[Sabrina]

We don't have to bother with the biggies, but little Amy needs her nails cut every couple of months. Big breath here... This is a BIG deal. She gets hysterical!! Hubby has a good steady hand and a calming effect, so the job is his. Today was the day. So Amy has pretty new nails, but not without much fussing and biting. Wish I could make it easier for her.

[AAAAA]

I'm sorry, this is so frustrating. Some dogs just do not like their feet touched. We have to sneak the cutters out, if our Yorkie sees them she'll hide all day.

[eskielover]

All 5 of my eskies need their nails trimmed. We always did it while getting ready for showing, but all the eskies I have now weren't part of my showing babies, so none have become that used to it.

I usually have the trimmers out on my bed & when they lay down with me, I sneek a few trims here & there until they all get done.

I felt bad the other day, I had Destiny (my mommy eskie) outside & decided to trim her nails there & accidentally trimmed one nail down to where it started to bleed. Had to put antibiotic stuff on it since she was outside, didn't want an infection to get started.

It's really difficult when they aren't willing.....which is why I just trim a few as I can sneek them in....being the only person & I don't have the grooming table that I had when I was showing. I understand the stress on both you & puppy.

[lynn P.]

My daughter can do Bella's nails because I'm not good at it plus my eyes aren't as good as they used to be. Bella's vet who lives next door offered to do her nails regularly for us...which is so kind of her. My youngest usually gives Bella one kibble at a time while its being done. A couple of her nails are black which make trimming tricky because you can't see the vein. Last time one nail did bleed and my vet neighbor dabbed cornstarch on the tip and this controls the bleeding. A couple years ago I was going to have it done at Petsmart but I saw one dog who was there before us and the technician cut the vein on several nails and there was blood on the floor. I made an excuse that I forgot my debit card because I didn't want that happening to Bella. Its better if they're too long, to trim a little every 2 weeks rather than waiting too long. Sorry little Amy gets all upset - try distracting her with a treat next time.

[Visioneer]

It seems to be a pretty common thing that we have to be sneaky with the clippers, and also afraid to hurt them I like to let the groomer do it because I trust that she knows what she's doing (and I don't trust that I do!), but I can't take him too often ($) so I do have to do it sometimes. The treat thing works, as long as they aren't so excited for the treat that they won't let you cut their nails As long as they get used to being rewarded for sitting still and letting you snip, and you praise them, they will begin to have a positive association with getting their nails clipped, and it will get easier.

[lynn P.]

Yes I agree Visioneer. Its takes 3 people to do Bella's nails. I have her on my lap and hold her paw, my vet friend support her nail /trims while my youngest has kibble ready near her mouth. After she gets enthusiastic praise and her favorite biscuit.

[Gus1234U]

super glue is an excellent clotter and band aid for toenail tips,, but filing is better,, just like combing or brushing, every few days , file a little, and they like the smell of it..... best wishes,, Gus

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by Gus1234U

super glue is an excellent clotter and band aid for toenail tips,, but filing is better,, just like combing or brushing, every few days , file a little, and they like the smell of it..... best wishes,, Gus

Very interesting Gus - what kind of file do you use - a coarse one for toes? I know there's the battery operated kind but I wonder if the noise would be scary?

basset nails are like steal beams. hard. very hard to trim...some folks can dremel them but my herd freak at the sound of it...

thankfully my vet does not charge for anals or nails..so periodically i drag the whole bunch over & get them done.

my old guy would not let anyone touch his feet. period. tried everything...& none of it worked. for him nail trims involved sedation & a 1/2 day at the vets. they would put him under then do his nails & also trim the fur on his feet (he was 1/2 setter)..damn dog had spa days! he loved going to the vet...just didn't let anyone touch his feet..i knew his dementia was getting bad when he let me trim his feet with scissors.

some rescue dogs are very particular about their feet...it's nice if you can start young & desensitize them to the handling etc but always be wary...you never know what history a dog might have...when in doubt use a soft muzzle for safety..doesn't hurt the dog & protects you & others involved. any time there is a struggle for something with your dog & you have to confine them in any way you do run the risk of a bite...even if it is your own dog who you have known since before it was born etc...when frightened ANY DOG CAN BITE.

you can also freeze some peanut butter to a bone or paper & hold that up so the dog is involved in licking it & may not be as involved with concern on their paws. (this works for baths too...put some on the shower walls or tub walls...)

yeah...nails & anals...the 2 joys of dog ownership....

stumpy

[Sabrina]

