Question:
Which way do you trim/cut/clip your dogs nails? I've seen some people do it horizontally and others vertically. To be clear I mean the way in which you hold the clippers. I've always done it horizontally.
Answer:
Hard to describe.. I use the nail trimmers the way that they are intended to be used. The only nail that I cut "horizontilly" is teh dew claw because the dew claw is actually harder to cut using the proper way.
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what cutters do you have? i now use a dremmel and wouldnt go back its so much better for your dog
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i don't know the name of them. they're just nail trimmers for dogs. i didn't know there was a certain way to hold them b/c everyone does it one way or the other. i'd love to do the dremel file, but i'd need someone with experience to show me how, cos i wouldn't want to mess up and hurt him.
Answer:
Hard to describe.. I use the nail trimmers the way that they are intended to be used. The only nail that I cut "horizontilly" is teh dew claw because the dew claw is actually harder to cut using the proper way.
So you hold it vertically? And that's the proper way?
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Depends on the style of the trimmers. Excuse my ignorance, but I believe mine are called the "gilotine" (sp?) style nail trimmers. And yes, if you had the same style, there is a proper way to cut the nails with them. :)
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ok that helped. i found a pic of both types. i have the scissors type
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/images/dog_nails/trimmers.jpg
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Lol, I can't dremel my Pap's nails. His feet are too hairy, my one attempt to dremel his nails resulted in having some hair between his toes ripped out (I keep his feet trimmed as hare feet should be, which leaves some hair hanging off the toes) and I haven't attempted it since.
I clip the nails either way, it depends on which the dog is more comfortable with. (Ex: My Border Collie has very wide nails so I trim those vertically. My papillon has very narrow but 'steep' nails so I trim them horizontally.) My clippers do fine either way.I have scissors type, I couldn't ever get used to the guillotine type.
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I've always used the scissor type nail clippers horizontally also. It's the most comfortable way to clip the nail, I find.
Edit to add - Cutting them horizontally would probably clip alot easier then vertically. If the clippers aren’t sharp enough, cutting them vertically may cause the nail to pinch before it gets cut. Does that make sense?:D
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i am curious that no one has had a prob with nail cutters because i have found that the cause the nail bed to be forced away from the nail for a split secone, this is only visiable in white nails though, and before anyone aks no ai am not cutting the quick its the base that bleeds not the tip and the clippers are fine I have tried loads, also you cant see the blood untill a coupple of days later, and even in a smooth coated dog you need to pull the hair back to see it
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hmm...no, i've never seen blood at the base of the nail after a trim. that sounds like it would hurt!
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You should never cut from the sides, always cut from top and bottom (get what I am saying) if you but from the sides it squishes the nail which in turn squishes the nerve making it more uncomforteable (or painful) for the dog. So if you have the quilotine type you want to hold the verticly and if it's the scissor type you hold them horizontally. Of course dremels are best b/c they do not squishe the nail at all plus you can get the nails much shorter
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hmm...no, i've never seen blood at the base of the nail after a trim. that sounds like it would hurt!
Does your dog have white nails? I will try to post some pics of affected nails
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Does your dog have white nails? I will try to post some pics of affected nails
Yes, and one black one on each foot, plus the dewclaws are black. I always cut those in several small cuts, so as not to cut the quick.
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my boxer has black dew claws too, i havent any batteries in my camers at the mo, but i will try to get some tomorrow so i can post pics
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It took me a minute to understand the "horizontal/vertical" thing....:D
I do horizontal. Just did Chynas nails about 15 minutes ago....she hates it! My husband got the worst of it from holding her. Hopefully it will get easier in time. (**** Vet who cut her quick when she was little!)
