Any tips for trimming a dog's nails?

[rafiki]

.

[Gratia271]

Our dog never acclimated to the dremel... we tried everything. Eventually, to spare our wood floors, we began taking her to the groomer to have them trimmed for $8.

[hornblower]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEwiH8CeUE

 

I generally prefer to use the dremel. I did spend a bit of time desensitizing to the sound. Several clicker sessions consisted of nothing other than me turning it on (click/treat) and then off. Then me just holding their paw & turning it on (c/t) & off. Then a quick tap of the nails with the dremel OFF (c/t). Then finally a quick tap of the nails with it on ON (c/t). Quit for the day. Next day I'd start at the beginning again but do way fewer reps at each step.

 

 

Also if you use the dremel, you have to be careful to anchor your hands to minimize the vibration on the nail. It is uncomfortable when it makes the nail get all shaky. http://www.littleluvigs.com/pages/09_care03nails.html

at the bottom of this page you'll see her bracing her hands on the paw....

 

If you use snippers, buy the forge steel - like this:

http://www3.shopping.com/xPO-Millers_Forge_Millers_Forge_Large_Dog_Nail_Clipper

 

Mine are like this & have orange grips & they cost me close to $40.

 

I use them sometimes for a quick snip on a single nail that's snagged or for dew claws, esp on Darwin b/e his leg feathers get in the way of the dremel..... Snips which are too weak will twist or bend or crush the nail which will hurt. Really good sharp snips will cut through. Make sure you're holding them perpendicular to the nail and not at an angle.

 

With black nails, take very little thin slices.

 

Plan to do her nails daily or every second day for the next month. Just keep everything on hand, have yummy treats and do a very little at a time. You can even do one nail at a time, & just do one little snip (or grind with the dremel for just a second). Always quit while you're ahead, before she's started struggling or freaking out. It seems like a PITA to do it this way but if you put in the effort now, trims will become easy-peasy for the rest of her life.

[calandalsmom]

I would try to get her accustomed/ acclimated using rewards. Maybe do one nail a day, and each time you get out the clipper or other tool make sure you provide rewards (play or food whatever works). Eventually you should be able to do it with a fair degree of regularity if you make it pleasant enough that she becomes accustomed to it.

 

 

My dog also has black nails and it does make it harder. We use a clipper which has a guard on it. We use a lot of treats and take our time. She doesnt love it but she doesnt mind especially.

 

 

Our Pet Supplies Plus has nail clipping on Wednesday for 5$.

[Chris in VA]

How do you know when to stop clipping when the nail is dark? I don't want to make dd (that's dear dog, in this case! lol) bleed.

[hornblower]

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/dog_nails.aspx

 

at the bottom of the page you'll see what a dark nail looks like when you're getting close to the quick

I'm chicken so the moment I start seeing light stuff at the top, I quit :-) I usually see just a light moon shape showing up...

[rafiki]

.

[ScoutTN]

My lab hates it so we let the vet do it - usually 2x a year. They charge $5-12 depe3nding on how challenging it is to do and how long it takes. So worth it!

[hornblower]

My lab hates it so we let the vet do it - usually 2x a year. They charge $5-12 depe3nding on how challenging it is to do and how long it takes. So worth it!

 

wow - my dog's nails grow way too fast for that! I do them about once a month & they walk/run on city streets with me so they do their part to wear them down. I have heard someone who exercises their dog with a ball in an asphalt tennis court (very early in the a.m.) and she says she never has to do her dog's nails.....

 

Another tip is a big nail file which you make out of a board & sandpaper & you teach the dog to do their own nails:

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/doggie_nail_file.pdf

 

:001_smile:

[mooooom]

With our toy poodle it is a 2 person job, w/ our lab mix it is a 3 person. Not sure what a pug would be, but I would start with three people, one to hold the dog, one to stuff treats into his mouth and the third to clip. Find a food he goes crazy for and it will happen. Peanut butter on a spoon will work for many. I've seen people use cheeze whiz and just continually squirt it in. Our poodle goes crazy for a jar of baby food meat, we hold it over his mouth like a feed bag.

 

Unfortunately, once they have been cut once or twice, they get shy of the clippers. But the more often you do it, the more proficient you will get, and the faster it will go. We try to just tip them every two weeks - we have a clippers with the stop guard. I can do both dogs in 5 minutes with the right help.

[Tammy]

nt