i took my labs to petsmart one day to get their nails trimmed. I will never do this again! with their solid black claws, it is hard to see the quik. they cut into my pup a bit, shedding blood in their floor. i wasn't too happy with this. maybe it's just that hard, i dont know. i have not trimmed their nails myself yet. is it because they are a commercial business hiring teenagers to do the work who are inexperienced? whts the reccomendation here? currently i take them to the vet and spend my $12.
nail trimming
- Thread starter texn
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Black nails are hard to trim, especially if the pup is squirming at all. Even the best of us will nip a quick on occassion. If they've done a good job on everything else you had them do and they just tipped it and didn't cut off half the nail, I think they should get another shot.
I hear that using a dremel will help avoid cutting the quick too. I haven't tried this but once and my dogs really didn't like the feel of it, so I'm sticking with my traditional clippers.
I hear that using a dremel will help avoid cutting the quick too. I haven't tried this but once and my dogs really didn't like the feel of it, so I'm sticking with my traditional clippers.
Here's a pic.. underneath the jail you can see the vein, blood vessel that runs through the nail. The longer the nails are the longer the "quick" as they call it is.
My trainer says your supposed to trim them once every two weeks. The more you do it the easier it gets, also the more you trim the more the quick recedes.
I've never made my dogs bleed. I've been cutting them myself for over two years.
My trainer says your supposed to trim them once every two weeks. The more you do it the easier it gets, also the more you trim the more the quick recedes.
I've never made my dogs bleed. I've been cutting them myself for over two years.
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My guys are so used to getting their nails done, as soon as they see the clippers they lie on their side. Hades is great, but Roxy's one problem is as soon as I say that I'm finished she jumps up and runs out of the room.
Don't let them do this! After your done have a treat handy and before you let them get up, feed them a treat. Rub they're belly something... It eventually leads to them moving when they think your done and your not. It also makes them like the whole ordeal a lot more.
Don't let them do this! After your done have a treat handy and before you let them get up, feed them a treat. Rub they're belly something... It eventually leads to them moving when they think your done and your not. It also makes them like the whole ordeal a lot more.
http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html
No worries about not seeing the quick. That's what I love most about the dremel.
No worries about not seeing the quick. That's what I love most about the dremel.
Even experienced groomers will quick a dog once in a while. It's really no big deal, just like cutting your own fingernail a bit too short. A little styptic powder and it's all better.
Trimming them yourself is easy, as is dremeling. My biggest issue with the dremel is that it takes me about 15 minutes to do my dog's nails, as opposed to 2-3 minutes with clippers.
Trimming them yourself is easy, as is dremeling. My biggest issue with the dremel is that it takes me about 15 minutes to do my dog's nails, as opposed to 2-3 minutes with clippers.
Scruffy puts up a real fight if he sees the clippers. As a result, I don't clip him very often and put up with his long nails. He claws when he wants my attention (I'm deaf) and I've gotten accidental welts and occassional scratches from that.
How do I keep him from acting like I'm gonna kill him??? I have had to hold him down, then cross my legs around him and try and get a hold of one of his paws! And even then it's still a struggle.
How do I keep him from acting like I'm gonna kill him??? I have had to hold him down, then cross my legs around him and try and get a hold of one of his paws! And even then it's still a struggle.
Update
A bit of an update...
I just clipped his nails a little bit. This time, I sat on the couch and had him facing me, my legs were crossed around him so he was pretty much trapped against the couch and between my legs. That left my hands free, and I got the job done in about 10 minutes. He still struggled like mad, and I stopped after one little clip and petted and reassured him then hauled him back up to be in the right position, and went on. Each nail got 2 clips total. I'm feeling proud!!!
I'm just "mommy" enough that I hate seeing him get so distressed (starts shaking all over) but then again he does that with ANY grooming I do... even a brush! And baths. SO I figure if I groom him on a daily basis, he'll get over it. Agree?
A bit of an update...
I just clipped his nails a little bit. This time, I sat on the couch and had him facing me, my legs were crossed around him so he was pretty much trapped against the couch and between my legs. That left my hands free, and I got the job done in about 10 minutes. He still struggled like mad, and I stopped after one little clip and petted and reassured him then hauled him back up to be in the right position, and went on. Each nail got 2 clips total. I'm feeling proud!!!
