000 likes and 900 comments from users saying the hack was “gold”, “fantastic” and “genius”.
“You got the smarts. Well done. Great idea,” wrote one impressed user.
“OMG I just gave up trying to cut my dog's nails after only getting one before she bolted. I will try this tomorrow,” wrote another.
While another praised the genius of using a Woolworths bag: “The Woolies bag for the win.”
Meanwhile, other dog owners joked about how they would struggle to lift their large dogs in the same way.
“Ok so now how do I do this for my 60kg Rottie?” joked one user.
“You will need a forklift,” replied @iggyhoney in the comments.
“I don’t think my Great Dane would fit in that. Got a bigger bag?” laughed another user.
Dog owners question safety of Woolworths bag hack
Not everyone was impressed with the dog grooming hack, with many taking to the comments to question the dog's safety.
One user wrote: “Until the bag falls. No more dog or nail clipping.”
Several users echoed the same concerns, saying that the bag would just break and that they “wouldn’t trust the handles” under the weight of a dog.
While another user explained the bag had broken when she tried the hack with her own dog: “I did this with my pug last week and the bag broke. I was lucky she didn’t get hurt.”
Others labelled the nail-clipping hack as outright “cruel” and suggested that the pet owner leave the dog grooming to the professionals.
Veterinarian warns suspending dogs 'can make them feel stressed'
Australian Veterinary Association Head of Veterinary and Public Affairs, Dr Cristy Secombe told Yahoo News Australia that suspending dogs in the air can make them feel stressed.
"Dogs generally feel most secure when they have their feet on the ground and can weight bear, so suspending them may make them feel stressed," said Dr Secombe.
She said that dog groomers use special harnesses that hold dogs, without suspending them, so if you use the Woolworths bags in a similar way it should cause less stress.
"If you are using a Woolies enviro bags that fits well, but with ability to weight bear, then it is less likely to cause stress," she added.
Dr Secombe suggested that owners are better off using food treats, clipping one to two nails at a time. She also recommended Dremel nail files for dogs who dislike clippers.
Owners warn against giving dogs peanut butter with toxic ingredient
Dog owners around the world have also been sharing their own dog grooming hacks on TikTok, with many focused on making washing their furry friends easier.
One such hack involves smearing some peanut butter on the wall of your bath or shower when washing your dog, so they remain blissfully distracted while you give them a bath.
While others have adapted this peanut butter hack by wrapping their foreheads in clingfilm covered in peanut butter, so their dogs can lick it off while they trim their nails.
However, one TikTok user, @catoura, recently posted a video where she warned dog owners to beware of using peanut butter that contains xylitol.
“Make sure your peanut butter does not contain xylitol,” she says in the video.
“Here’s why: xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is very toxic to dogs. It can make your dog vomit, have seizures, and could lead to liver failure and you don’t want that for your sweet puppy,” she explains.
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in fruits, vegetables, sugar-free gum, candies, breath mints, baked goods, some peanut butter, chewable or gummy vitamins, and supplements.
Therefore, it’s always advised to check the label of any food you want to feed to your dog for xylitol before feeding it to them.
The TikTok video, which has amassed over 838,000 views and 101,000 likes, received thousands of comments from dog owners sharing their own experiences.
“My dog passed away from xylitol poisoning. Thank you for sharing this info, we had no idea until it was too late. It’s also in gum,” wrote one user.
“This is true. My chihuahua would get seizures daily and we stopped giving peanut butter as a treat and he doesn’t have them. Maybe once every eight months," wrote another.
While a veterinary assistant added: “As a Veterinary Assistant, I completely love this! Thank you for sharing.”
When asked about these dog hacks, Dr Secombe suggested that dog owners should use "licky matts", with suction caps, and opt for dog treats rather than human food, like peanut butter.
"It's important to choose products that don’t have ingredients known to cause issues in dogs. For example, xylitol-containing peanut butters," said Dr Secombe.
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