Cutting their nails

Tweet

I can't cut the nails on my maltese! A trainer told me to put their paw through leggings to keep the hairs from getting in the way and that works fine. The only problem is that he keeps nipping me and refuses to let me get a nail clipper near his foot. Sometimes he can get really aggressive. Even though he won't really bite you, he growls and gives you a nasty stare when he knows you want to cut his nails. What can I do to change his attitude? I've tried treats, praising, and even brute force, but it doesn't seem to be very effective.