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?

[Jackie]

I was told by my vet that if you can hear their nails "clicking" on the floor, they need to be trimmed. She said if the nails get too long they're uncomfortable for the dog. I trim Beckett's about once a month or so, sometimes longer. He's not great about it but not too bad. I cut 2 or 3 then give him a small treat, then continue till they're all cut. I just have a problem of maybe not cutting them short enough because his nails are black and I can't see the quick. So I'm afraid to cut too close and cut the quick. I use a regular pair of dog nail trimmers.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Only once a month!!!!! You are so lucky! I have to do Samantha's about once a week. Maybe I just don't get them short enough. Hmph!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I was just wondering because I've had my own dogs since 1977 and never ever cut the nails...they get done once every 7-8 weeks, and none of them have ever gotten too long. All the "dog care" advice I've ever read says they don't need them cut more often, unless they never walk on pavement.
I also have never had wood floors, and I was wondering if maybe that's why people are keeping so short, so they don't scratch the floors?

[Doodle Kisses]

I've heard that nails that make sounds on the pavement means they are too long and can affect the way they walk. Dunno if that is true.

But we do have hardwoods and they are VERY scratched up!

But even sans wood floors..have you ever had an 80 lb dog dig his nails into your bare foot? Does NOT feel good...lol.

At out kennel club last year I saw a dobe with the shortest trimmed nails ever...smooth short and I imagine no human foot is gashed by dog claws and nobody's arm is scratched by pawing doods. For therapy it is suggested nails are kept short to prevent scratching of people.

I am a FAILURE at getting them as short as I'd like. I can dremel every other day for a while...then forget for weeeeks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I've never been scratched by Jack, although it does hurt when an 80 lb dog steps on your foot, nails or not. I don't really notice that his feet make noise on the pavement, either, but I'm going to pay more attention.
I can see the quick in Jack's nails, and it really doesn't look like there's much there to cut, even after 7 weeks.
Is a puzzlement.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

One thing that has not been mentioned is to make sure to trim the dew claws.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Okay, now you guys have me going crazy trying to figure out if Jack's nails are too long and I'm a neglectful doodle mom! I have tried looking for guidelines on-line, and there really aren't any. One said 4-6 weeks, but most say that some dogs never need their nails cut if they walk on pavement a lot. I saw a few that said the nail shouldn't extend further than 2 mm beyond the quick, but I also see where the quick grows longer if the nails aren't cut often, so if the nails are too long, but the quick is extending almost to the end, that doesn't tell me anything. How can the nails be so short they don't touch the floor?
Adina, isn't the dremel more like filing? I see what you're saying about sharp edges and keeping them smooth, but isn't that more about filing them? Even the shortest cut nails have sharp edges that can scratch. And I know a dog's nails can't possibly grow fast enough to need to be made shorter every day. So are we talking about actually clipping here, or just smoothing?
I have enough to worry about!!! After all this time, you guys are giving me something new to obsess about with this doodle?
I'm going to go take him for his evening walk and see if I hear clicking!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I have hardwood floors that have not been scratched - just lucky?? butwhen I hear her nails click on the patio it is time to get out the Pedicure. It seems like I do the front feet every week but the hind legs not so often. She does have black nails so I have no idea where the quick is. I usually don't trim the dew claws because by the time I am done with her 4 feet, she has had enough and so have I.

[Adina P]

Dremeling is like sanding. Or high speed filing =) So it does take off length but ever so small...the problem at least with Rosco is his quick is soooooooooo freaking long unless I shave off a wee bit every couple days I cannot get his quicks to recede!

[Stella]

Both of mine are great with having their nails done, I use regular dog nail clippers. They both have black nails, so it is me that gets nervous, not them, about cutting the quick. I have done it a couple of times, when I first began doing it, but if you have some Quickstop it isn't so bad. (I haven't done it in a long while now!)

I started by doing just one or two nails a time, and giving lots of treats after each nail. Now, I can do all four feet in one session, even on our five month old puppy! I do them every couple of weeks, just taking off the the tiniest bit. This way I don't have to worry about cutting the quick, and it keeps them used to having it done.

Our vet told us that if you can hear their nails clicking on the floor then it is time to cut them. In the summer I don't have to do it so often as we do a lot of walking on concrete sidewalks, but in the winter I got a bit behind when we were walking on the snow all the time and they weren't being worn away as fast.

Oh, and I always do it when they are really tired!!

[Barbara Burrows]

I had the vet tech cut Abby & Molly's nails while I held them. He showed me how to cut them and not have to pay $28 to have someone else cut them.. They both have black nails and I was afraid I would hurt them..Now I trim them every 2 weeks... Abby is a therapy dog and I want her nails short and smooth.

[Deena Womack]

I use Pedipaws, but I am so afraid of hitting the quick that I am sure I am not filing enough off. I just get her nails trimmed when she is groomed and I attempt to file in between. I won't cut them as I don't want to hit the quick.