NOW I've done it...I am the worst mom EVER.

No square one.  You go back to making it a safe and quick event that he gets rewarded during/after and you do not allow squirming or resistance to stop you.  Nabbing the quick stinks, I know.  Just remember smaller cuts, more frequent nail trims, get it over with fast, act non-chalant, and do not give in.... at least that is my experience.  Good luck. Bring him down to the beach to get some salt water in his boo boo and he will forget about it.  (ok, that's just me saying I want to be back on New Smyrna Beach... sigh... I miss it.)

Just from reading the thread title I knew this was going to be about nail quicking. That is just the absolute worst, isn't it? I tried to clip Russell's nails exactly once - I did one nail and he yelped and it scared me and I gave up! But I don't know if what happened necessarily means you're back to square one. Since our little episode I have taken Russell to the groomers to do his and I stand right there and watch - he flinches but he doesn't make a peep or try to get away. I'm betting, since things went fine for you last night, he will be able to forgive tonight's booboo and let you try again. I would just give it a few days.

I've been there . . . . and recently too.  Winston absolutley freaks out and hides in his crate if he even see's the clippers let alone me come anywhere near him with them.  Raw meat won't even do it.  I tried having my wife hold him down while I clip and that was just a traumatizing event for the poor dog.  He wouldn't come out of his crate for the rest of the day after that incident. [8|]

The solution?  A Dremel . . . . it was new to him.  Something he had NEVER seen before and had no idea what I wanted to do with it.  We started at square one . . . a sniff, click and treat.  Pawing, C&T, me holding his paw with it on the floor, C&T, etc. etc.  Finally I tried to grind his nails on my own . . . panic time, straight in to the crate.

So I asked the vet what to do (my vet is very good).  We got a brief demonstration of the "settle" position (where the dog is basically pinned on his side and immobilized by my arms).  Winston panicked and totally freaked out at first.  However the INSTANT he calmed down and stopped moving C&T.  Any movement on his part got a sharp, frim, but not yelling "NO!" . . . stying motionless got a C&T.  He now does this position without restraint or movement.

So back to nail clipping/grinding.  We tried the same techniques we used to get him to "settle" with grinding his nails. e.g. wife holds him, a sharp "no!" for squirming, pulling away, and a C&T for letting me do my thing with the dremel.  At first he got a C&T for each nail.  Then it was each paw, now he just gets a pile of treats at the end.  And the best part?  He sits there, calm and relaxed nearly falling asleep as I grind away his nails.

As an added bonus, its much more difficult to quick the nail using a dremel.  And if you do grind into the quick, the heat generated from the sanding drum instantly cauterizes (sp?) the wound.  We go the Mini-mite dremel for $20 at walmart . . . . it has seriously helped out a TON!!!!

I should add that this whole process took about a month to get him calm while I do his nails.  I started off doing it about every three days.  This was to a) get him used to it, and b) i needed the quick to receede.

one of my dogs squeals with every nail even if you don't hit the quick. I think it hurts dogs to get them cut-- it squeezes painfully for a second even if you don't hit the quick. Which is why I switched to the dremel.

ORIGINAL: mudpuppy

one of my dogs squeals with every nail even if you don't hit the quick. I think it hurts dogs to get them cut-- it squeezes painfully for a second even if you don't hit the quick. Which is why I switched to the dremel.

Typically in this case, the blades on your clipper are dull.  They squeeze instead of cut.
Dremels are great- tie back any long hair (yours or the dog) because if that spinning wheel grabs onto your hair--- yeouch!

I am going to second what MP said here.  Odie is such a wuss, he yelps every time you clip his nails.  He tolerates the dremel well though.

Are you Dremel people using the battery powered Dremels?  My 110V one is so loud the dogs are afraid of the noise itself.

I agree that the Dremel type tool is a better way to go...it has been my experience anyway.  Dremel is a brand name and they make high power corded versions and lower powered battery versions.  There are other brands on the market as well.  Some generic and very cheap, others more well know and decent.  Personally right now I am using a Craftsman Rotary Tool.  Craftsman tools are exclusive to Sears.  It is battery powered and has two speeds, sells for about $30.  Battery holds a good charge.  I prefer cordless...one less thing to fuss with...and Baily prefers the slower speed.  High speed on this particular tool is rather high pitched and whiney.  He doesn't like it at all []

So this is just a basic tool, not a special grooming tool? I am tool illiterate (you wouldn't believe the things I have used to hammer with) so I haven't a clue as to what you all are talking about, but I think I'd like to try it. Tookey used to be so great with nail trimmings he would actually fall asleep while I was doing it! Then I cut the quick on a back leg and the fool thing wouldn't stop bleeding no matter what I did. I even had a neighbor's med student brother come over and wrap his foot in a bandage so he'd stop bleeding all over the rug. Ever since then it's been tough, but he's gotten better, except for the back legs, that's still very difficult.

Thanks guys! We are gonna start slow now, I touched his feet a bunch today and he was ok.
 
Mirandadobe, I WISH we could go to the beach. We're stuck in E. Orlando until friday,

Yep....just an ordinary tool.  I asked the girls at the grooming salon at PetsMart one day about the $80 fancy grinder they sell.....She told me that perhaps the motor would last longer??  But really, the average dog owner is going to use it for 10 minutes a couple times a month.....you don't need to spend a lot of money.  Take it slow and I think a lot of dogs will tolerate it better than clipping.  There's a thread in the "grooming" area too......

I taught Max to file his own front nails using the method someone posted in the grooming section. It's so much easier for me. I haven't taught him to do his own back nails yet, but i'm hoping to. If only he were physically capable of filing his dew claws, then i'd never have to bring out the clippers on him again.