Comments on: How to Trim a Dog's Nails

on 6/7/2009 Thank you for a great article!

on 4/14/2009 I hate to have to trim my dogs nails because I really don't want to hurt her. My boyfriend has done it twice before and cut too far back each time causing her to bleed. :(

on 2/8/2009 Nice, clear article. I just posted a similar one. I am of the school of thought that, if you keep your dog active enough (as I do) you never need to clip nails (as I don't! ;) But I realize, sometimes people have to clip dog's nails! :D

on 2/1/2009 Try a Pedi Paws. Kinda like the dremel tool mentioned by another pet owner. Battery powered , has a guide for the toenail, very safe for the dog and a little quieter. $20 at Wal-Mart

on 1/18/2009 I have a 2 yr. old male Akita. We rescued him after he had 5 owners in his first 6 months of life. We got him at 7 months. We've tried every trick in the book to cut his nails and nothing works. He just goes ballistic. I think the only way to do this is to put him under at the vets office. I know this isn't good for him but I don't know what else to do. He's a great dog with everything else. You can play with him, take food away ect.. except cut his nails. He's 110 lbs. and not easy to hold. Thanks.

on 10/19/2008 I have a 3 & 1/2 year old Airedale whose toes I have mmassaged ever since she was a tiny puppy . . .she now allows me to use an electric dremel to grind her nails down . . .I blunt the nals down shaping them and then round them off smooth so they barely touch the floor . . .because we started her so young she simply lays down on the floor and allows me to do this . . . it takes about 6-10 minutes to do all four feet . . . we finish with a much anticipated treat!

on 10/19/2008 I am also curious about the quick retreating. I inherited my fathers long haired chihuahua and just attempted to trim her nails for the first time. After cutting the hair away I noticed the middle nail was really long and the quick almost to the end of nail. Will this correct itself? taterbugbillet

on 10/11/2008 Question? I am just starting to trim my dogs nails, will the quick retreat gradually over the months as the nails are trimmed a little bit at a time?
Thanks,
cw

on 4/13/2008 I have three pugs and I have a heck of a time clipping their nails- they hate it! This is a great how to with tons of tips.

on 2/24/2008 BEFORE YOU CLIP THE DOGS NAILS TURN ITS PAW OVER TO LOOK AT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE NAIL...THE PART YOU NEED TO TRIM IS HOLLOWED OUT(JUST LIKE OUR NAILS)ANY OTHER GROOMING QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO ASK...THATS WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING...PET GROOMING

on 5/28/2007 Here's an interesting tip I was given the other day. To avoid the dog's fur getting in the way if using a clipper or tangled in the dremmel drill if using one, place the dog's paw in an old nylon stocking. Let the nails poke thru and the fur will be held back and out of the way by the stocking. I have yet to try this but it sure makes sense to me.
Happy clipping!

on 4/27/2007 How I wish there is a sure way to locate the quick in black nails. I can't stand my lab's bleeding after a close cut.

on 4/27/2007 How I wish there is an easy way to locate the quick. My labrador has black nails and I have a hard time locating the quick.

on 12/14/2006 claws clipped too short - I've done this many times (unfortunately for Boris my black lab-mix who sports the all black claws). I first tried the Styptic PADS... no good (never tried the powder). After freakin' out over what looked like a massacre on my back deck and making a frantic call to the vet to make sure my poor Boris wasn't going to bleed to death.... I asked a friend who was in vet school what would work quickly and she suggested... wait for it.... SUPER GLUE! I'll be darned if that doesn't work! Of course if the nail is cut way too short and a gusher is flowing (poor poor Boris) then one must wait until the blood slows (I keep an old bath towel handy aka "puppy towel") before using the Super Glue. Try not to use too much Super Glue as it won't adhere sufficiently thus causing the glue clot AND the blood clot to fall off upon the dog walking with the unfortunate result of a blood trail. Been there done that....

on 8/15/2006 When using a Dremel tool for filing down nails, do not use a solid stone or grinding bit. It will heat up and be very uncomfortable for your pet.

Instead, use the sanding drum bit. Start with the fine grit first. If that doesn't take enough off, go to a medium grit, then to a course if needed. Try not to press hard on the nail because doing so will create heat build-up. Let the tool do the work.

To check how much heat has been generated, stop the tool. Feel the temperature of the nail and the sanding drum. If it's too hot, here's what you can do: use a drum with a courser grit, increase the tool speed, or do a little nail sanding, back the tool off the nail but let the tool run to cool off, go back to the nail.