I'm just "mommy" enough that I hate seeing him get so distressed (starts shaking all over) but then again he does that with ANY grooming I do... even a brush! And baths. SO I figure if I groom him on a daily basis, he'll get over it. Agree?
A struggling dog is no good for nail clipping.
Your more likely to make a slip, snip a quick and then it will only get worse.
Practice the whole procedure, without clipping his nails two or three times a day! Lots of treats! Be calm! Be confident!
When you get him to lie down, make sure he is totally still and relaxed before you bring the clippers to his nails. (your not really going to clip them) If he moves, place one hand firmly on the shoulder to keep him down, and say something calm and confidently, "Your fine. Relax". Maybe a soft pat to calm him down. Once he's calm again, continue pretend clipping.
To start I gave them a treat in between each foot, but I DID NOT let them get up.
I brush my guys once a day, sometimes twice if they get mucky outside. Roxy is just starting to like it now. Hades could care less.
Do it as often as you can, and make it as fun and as rewarding as you can for him.
It's fun to let mommy brush me and I get lots of treats?
As opposed to:
I hate it when I get forced to sit here, get yelled at to not move.
Your more likely to make a slip, snip a quick and then it will only get worse.
Practice the whole procedure, without clipping his nails two or three times a day! Lots of treats! Be calm! Be confident!
When you get him to lie down, make sure he is totally still and relaxed before you bring the clippers to his nails. (your not really going to clip them) If he moves, place one hand firmly on the shoulder to keep him down, and say something calm and confidently, "Your fine. Relax". Maybe a soft pat to calm him down. Once he's calm again, continue pretend clipping.
To start I gave them a treat in between each foot, but I DID NOT let them get up.
I brush my guys once a day, sometimes twice if they get mucky outside. Roxy is just starting to like it now. Hades could care less.
Do it as often as you can, and make it as fun and as rewarding as you can for him.
It's fun to let mommy brush me and I get lots of treats?
As opposed to:
I hate it when I get forced to sit here, get yelled at to not move.
A struggling dog is no good for nail clipping.
Your more likely to make a slip, snip a quick and then it will only get worse.
Practice the whole procedure, without clipping his nails two or three times a day! Lots of treats! Be calm! Be confident!
When you get him to lie down, make sure he is totally still and relaxed before you bring the clippers to his nails. (your not really going to clip them) If he moves, place one hand firmly on the shoulder to keep him down, and say something calm and confidently, "Your fine. Relax". Maybe a soft pat to calm him down. Once he's calm again, continue pretend clipping.
To start I gave them a treat in between each foot, but I DID NOT let them get up.
I brush my guys once a day, sometimes twice if they get mucky outside. Roxy is just starting to like it now. Hades could care less.
Do it as often as you can, and make it as fun and as rewarding as you can for him.
It's fun to let mommy brush me and I get lots of treats?
As opposed to:
I hate it when I get forced to sit here, get yelled at to not move.
Your more likely to make a slip, snip a quick and then it will only get worse.
Practice the whole procedure, without clipping his nails two or three times a day! Lots of treats! Be calm! Be confident!
When you get him to lie down, make sure he is totally still and relaxed before you bring the clippers to his nails. (your not really going to clip them) If he moves, place one hand firmly on the shoulder to keep him down, and say something calm and confidently, "Your fine. Relax". Maybe a soft pat to calm him down. Once he's calm again, continue pretend clipping.
To start I gave them a treat in between each foot, but I DID NOT let them get up.
I brush my guys once a day, sometimes twice if they get mucky outside. Roxy is just starting to like it now. Hades could care less.
Do it as often as you can, and make it as fun and as rewarding as you can for him.
It's fun to let mommy brush me and I get lots of treats?
As opposed to:
I hate it when I get forced to sit here, get yelled at to not move.
So true. If your dog doesn't see nail-trimming as a positive thing, it will just get harder. It just takes a while to change your dog's views of what will happen. Combine nail-trimming with treats, petting, and praising.
If you're just starting with a dog on nail-trimming that already doesn't like it, try doing just a few nails at first. it gets easier if you start with it less drawn out. Just some advice.