Dog Community

Suggestions on dog nail trimming?

Posted : 4/17/2013 2:36:19 AM

Does anyone know a good way or product that I can by or do that will trim my dogs claws safely without injuring them? Lately they have all been biting and chewing on their nails, and now they are all splintered and then they end up making themselves bleed my ripping off the splinters. Any advice is helpful, thank you! :)

Jewlieee

Posted : 4/17/2013 6:34:44 AM

Anything you use you will have to slowly get your dogs used to it. A few options are a dremel which basically sands the nail down. Some dogs Loke this others don't but you basically can't go wrong with a dremel. There's no cutting the quick or anything like that. The other option is regular nail clippers. If you have never done it before go to the vet and ask for a lesson or ask a groomer, watch you tube videos etc. Finally you can just take them to the vet or groomer. Most groomers will be about $10 vets are usually a bit more. I have a grooming school near me who does it for $5

Freedom

Posted : 4/17/2013 8:22:09 AM

I used clippers with a nail guard, like these:

http://www.petedge.com/product/Millers-Forge-Pet-Nail-Clipper/43297.uts

For the past 6 months or so, I've been taking my flock of fluffs to a groomer once a month to get the nails done. Willy bites, Tasha is a puppy mill rescue and needs at least 4 hands to hold her. Adding in the other 2 just made sense since I was already making the trip. My dogs, it takes 2 people, one holds the dog comfortably, and rubs the ears, belly, while the other does the nails, first clipping and then using a dremel grinder. We had to make several trips when I started this, just having the dogs go in (one at a time), meet the 2 women, get treats and cuddles, be picked up, have their feet touched, and then we left. Tasha in particular had to make quite a few of these trips.

Playing ball with the dogs out on a concrete or hottop surface will help as well. Walking the dogs on those surfaces helps.

I'm wondering why your dogs are nibbling their nails in the first place, though. That is not normal behavior. Have they always done this or is it something new? Did you change foods? This could be a food allergy making their feet itch. Also, nails should not splinter. What food are you feeding? PLease be specific: brand AND FORMULA.

calliecritturs

Posted : 4/17/2013 10:53:25 AM

Freedom
I'm wondering why your dogs are nibbling their nails in the first place, though.

Dogs will if they are too long to comfortably walk on.

Meagan - it takes **training** (sometimes days and days of it just to accustom them to the feeling of something vibrating) - -but the Dremel is the easiest option. They cost about $23-24 (Wal-mart -- in the tools section - this is an actual woodworking tool - generally called MiniMite or similar.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dremel-7300-N-5-4.8V-MiniMite-Cordless-Rotary-Tool/15173820

The little brown tube is the one you'll use the most - it's like a circular emery board. There are You Tube videos out there to show you how. You won't quick them with it - it really IS easier.

lakalakadaka16

Posted : 4/17/2013 7:27:29 PM

Thank you all! :) Yes, Callie, as you said, they chew them because they are very long, and either have never, or in a long time, been trimmed or sanded down. I will look into that. :) Thank you! I will do my research! :)

janobonano

Posted : 4/17/2013 8:42:23 PM

This site offers a helpful how-to for starting Dremeling:

http://www.doberdawn.com/doberdawn/dremel.html

griffinej5

Posted : 4/17/2013 9:44:32 PM

Another recommendation for the dremel. However, since you will not be able to do them immediately with a dremel, and it sounds like they need to be done immediately, I'd suggest you take them somewhere and get them trimmed now. Then, till next time they need it done, you can have them ready for the dremel.