Nail Clipping

Labyrinth

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#1
I've never trimmed a dog's nails before. We've always just had it done at the groomers when Abby would be boarded (we'd get her a bath and nails trimmed) if we had a weekend trip. Well we don't really take the weekend trips at all anymore, so no more boarding... and no more professional grooming. I can bathe her at home just fine (short hair dog, doesn't require much maintenance), but her nails are in desparate need of clipping. The problem is her nails are dark and I can't see the quick. Any advice on a good way to tell where to actually cut, or am I just guessing and hoping I don't hit it?
 
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Backward_Cinderella

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#3
Go slowly, trim little by little and watch carefully, when you're where you're supposed to be, there will be a little black dot. Don't cut past it or you'll quick her. Good luck! :)
 
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#4
Lucky for me we have alot of cement and limestone drive, never do the Shepherds. When I had a Bulldog and Boston inside alot I did the white very easy to see, just took the tip off the black, then have a metal file and filed them down good, then turned it over with like a sandy type of side and smoothed them off. Safe way for me...
 

Pitty

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#5
I know it is a hard part. I could not cut the nails of my canary too...
But for my dog I never need to cut... She runs all day so it always breaks
 

garett

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#8
Labryinth,

There is one little aspect of nail trimming you might want to be aware of.

If the nails go unclipped for any long duration of time the Quick will continue to go out further, and further, and further.

The remedy (If you are fearful you might hurt your dog when hitting the Quick) is to have them sedated by a veterinarian and have them cut the nails to a more natural length that you would expect a dog to have (We are not talking super short show cut).

Then you can file them a little bit weekly, and trim here and there to maintain the length for optimal good looks.

I know the quick is scary! Make sure to have some sort of Quick stop, or styptic pencil handy whenever you do a little trimming.

Goodluck and happy trimming!
 

Whisper

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#10
I really want a dremel. For now I have to work with clippers. Lucy has all light-ish nails and Millie has both black and light, so I use the clear ones as a guide for the black ones. Millie has ridiculously long quicks, so even though I clip regularly her nails are still so long. :/
 

Sunnierhawk0

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#11
Around here we have so many dogs come in for nail trims that havent had thier nails done in such a long w hile, I sometimes wonder how the dogs are able to walk. On the black, like everyone has suggested, just take off a little at a time. Better to take off not enough, and work on it the next week or so, than to take off too much and have a real messy problem.

It just takes time and practice and soon you will feel more comfortable to forge ahead with nail trimming. I use to be scared to death to do nails too, but now that I do it atleast 3 or 4 times a week on dogs, I've def. overcome that.

And I agree, if you can dremel, that is always best. Its much easier on the nails/dogs and IMO cuts your ability to cut the quick by a large margin.
 

Whisper

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#12
How has your experience been acclimating the dog to the dremel? Are they loud?
 
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Backward_Cinderella

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#13
I LOOOOVE my dremmel. I didn't think to say anything about it, though, because the OP asked about clipping. *shrug*
Bobsie had a little trouble with it at first (ok she hated the thing) but she got used to it the more I messed with it around her. It was the noise that bothered her more than anything. The one my neighbor just bought is pretty quiet, though.
 

Sunnierhawk0

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#14
Just try to make the noise associate with something positive, like a treat or lots of loving.

I started dremeling my guys as soon as I got them as babies, and never had a issue. Some dogs just will never like the noise or the process, but there alot of ways to make it less stressful, just gotta find the one that works for your dog.
 
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Backward_Cinderella

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#15
Yup, we started Doom as a baby but Bobsie, being a rescue, didn't like it. I wasn't sure if her nails had ever been cut or seen a dremmel!!
Another thing is if the dog in question is a puppy, play with its feet when you AREN'T cutting nails so that he / she doesn't associate feet being touched with scary things happening!
 

garett

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#16
good tips on the dremel.

I've found that dogs hate the noise more than anything with a nail trim as well. I really hate to restrain some of the more agitated dogs. Makes me feel mean, but I guess it has to be done.
 

Hillside

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#17
Saga PLAYBOWED at the Dremel when I used it for the first time. She HATES the sound of hair trimmers, but for some reason she thinks the Dremel is funny. She let me do all four paws the first time I tried. Django is terrified of it, but he has white nails so I am not as concerned about getting him used to it.
 

fillyone

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#19

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