Here's the problem. Amy refuses treats at this point and won't let the vet or anyone else for that matter near her. Last time she was at the vet for something and had to be sedated, they quickly did her back nails at the same time (we had already done the front). Who would believe that a 2.5kg Chihuahua could be so strong. It is almost impossible to hold her down. I am stressing that if hubby is going away "permanently" that I won't have an option but to have her sedated (at great expense) every time her nails need clipping.

that's the way it was with my guy..only he was 60 lbs! you can take her for walks on concrete that uisually wears the nails down some...but really when they are that fearful the only safe option is to schedule a "spa day"...i had to let it go longer that it should have due to expenses as well but honestly it was worth it rather than stressing the dog, me & everyone involved & chancing getting bit.

ask the vet to cut her nails as short as they safely can while she is there. save a special treat such as dried liver or something for her for before & after the vets & on ly give it to ehr then.

you can work on desensitizing her by gently touching her paws & massaging them if she allows you but be safe.

my coop would never allow me near his feet..ever until the dementia set in...i don't know what happened to him before he hit rescue but he fought like a banshee everytime someone went near them...

the vet techs loved him & were gentle with him & he was calm there so for me it was worth the $$ to have him feel safe there & be treated..i did worry about him going under sedation with his cardiac issues but it was a tradeoff.

good luck!

yeah the little ones don't always know they are little!

stumpy

[unaluna]

There are human nail files used for acrylic nails, maybe those would work on dog nails, ask at a beauty supply store.

[Gus1234U]

i always bought those wide flex rough nail files, at the supermarket, they wear out fast, but it's worth it, and,, i have heard reliably, that a little dramamine is a safe sedative for larger dogs, at least, at home,, so they don't fight so much... check it out with your vet,,, best grooming,,, Gus

you can use a dremel which is like a nail file but the issue isn't so much the file as that many dogs just don't like folks messing with their feet...usually there is much pulling, tugging, fighting...& stress involved & the situation goes from bad to ugly.

dremels & files make noise & that bothers some dogs too...some can put up with clippers others not, some with dremels others not...it's hit or miss

you can use benadryl to chill a dog out some but if it's bad you are so much better letting a pro handle it...they are skilled with knowing how to control your dog safely (for both themselves & your pet)

with my guy coop...there was no other option other than having the vet put him under for a spa day. expensive yes but it was the best for everyone. i didn't need to get bit & he didn't need the stress. it was a positive experience for him..he adored the vet staff & they him...so yea it worked out.

ya gotta go with what works best for your situation...


stumpy

[greylove]

Oh.......this is a "fun" thread to read. I have to weigh in with what we do. When we have a dog lying down anywhere (but especially on my bed) we get out all the ammo and go to work. Hubby feeds the dog bitsy treats at the rate of about two hundred a minute. (Oh, and we try to get the dog's head as far away from the paws as we can.) I go in and clip the nails that I'm absolutely sure of. I'll try to dremel as much as I can, also, because I know the further back you get their nails, the further back the quick retreats. I know that this sounds like a smooth operation, but it isn't; it's anything but. We took our new greyhound to a groomer to get a bath right after we brought her home. The groomer (who I thought was great!) will do nails for $7 a visit. She's conservative,but at least she doesn't draw blood......so I think if worst comes to worst, we have a solution to our problem.

[Typo]

It can be a long process but you can correct and mend a dog's fear over having their nails clipped.

Start massaging and petting your dog's feet once a day, it will help them get over the stress of having their feet messed with if that is what causes them stress, it is a step by step process and it can take awhile but with consitancy it will help ease your dog's nerves about nail trimming.

If you quick a dog your local pet store will carry a product called "quick stop" it is designed to stop bleeding. If you don't have quick stop on hand cornmeal and pressure will work to stop the bleeding.

For dogs that have black nails watch when clipping the nails, take only a little at a time, at first the nails will look chalky and white while clipping, the closer you get to the quick the less chalky it will get and you will be able to see a small dark dot, this is the quick of a dogs nail and it is when you need to stop clipping.

Sometimes clipping close without quicking will cause the nail to bleed later on if the dog is very active or taken on a walk, it will wear down the rest of the nail to the quick. It is okay and usually it doesn't hurt the dog, the nail will just bleed until pressure is applied.

If you walk your dogs on concrete, gravel, or they are active outside in general they probably naturally take care of their nails.

You can always take your dog to the vet or a local grooming salon to have the service done if you don't feel comfortable performing it yourself, if you would like to learn most salons or vets will be happy to show you how, I show many people everyday how to clip their dogs nails.

For small dogs and toy breeds cat nail trimmers work best, for dogs with thicker or bigger nails regular dog nail trimmers work best.

