Clipping your dogs toe nails

[JOERM]

Clipping the dogs nails is not fun sometimes. One of my dogs just doesn't care and rolls over and lets me go at it. There are a few of my dogs that just go nuts and it is very dangerous trying to trim their nails and not take too much off and cut the blood vessel which is not fun. I think it is advisable to trim nails every two weeks, I'm guilty.

I've seen a few dogs at the vets where their old dog has nails about 2" long and curled about 240 deg. Looked like a rams horn. Sad deal there.

Anyway, it's time to trim doggie nails, have 6 dogs, four legs per dog, 5 nails per paw that adds up to 669 trims!

Used that stuff from pet smart to stop the bleeding but it seemed to make the dog more in pain. Heard the baking soda or powder works but can't remember which one it is so that's out.

Wish me luck.

Joe

 

[DeathGrip]

Corn meal.

 

[shouldazagged]

I pay a groomer a few bucks (she charges five and I tip another five) to do the job. It's worth it. She's never hurt him, and with my declining dexterity due to arthritis I'm afraid I would.

 

[Rleng616]

I use a Dremel and bribe (distract) our German Shepherds. Works for me.

 

[rwsmith]

I quit doing that

I've cut the dog a couple of times and the poor thing howls and bleeds all over the place. I think I understand it a little better now but I hate hurting a doggie. The groomer does them now.

 

[Wingmaster]

Baking flower works to stop bleeding also. I have a German Shorthair Pointer that doesn't like to get her nails trimmed, but she stands there and takes it. My wife has a weenie dog. Now, thats another story. I usually get bit with every nail on him. Its a good thing he is not a pit bull.

Wingmaster

 

[Cyrano]

Let them run on pavement or cement a while and the nail problem will take care of itself.

 

[Pete99004]

Let them run on pavement or cement a while and the nail problem will take care of itself.

That's true rough concrete works well.

For trimming - if your dogs have black nails it is difficult to see where the quick is - look at the bottom of the nail and you will see that the nail goes from thick to thinner - usually safe to cut up to that point...if your dogs nails are not black in color, you can usually take a flashlight to the back side of his nail and shining the light toward you - you will be able to see through the nail and see where the quick is located. If you trim weekly, you will be able to get the nails really short. The quick will recede as the nails get cut more often and getting a bleeder will be a rare thing. Your dogs will be happy campers when you get to this point and will come to you looking for you to trim them.

Hope this helps.

Pete

 

[Pete99004]

Here is an example of what I was talking about in my other post.

Dremmel's with a sanding drum works well too - just remember they generate heat so do a couple of quick zips on one nail and move to the next, and so on - then come back to the first one and do the other side of it and move on to the next until your done. Dogs don't like the sound of them much so you may want to fire up the Dremmel with the dog around a few times without doing his nails so he gets used to the sound before trimming.

Pete

 

[Frank46]

Actually they do sell a dremel like tool with sanding cylinders for doing dogs nails. Think its battery powered and does not make a lot of noise. My pit bull Bob just lays down on the floor and done on one side, grab him by the legs and swing him around. That dog is a trip. We got him a few years back as a stray. Cost about a grand for heartworm so we know why he was turned loose. Big fraidy cat. Does not like thunderstorms, ever have a 90 pound dog decide to jump in your lap. Vicious, doesn't have a mean streak gets along with the other two dogs and the cats and him just ignore each other. Frank

 

[chief38]

I bring my Golden to the Groomer approximately once every 6 - 8 weeks and he gets his nails clipped along with a bath and a full grooming. On occasion, his nails get too long in between visits and I do use a Dremel set on a low speed so too much heat is not generated. He is pretty good about letting me sand them down.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

I let the Wife do that.

She also has the "Pedi Paws" battery powered trimmer(unused)

She Googled dog nail trimmers on her Galaxy Note II (never leaves home without it)

Bought a top rated trimmer and uses that.

I also glued a sheet of medium grit sandpaper to a board, Wife Said she was going to teach the fur kids to rub their nails on it to shorten them.

Has she used it? Nope and I'm staying away from that one too....

 

[quneur]

Clip more often and clip less. If you look on the bottom of the nail, you should see a 'V' which is the quick. Leave a little leeway from the 'V'. I shape my dogs nails to a lesser angle cut and a little longer than Pete's. The outer nails I don't need to trim that often as they seem to wear down by themselves.

 

[David LaPell]

I concur with the Dremel. Never had any issues with our dogs when we started using the Dremel and a sanding drum.

 

[Cooter Brown]

That's true rough concrete works well.

For trimming - if your dogs have black nails it is difficult to see where the quick is - look at the bottom of the nail and you will see that the nail goes from thick to thinner - usually safe to cut up to that point...if your dogs nails are not black in color, you can usually take a flashlight to the back side of his nail and shining the light toward you - you will be able to see through the nail and see where the quick is located. If you trim weekly, you will be able to get the nails really short. The quick will recede as the nails get cut more often and getting a bleeder will be a rare thing. Your dogs will be happy campers when you get to this point and will come to you looking for you to trim them.

Hope this helps.

Pete

Good advice from Pete and others in this thread. If you cut less more often for a while you'll eventually chase the quick back and be able to get the shorter.

I like the Dremel a lot--you just have to get he dog used to the sound and vibration. Some don't mind from the get go, some take some getting used to it. Don't rush it. Run the thing, give a treat, progress to holding the body of it on the paw. It shouldn't take too long to get any dog settled with it.

If you use trimmers, the ones that look like a bypass type plant trimmer are FAR better than the ones that work like a guillotine.

 

[HayesGreener]

Bleeding from trimming nails is not normal. If there is bleeding you are cutting way too short and its painful for the dog when you cut into the quick. Do that once or twice and most dogs will resist you from then on. Imagine cutting into the quick when you trim your fingernails. The dremmel-like tools are a good option once your dog gets used to the noise and vibration because it lets you gradually reduce the nail and control the depth of cut. There are also a number of good quality safety clippers that have a guard on them which keeps you from cutting too short but even with those you need good light to be sure you don't get into the quick. As pointed out above not all the nails require the same amount of trimming. An active dog will rarely need the rear paws trimmed and the outer toes on the front won't require as much as the two in the middle. Treats and lots of pets will help make the nail trimming a much more positive experience for everyone. If in doubt, ask your vet.

 

[fat tom]

four legs per dog, 5 nails per paw

Actually,the rear paws have only four. No dew claws.
f.t.

 

[USAF385]

I can trim the front 4 on my dog, but the dew claws are a lost cause. I just can't get the right angle or get the clipper on there without really yanking on her toe.

My wife is friends with a groomer anyway so.... $5 once a month isn't bad.

Actually,the rear paws have only four. No dew claws.
f.t.

Oh... Some do have rear dew claws!





(Sent via iPhone)

 

[HELLSING]

I usually pay my vet to do this. I'm terrified I'm going to cut to far and I'm going to watch one of my dogs bleed out or something. I had the dew claws docked when they were puppies so all I have to worry about is the paws. But, my wife or I walk them daily on pavement and it does keep the claws shorter, longer.

 

[Harrison]

I grind our two Dobies nails on a weekly basis. The grinding does not bother them near as much as clipping does. Use a dermal tool.