Pam
Answer:
I just have to say that nearly everyone cuts a quick at some point in time or the other. I cut my poodle pups quick when he was little. i felt bad but I took no crap from him and he is a very good dog now (not that he was bad before) and is fine having his nails done. my other dog, I have never personally quicked him but i am sure it has happened he doesn't like it but I take no crap from him either and I can do him by myself on the floor (or anywhere but the floor with no holder is a harder place to do it than a table usually)
When I was a proffesional groomer we had to make sure that we got the dogs nails down right to just before the quick b/c people wouldn't bring there dogs in for months at a time or would complain that they weren't short enough so of course sometimes we did get a quick or 2. u feel bad but you just stop the bleeding and keep going. Some dogs never like it other dogs don't give a crap but you can't say a vet is a bad vet b/c he quicked a squermy puppy.
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Lol, I can't dremel my Pap's nails. His feet are too hairy, my one attempt to dremel his nails resulted in having some hair between his toes ripped out (I keep his feet trimmed as hare feet should be, which leaves some hair hanging off the toes) and I haven't attempted it since.
I.
If you are ever interested in getting into dremeling, a neat trick is to take a pair of pantyhose and put your pap's foot in the end of one, which would poke the sharp toenails through. Then you can dremel away with no concern of catching any hair.
I trim two calvies, and this is what I do to keep the hair out of the way. Like I said, each to their own, if you're fine with your clippers then stick with them, I just thought this was a useful trick for anyone with the hair problem.
To the OP, I only use a dremel, you can get so much closer with much less discomfort of a clipper. Here is a useful link that gives some info on how to do it... http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html
My dogs are so acclimated to it, and it is such a positive experience for them, when I get the dremel out, I have three dogs climbing all over me to go first!
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My mom won't let me get a dremel, so I will continue to use the clippers. The dogs I groom for money are, surprisingly, not that bad with them!
BTW, if you aren't showing your pap, I would just shave the hair away from inbetween the toe pads. ;)
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Thanks Lexus!!!! John thinks he has a dremel tool is at his brothers house, which is about a 30-40 minute drive. But we won't go up there today because they live on a dirt road and the weather down here has been really bad for the past few days, esp. today.
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I LOVE my Dremel tool. I can't get a show foot using cutters, altho I'm sure some people can.
I admit to being a nail freak. when I'm showing a dog I do not want to see toenails if I can help it.
Love the panty hose trick!
If you are using cutters, make sure you keep the blade very sharp, this minimizes the pressure on the nail when you are cutting.
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If you are ever interested in getting into dremeling, a neat trick is to take a pair of pantyhose and put your pap's foot in the end of one, which would poke the sharp toenails through. Then you can dremel away with no concern of catching any hair.
I trim two calvies, and this is what I do to keep the hair out of the way. Like I said, each to their own, if you're fine with your clippers then stick with them, I just thought this was a useful trick for anyone with the hair problem.
To the OP, I only use a dremel, you can get so much closer with much less discomfort of a clipper. Here is a useful link that gives some info on how to do it... http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html
My dogs are so acclimated to it, and it is such a positive experience for them, when I get the dremel out, I have three dogs climbing all over me to go first! Ooh, I will have to try that. Thanks. LOL now to see if I can get his miniscule nails through a bit of pantyhose.
I can get a nice, tight foot on my Border Collie using clippers but his nails are fairly soft and easy to trim.. Otherwise I really prefer dremeling (need to get another)
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i have just used my dremmel for the first time and its brill and very quick all were ok with it, even Barney who will bite if you try to cut his nails, the vet hurt him once and that was it lol. I have a cheeper version of a dremmel, because here they cost about £60 mine was £14.99 and the attachments that you need for nails you can only get from the makers of dremmel but they fit fine in the cheep one so its great
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I just have to say that nearly everyone cuts a quick at some point in time or the other. I cut my poodle pups quick when he was little. i felt bad but I took no crap from him and he is a very good dog now (not that he was bad before) and is fine having his nails done. my other dog, I have never personally quicked him but i am sure it has happened he doesn't like it but I take no crap from him either and I can do him by myself on the floor (or anywhere but the floor with no holder is a harder place to do it than a table usually)
When I was a proffesional groomer we had to make sure that we got the dogs nails down right to just before the quick b/c people wouldn't bring there dogs in for months at a time or would complain that they weren't short enough so of course sometimes we did get a quick or 2. u feel bad but you just stop the bleeding and keep going. Some dogs never like it other dogs don't give a crap but you can't say a vet is a bad vet b/c he quicked a squermy puppy.
