I hate trimming claws!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

I hate cutting my dogs claws!! I have never had success! Even the tiniest amount causes screams and yelps! I dont know if they are hurting or protesting because I was told that my old dog screams before you even snip because he has learned that I will let go. AND all the nails are black!! I actually last week paid the vets office $20. to cut the nails for me and I think they missed one that is so much longer than the rest. I just stopped doing it with Bailey and only the groomer has been doing it for years now. But I think the whole sensitivity to being clipped came from the groomer doing it. I want to be able to cut Abby's nails without being a nervous wreck that I will hurt her...her nails are all black so I cant see any quick. Any suggestions?

[Adina P]

Would you try a dremel? I could not cut Rosco's nails without cutting one quick each time...disaster always. Then I bought the Mini Mite and things have never been the same! (do I sound like a commercial???)

You may have heard of the Pedi Paws brand and other made-just-for-dogs-nails stuff....but I use a cordless dremel

Past discussions:
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/2065244:Topic:50769
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/2065244:Topic:86439
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/2065244:Topic:108284

I think for Rosco, because it was a totally new tool with no prior bad experience it was easier to desensitize him to it from the start. Plus you can't cut the quick. The downside? Nail dust flying up at you and it takes a more concerted effort to get nails short (i.e. you have to do it probably every two days for a while-- I ALWAYS fail at this so I haven't gotten their nails down short enough yet).

An EXCELLENT article on how to get your dog to like the dremel: http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

I have the pedi paws and my husband actually took the cap off to make it more dremel like (he said the hole you stick the nail in is stupid) But I am afraid I dont know when I am getting too close to the quick with it as well. But that is why I bought it - I thought it would be an alternative to clipping and I wanted to start fresh with Abby. I guess I have to do it more often to get us both used to it. I admit though I dont like the nail dust.... I am going to read the article now.

[Adina P]

You are only supposed to dremel each nail for 3-5 seconds max...more will be too hot and feel burning to the dog. You won't get ANYWHERE near the quick with it.

[Tricia, Shiloh, Fenway & Tessie]

I have to go and trim my son's 110lb bloodhound's nails this weekend....no one else will attempt it. Lucky me!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I use the Pedicure - I keep the cover on. The dust stays inside the cap until I clean it which is after each leg.
I took 10 days to get Samanth desenstized to the sound and feel of the machine. She doesn't like it but she does sit quietly as long as I don't take too long.
I wasn't keeping up with it during the winter and it seems that no matter how much I Pedicured I wasn't getting them short enough so I had the vet's office clip them. Not that they cut them short enough but at least it made it easier for me to keep up with them.
I start with filing horizontally across the nail so shorten just a little. Then I file top to under the nail - in a C shape. I check to make sure that the ends are not pointed. This works for us.

[ClarkP]

Adina has our dogs conditioned so that they excitedly chase us around as soon as we gets the Dremel out. "Oooh! Ooh! Me first! Do my nails first!!!" Silly doodles. :-)

Now if only we could get them to feel this way about the ear cleaning solution... I swear I could be in another town and pick up a bottle of ear solution and back home Thule would go to her crate and hide. She is psychic!!!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Are you serious? About the dremel? LOL!

[Adina P]

True...they see it and know it's associated with potential treats.

I would just show it to them at first...then give them a treat.
Put it away and bring it out later, show it to them...then a treat.
Then I'd turn it on...treat.
Long before I even did their nails I made it seem like the predictor of all good tasting things =)

You could probably do that with the regular nail clipper...but mine had already built up such an aversion to it...it would have taken way too long to re-condition them.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

[ClarkP]

Good point about doing things to your dog when they are tired. It makes a huge difference. I've cleaned teeth, done nails, etc. to an exhausted do with no problems. So take them to the dog park or just run them into the ground and THEN do their nails. They behave so much better.

[Tammy & Gracie]

I also try nail maintenance when Gracie is tired. When she was young, I purposely played with her feet and toes daily to get her used to being touched there. When I first started clipping I would just take off a tiny sliver every few days or so untill she trusted me with the project. Now I clip the front occasionally, but she exercises enough on rough surfaces that I don't need to tend to the back. (I guess she "scratches off" when she runs! My pekeapoo's claws are black. I also hate clipping hers, so when I do, I just take a sliver. I do keep hearing good things about the dremel and similar tools although I have never tried them. Good luck

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Can I ask how often people are trimming dog's nails? I have never done it in my life. My dogs get their nails cut at the groomer's every 7-8 weeks and never need it in between. The vet has never said a word about their nails being too long. I have asked the groomer if Jack needs it in between, and she always says no. So how do those of you who trim them know if your dog's nails are too long? Is it a personal preference? And last question...do these dogs who need their nails cut so often spend any time walking on pavement or concrete?
Seriously, I had seen questions about the various nail tools before, but I assumed that was people who did their own grooming.