Stella Experiences Foot Trimming

Stella, a white dog with a brown face, runs down a red dirt sanctuary road Now that the rainy season has made itself at home, we’ve begun doing the kind of detailed foot maintenance that is difficult to do from the middle to the end of the dry season, when nails and pads become too hard to trim. The first elephants up are Guillermina and Maia. Guille’s feet aren’t too bad, but she does have a couple of spots that need attention. After years of standing on unsanitary surfaces, we expected to see some layers of infection, and we have uncovered some as a result of her footwork. It’s nothing terrible at this point, but we’re trying to address the issue before it does become a problem. Last time we did footwork with her, nothing was seen, but as the layers grow out, more can be uncovered sometimes. Maia’s feet are generally in good shape and just need a few touch ups.

The two elephants were brought into the barn on alternating days because they were closest to the caregivers. This was the first time that our dog Stella was nearby for a major trimming session; she stays a safe distance from the elephants, keeping an eye on things from a little ways away. The girls who get maintenance primarily in the rainy season produce more trimmings than elephants like Rana, who gets regular footwork because of her foot issues. These larger shavings are really appealing to dogs for reasons only they know. Many of them are interested in trying to eat the scraps, much like dogs who snack on cow hooves or other similar things, but the leftovers almost never agree with puppy stomachs.

Stella, new to the whole process, decided it was important to deal with the discarded scraps in her own way–by burying them. She created a system of picking up pieces, carrying them into the dirt, and burying each load in its own hole. By the end of the foot care session, she was exhausted by her efforts; all that cleaning really took a lot out of her. She either finds it important to keep things tidy, or she’s trying to grow elephants from the ground.

Comments(12)

Ada says
December 22, 2025 at 2:58 pm

She’s adorable! Hahaha. Who knows why she’s burying it…Wouldn’t it be nice if it grows elephants🙂‍↕️😌🥰
Barbara L Smith says
December 22, 2025 at 4:23 pm

So cute, maybe Stella is the assistant, keeping everything tidy.❤️
Zoi says
December 22, 2025 at 6:32 pm

🤣🤣🤣 I’m visualizing tiny elephants sprouting already!!
Rae says
December 22, 2025 at 7:20 pm

Stella “trying to grow elephants from the ground”. Thanks Stella, this brought me a big smile today. Keep up the good work!
Julie says
December 22, 2025 at 9:22 pm

Stella is absolutely adorable. Just a dogs dog all around. Perfect for the sanctuary!
Terry says
December 22, 2025 at 10:54 pm

Lol. Let’s see if Stella goes back for her ” digs”as time goes on. My dog finds it super important to bury tasty morsels too!
Bonnie says
December 23, 2025 at 12:50 am

Stella is a cutie how old is she and how many dog’s do you all have one more thing were the girls good at getting their nails trimmed
- REPLY
  Sara says
  December 23, 2025 at 11:23 am
  
  We don’t know exactly how old she is. Kat found her in terrible shape in a grocery store parking lot. But we’ve got Stella and Molly. Minnie passed away earlier this year. And the girls we’re picture perfect getting their feet trimmed, as usual!
Gayle Janzen says
December 23, 2025 at 2:30 am

Sounds like she’s saving them for consumption at a later date when they’ll be really tasty! Be careful Stella, we’ve heard they don’t agree with canines digestive systems.
Pamela Hall says
December 23, 2025 at 7:02 am

Keep us posted if an elephant sprouts!!!
Katie Howard says
December 23, 2025 at 3:46 pm

So funny! Growing elephants! 😁
I used to have to put my dog in the house when the ferrier came to trim my horses’ hooves. Otherwise, he would dart in to retrieve “clippings” during the process! It was cute, but disruptive.
Wim says
December 23, 2025 at 4:00 pm

A clean machine on four legs. Wonderful how she organised a whole project to keep everything tidy.

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