I didn't say he was bad....but they nicked her quick THREE out of the three times they did her nails! (and the first time she was not squirming) Before that I was doing them myself with no problem. I've cut nails thousands of times on hundreds of dogs and yep, I've cut too close too, many times. Some dogs don't care but some it puts the fear in them for life (mostly pups).
One thing everyone needs to know is that hitting the quick is not fatal. The dog won't bleed to death (unless it's a hemophiliac) so don't worry so much about it. Just keep some Quick-Stop on hand or some corn starch.
Pam
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Chip was badly in need of a trim when he came to me and I never can get them to the point I feel they should be. When he's at the vets, they'll trim for nothing, but are still long. I do have a dremel somewhere in the garage and will try !! I do find it's easier to trim after a bath, but that's only every 3 months or so.
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I have each scissor style clippers, guilitine style clippers, and dremel, I tend to use whichever is best for each separate situation.
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I also have the scissors type. Do these ever need to be sharpened?
How would you do it?
My dog hates to have his nails clipped. It's always a crazy time in our
household to get his nails clipped. Any suggestions on making it go
a lot easier??
Answer:
hmmm... i can't clip my dogs nails by myself because my hands shake too much due to my medications. I generally take him to have his nails clipped... and always feel like i get overcharged. I will also look into the dremel (birthday present?) as I'd like to keep Mojo's nails shorter than i do at this time.
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I also have the scissors type. Do these ever need to be sharpened?
How would you do it?
My dog hates to have his nails clipped. It's always a crazy time in our
household to get his nails clipped. Any suggestions on making it go
a lot easier??
I think that they probably do need to be sharpened, although I don't know how you would. Probably be easier to buy a new pair. Only suggestion I have to make it easier is to touch his feet and nails when you are playing, loving, grooming, etc. So he will be used to it and know it's not so bad. Patience and persistance will apply here though.
I generally take him to have his nails clipped... and always feel like i get overcharged.
What do you get charged for a trim?
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Grooming is generally expensive anyway
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What do you get charged for a trim?
If I go to Petsmart (ick) it's $12 because it's packaged with a bunch of other stuff - ear cleaning, perfume, breath spray, and a bandanna etc. I generally get the ear cleaning, and the nail trim and skip the rest. They won't just do the nail trim - it has to be a part of the package.
It's better than going to my vet - which is $20 - just for the nail trim.
He's pretty good about getting his nails trimmed - he doesn't like to be waaaay up high - but he doesn't squirm (much), doesn't bite, or make noise... but i know that too many vets have been bitten by dogs who don't like their nails trimmed. So, i guess i understand?
But it just seems like a lot to be charged for what is generally a 5 minute job on my pooch.
I need to keep searching obviously for other options to the above... maybe i can find it cheaper at a smaller grooming salon? I'd rather just pay for the nails, and not get charged for a bunch of "extras" i can't stand.
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Interesting to learn the petsmart price. I was about to start shopping prices for my Beagle. I am working with him on letting me mess with his paws, but until then I have to get his claws trimmed. I am considering purchasing a dremel tool, hopefully he won't freak out about it.
This past monday we were getting our final vaccinations at the vet, and I asked them to trim his, and surprisingly they didn't charge me. I was sure they would, they must have just forgot. Or, realizing I have spent over $500 on him in the past 2 1/2 months, maybe they gave me this one free. Their puppy shots are expensive...then there was the $160 emergency visit from my feeding him those chew sticks which blocked up his system. (poor baby!)
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Got John's Dremel last night! Muffie seems to like it, Ike's not to sure of it though. I think he'll be cool with it eventually. Doing their nails this way makes 'em feel nice and smooth! =) Only thing is it kind of smells, when they are being filed.