Dremeling to shorten nails

[Saeleofu]

Does anyone here have a certain technique for dremeling specifically to make the nails shorter/make the quicks recede? Other than just doing it every few days or so?

My dogs' nails aren't particularly long, but they're a bit longer than my ideal, and there is hardly anything to take off before you get to the quicks (my dogs all have white toenails).

[CharlieDog]

I was JUST talking about doing Enzo's nails tonight.

When I had a dremel, I'd dremel the entire way around the nail, top, side and bottom. Every three days or so really. I got them pretty short in a good amount of time.

[lizzybeth727]

Originally Posted by CharlieDog

When I had a dremel, I'd dremel the entire way around the nail, top, side and bottom. Every three days or so really. I got them pretty short in a good amount of time.

^^^This, dremmel all around the quick. If you're really trying to shorten the quick, too, you'll have to do it no less than every 5 days (or at least that's how it's been with all the dogs I've worked with). When I can dremmel 2 or 3 times a week, I can get nails from EAGLE TALONS to reasonably short in about a month.

[SizzleDog]

Dremel every 2-3 days, and dremel back as far as you can so the quick is partially exposed (but NOT bleeding!) - all the way around the quick, just like CharlieDog just recommended - then, put Preparation H on the quicks. You'll have to reapply several times a day, and try to keep the dog from licking it off.

[release the hounds]

I don't have any specific techniques, all I wanted to say was I just started dremeling about a month and half ago and I wonder why I didn't start 10 years ago. My dogs always have black nails, they're always thicker than hell and clipping is a pain in the ass for me. Not that the dogs are trouble, i just didn't like it.

The dremel is awesome and I can take them back as far as they need to go

[kady05]

I just do mine every 5 days or so.. keeps them short enough to where they don't make noise on my kitchen floor. I like short nails, but I don't want them SUPER short either, since my dogs do lots of running and use their nails to dig in to the ground.

[Doberluv]

Yeah, if you do it a couple times a week, just a little, they'll work their way back. I aim to do that, but wind up only doing them about once a week. You can see the quick just before it becomes exposed. However, there have been times when I made ouchies on the little ones and then I feel so rotten. Poor things. Their nails are so soft that it doesn't take long. With the bigger dogs, like Toker, they're very hard and black....takes a long time to get them down. I go straight across and when I've gotten them short as I can, I smooth out and make the edges all around sort of rounded. With Chuli, I have to take an Emory board and hand file a few little sharp spots underneath because her toes are so tiny, it's hard to get the underneath very well without touching her pads, but I can get at them a little bit. At least if you expose the quick a little, it doesn't seem to bleed because I think the Dremel cauterizes it. They don't usually act like there's any pain but there must be. I think the Preparation H might just be the ticket for those times when they become short enough sooner than expected.

[Saeleofu]

With the bigger dogs, like Toker, they're very hard and black....takes a long time to get them down. I go straight across and when I've gotten them short as I can, I smooth out and make the edges all around sort of rounded.

If I slack off and they get a little long I clip first then dremel or it would take FOREVER to just plain dremel.

I've definitely going to try the preparation H trick too! Thanks!