[krisakira]

One of my dogs naturally has shorter nails without me having to intervene (I guess by scratching or something to keep them shorter) but Abby, my terrier/schnauzer's nails get really long. I haven't really cared much to trim them until lately as I've noticed her whole toes will bend a certain way because of how long the nail is. I try to trim them when she is sleepy, like around midnight or early in the morning. I trimmed them today because she went to the vet and got sedated to get her teeth cleaned. Piece of cake when she's all groggy! I also try to make it go as quickly as possible. She's a medium small dog so i can hold her down some. If she squirms too much I just stop, though. Do the rest a different day. But the key is to get them all trimmed before she gets way too freaked out. I also try to not make a big deal of it myself. Abby picks up on my emotions and freaks out when I don't feel like I have control over the situation. She might think somethings really wrong when I'm trying to coo her or comfort her too much. The more emotional I get the more anxiety she gets about not having a leader in control. I think that may apply for any dog.

[(JD)]

First I would desensitize doggie to you holding and touching her feet. ALL the time you can, play with her feet, or touch them or hold them and praise her (will she take a treat or can you then give her a fav toy?) This will show her that there are plenty of times that having her feet touched means good stuff. It will take time... and for those with puppies...begin this now so they are used to it and it isnt' a big deal.

Don't hold a dog down strong-arm, that makes them fear more. Try doing just one nail, telling doggie "wait" (doggie needs to know "wait") and then give the treat, whether edible, bouncing ball or chew fuzzy whateva! And don't do another for an hour or so... or a day... build up to it... don't make it a big deal.

Can you walk doggie on the sidewalk or in the street? That will wear the nails down some naturally. The grinders work, but the vibration might scare too.,,and you do have to hold the nail firmly.

the more frustrated you become, the more doggie will pick up on that... but I think you know all these things...

Just begin again... and go slowly.
Does doggies feet hurt normally? watch as doggie walks... who knows?

You might try trimming that one nail at a time in a different area than normal...maybe outside? Maybe lying down? Or standing like a horse? So that the previous bad experiences aren't connected.

Good wishes

[TerryL]

I trim my 4 bunnies' nails. But before the trim I have to catch them first and they do not like to be caught. So it is like a cartoon because as soon as they see me with the carriers they start running for dear life and hiding in any nook or cranny they can find. I don't think giving them a treat after the trim makes the process any less traumatic for them (and for me). I used to take them to the vet to have it done but that got so expensive and the car ride stressed them out so badly. Also, I had some vets do a bad job--one pulled out a nail one time..egads..so I feel I have more control when I do it myself. I never thought I could do it but I learned. Anyhoo--Happy trimming!

i can just picture trying to round up 4 bunnies...& it has me laughing...trying to corral 4 bassets is pretty amusing & challenging but bunnies?! you are impressive...they are quick, small & agile...(ok so are bassets but bunnies are smaller & hide better)

after i got frustrated & angry i would probably start laughing like a fool at how silly i must look to anyone watching thru a window at stumpy me trying to catch wascally wabbits (& why does spell check go nuts with wascally but not wabbits?)

me & the thundering herd stand in awe of you & your wabbit catching skills!

stumpy

"get a long little wabbit"

[Typo]

Lol Stumpy Basset Hound nails are like trying to cut through steel! I love Basset hounds but it takes me two hands to use enough pressure to cut through their nails!

[TerryL]

Originally Posted by stumpy

i can just picture trying to round up 4 bunnies...& it has me laughing...trying to corral 4 bassets is pretty amusing & challenging but bunnies?! you are impressive...they are quick, small & agile...(ok so are bassets but bunnies are smaller & hide better)

after i got frustrated & angry i would probably start laughing like a fool at how silly i must look to anyone watching thru a window at stumpy me trying to catch wascally wabbits (& why does spell check go nuts with wascally but not wabbits?)

me & the thundering herd stand in awe of you & your wabbit catching skills!

stumpy

"get a long little wabbit"

Well I catch them one at a time. But by the time the first "victim" has been trimmed the others are already on high alert. It is just a flurry of running after them with the portable enclosure and moving around of furniture x 4. I don't need to go to the gym...

As for wabbits and spell check I guess we have established a new species!

[linkitty2]

Doyou have the right clippers? Please dont cut into the quick.

[sad_1]

have you tried a Dremel pedicure tool sold at PEtsmart ... i ahve one and though it took a while to slowly get the dog accustomed to it, it's worth it in the end. send me a message if you would like more information.

[Sabrina]

Yes, I have the right clippers and take great care not to cut into the quick.