How often do you deal with your dog's nails and what do you use?

Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,086
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
London
#1
What do you do with your dog's nails and why?
The last time Coco got her nails trimmed it was at the vets.I regularly inspect her but I'm not really sure at what point I'm meant to trim them again?She walks mostly on pavement and their not very sharp.
What would you suggest I do?
She doesn't mind nail clippers and I'm (semi)confident doing them.
 

CaliTerp07

Active Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
7,652
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
38
Location
Alexandria, VA
#2
She gets them done when she goes to the groomers (every 3-4 months). Like Coco, she walks on pavement often, and they don't get bad. I've never trimmed them myself.
 

Maxy24

Active Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
8,070
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Massachusetts
#3
I do Tucker's every time I go home because my parents are too scared to do it themselves (afraid of hitting quick and also don't really know what the heck they're doing, they've just never done it before). So it's about once a month.

I only clip off a little bit in each session because his nails are black and quicking him causes a lasting effect in his mind, sets us way back. Then we go for a walk because freshly cut nails are SHARP and the pavement dulls them. I can tell when they need a clipping because they start to get a bit of a point/thinner part instead of just a thick rounded edge. It's sort of hard to explain what they look like when they do vs. don't need clipping.

It's hard to say if you need to clip your dog's without pics...plus everybody has different preferred lengths. You often see Dobermans with SUPER short nails. I like Tucker's short enough that they don't click on the floor when he walks.
 

Fran101

Resident fainting goat
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
12,546
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Boston
#4
They get them at the groomers or vets every 3 months or so. They usually clip or dremmel them down
I've never done them myself, they are city dogs who walk on a lot of pavement so I assume that helps because it's never been a problem.

The way I see it, the groomer does them for $8.. and it's a price I am more than happy to pay to not have to deal with it myself lol
 

Toller_08

Active Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
8,359
Likes
1
Points
36
#5
I dremel my dogs' nails weekly. Usually every Thursday or Friday, but I was lazy today so they'll be getting their nails done tomorrow instead. Their nails grow ridiculously fast (the Dobermans especially), and if I leave them any longer than a week, they're atrocious. As it is, even with weekly dremeling (was even every 4 days for a long time), they're still not as short as I want them. Dance's are perfect, but both Dobermans I wish I could get shorter still.
 
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,086
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
London
#6
Yeah,my vets offered to do them for free if I'm too nervous.Atm they don't click on the pavement and they don't really scratch when they touch you so Ive left them alone!
 

Fran101

Resident fainting goat
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
12,546
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Boston
#7
I would say just do them/have your vet do them when you feel they are becoming a problem (clicking on floors, scratching, etc..)

I personally like to keep nails really short. So they go to the groomers when I notice them basically lol I like the more little bunny foot look and don't like it when they curve (even if they don't touch the ground)



I prefer dremel over clippers personally
 
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,086
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
London
#8
Whats the best in terms of their health though?If that makes sense,what happens if you don't trim them for a long time etc?
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
834
Likes
0
Points
0
#9
They get done about once a month, the boys are clipped, and Enda is dremel. The boys are clipped just because of their attitudes, Noods went over a year without having his nails done and came to us in awful shape, so he had to be done by the vet for several months before I was able to start doing him here. Jinjo just plain ol' gets nasty, we muzzle him, someone holds his head and I just clip-clip-clip. Enda, I usually have someone else hold her collar and a bone filled with PB while I go over all 22 nails.

These aren't the best pictures, but usually I like to dremel the tips down, then smooth off the bottoms, I'll run my fingers over them all to make sure they don't have any "catches" which scratch skin and get caught in fabrics.


Dew claws, left foot by ~WelshStump~, on Flickr


Resting forepaw by ~WelshStump~, on Flickr
She was near needing a trim here.
 

Fran101

Resident fainting goat
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
12,546
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Boston
#10
Whats the best in terms of their health though?If that makes sense,what happens if you don't trim them for a long time etc?
Really the one way they start impacting health is if they are long enough to touch the ground, because then their weight falls on their nails and that messes up how they walk and everything else.

To the left is how your dogs weight is distributed with a short nail that doesn't hit the ground and to the right is too long nails that do bear weight



This below picture IMO is a problem. When the nails are touching the ground and bearing weight. it does affect over-all health of feet/legs bones and how the animals walks and functions.

Too long nails get naught in fabrics, scratch people, and just hurt to walk on

 
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
834
Likes
0
Points
0
#11
Whats the best in terms of their health though?If that makes sense,what happens if you don't trim them for a long time etc?
The toes will splay, and they can even cause them to twist, which set them up for horrible future arthritis. Jinjo has a couple toe nails that are turned a bit. Let me see if I can come up with pictures of Noods nails shortly after he got here, his dewclaws were curling right round.
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
834
Likes
0
Points
0
#12
Here are some pics of Noods nails taken shortly after he arrived-







This is where he was at about a year later-
 

kady05

Active Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
1,285
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
36
Location
Chesapeake, Virginia
#13
I dremel mine every 5-7 days. Piper & Wilson both have long quicks so I struggle to keep them at a length I like.. trying to get them shorter right now, actually!
 

Moth

Mild and Slightly Nutty
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
5,039
Likes
2
Points
38
Location
Madison, WI
#14
I eyeball my duo's paws at least once or twice a week...just checking they are okay.

About every two weeks or so I plop them in my lap and the clipping commences. I have both of them to the point where they are pretty good about it. Menchi sometimes still struggles...but we have come a long way from puppy tantrums.

I use a set of nail clippers that I bought for my cat that is awesome :)
 
Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
1,746
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
NC
#16
If I hear clicking on the floor then they are too long. I have dogs, not tap dancers.

I dremmel my dogs' nails about once a week. I am a total weirdo and LOVE trimming their nails.
 

Toller_08

Active Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
8,359
Likes
1
Points
36
#19
So jealous! Both of my guys' nails are about as long as Jayne's before picture, and I just can't seem to get them shorter. My goal has been to get them to the length of your after picture forever, but I just can't seem to do it. I've tried dremeling more often (every few days), but the quicks are too close and they pretty much bleed instantly. I still manage to have them short enough that there is no clicking for a couple days after dremeling, but I want them shorter still. Dance's were so easy to get back and keep back, but Ripley's and Keira's are such a challenge.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top