Okay, I thought I could vent to some fellow photographers. I had a client show up with her two dogs. They are not in anyway obedience trained but certainly nice dogs. So I had to leave the people in the shots since there was no way they would stay for a shot alone.
This is not this issue since we all know that puppies are the same way. (But somehow that is cute!)

When they were getting ready to leave, they said they were on the way to get the nails clipped! Now this was a gift certificate from Christmas, so they really knew they had plenty of time to get that done but why would you have a shoot then go get something done when it should have been done before the shoot.

Thanks for letting me vent but there are times only someone else who does this could understand!

Well I'm not a pet photographer but have been showing dogs for years. I would assume that the people are just pet owners and not aware that the dogs would of looked better with clipped nails??
Connie

Funny thing, but I am not sure if people just think you can very easily change that digitally so they do not worry about it. I have had horse owners not clip horses, even though they show. Now I am wondering if I should leave the nails long or shorten then before they view the finished work.
What would you do?

I would ask them if they would like me to do a "digital pedicure" since the "didn't have a chance to get the nails clipped prior to the shoot.

Then I'd charge extra for the touch up.

I wouldn't shorten them. Seriously. I do touch ups on skin(people) and give my photos a "finish" but, I won't clean an animal or groom it without an extra charge. Things I controlled(like show leads) are things I include.

PeggySue,
some people don't get it. It's not important to them. I find that "nail mania" tends to be a show dog kinda thing. Most folks with dogs that don't show, don't do nails on a regular basis.

Heck, I keep grooming tools in the studio to brush out dogs that come in and haven't been groomed. I use leave-in conditioner to gloss up the coats of smooth-coated dogs. I put vasoline on noses to make them look black and glossy. But all of that comes from the experience of showing the dogs and knowing what to do before they go into the ring. Folks that don't do that, don't think of those things.

I wouldn't do anything special except maybe crop creatively so you don't see the nails (if possible). You won't win any points by lecturing. In the future, however, you might mention stuff like that to folks before they bring the dogs in.

As for training, I must admit that my own crew runs the gamut from Rowdy & Annie who will do anything I say and hold a pose until I release them to Sundance to whom the terms "sit" and "stay" are totally meaningless. And, yes, that's my fault not his. I doubt that you can sort out potential models based on whether or not they have their CGC:).

Jim