Nails - DIY, groomer, vet?

[SaddlePsych'D]

We've got Ivy on one of those pet health care plans but moving away and thinking not to get a new one when we move vet practices. Nail trimming is included for a set number of times per year but most of Ivy's claws are black so they only get done when they're looking really long as they don't want to hit the quick. I've read that the quick can recede if they're kept on top of so I'm wondering if we'd be better off going to a groomer or just learn to DIY it - either with clippers or filing so they can be attended to a bit more regularly. What do people do with their dog's claws?

 

[Books'n'dogs]

I get my brother to clip my dogs' nails once a week and in exchange I give him a home cooked meal. It was a disaster the one time I attempted clipping a dog's nails, the dog wiggled at the wrong moment and I went too far down, the dog screamed, I screamed (there was a lot of blood?) and then the rest of the family screamed in sympathy, I have refused to clip dog nails ever since.

 

[planete]

I have got all my dogs used to a dremmel and file their claws once every two or three weeks as they do no roadwork. If you look on YouTube there are several tutorials on how to get a dog used to it and how to do it. Most of the nails here are black too and my nerves could not bear the dread of a possible mistake with clipping. This way I am relaxed and the dogs get heavily bribed for putting up with it.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I get my brother to clip my dogs' nails once a week and in exchange I give him a home cooked meal. It was a disaster the one time I attempted clipping a dog's nails, the dog wiggled at the wrong moment and I went too far down, the dog screamed, I screamed (there was a lot of blood?) and then the rest of the family screamed in sympathy, I have refused to clip dog nails ever since.

Oh my! Definitely do not want a screaming and blood situation. Especially with the Greyhound Scream of Death!

Maybe dremmel is the way to go. 'Squeezy cheese' (aka Primula) seems to get us through many things, I'm sure that could help with it.

 

[satinbaze]

I use a pet dremmel and do their nails every 2-3 weeks. Ill be honest even with regular filing I have never found the quick receding, my old CKCS had long nails despite regular filing and road walking. I highly recommend the Sophia Yin video on training a dog to have nails trimmed, ill try to find a link

 

[rabatsa]

My greyhound has too long nails. I sneak up and trim one at a time at home. The vet tried when he had his vaccinations last year, I could hear the screams from the surgery carpark. He admitted that they had managed to get three nails done.

The last time he had a proper trim was when he was out cold for a dental.

 

[skinnydipper]

I use a Dremel micro with 408 sanding band, 60 grit.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I just use a nail clipper. I used a dremel years ago, but can't recall what I thought about it.

My Lab is black, as are her nails, but I have a feel for where the quick is. I just sort of know after I got her quick once, I guess, and she didn't react so much and I had some clotting powder on hand to stop it.

She's a Lab and very very very food oriented. So she gets one little treat for coming to me when I have the clippers in my hand, and one treat after each paw is finished. She doesn't love it, but figures that sticking around for the food is worth it.

 

[scats]

Groomer here. To get the quick to recede you have to clip right up to it, so the quick is slightly exposed.
I clip nails day in day out and have some very awkward customers! A good groomer can get black nails right back to the quick. You can actually see it appearing if you clip the nails with the foot held like you’d hold a horses hoof.

I do have a Dremel as well, which I use for some dogs who just can’t tolerate the nail clippers. Though some can’t tolerate the dremel.

One of my most difficult customers is a rather dramatic pug (they are notoriously bad for having nails done) who quite literally throws himself into the air when you touch his feet. We have a system now that involves a licky mat, some chicken paste and some insane fast nail clipping! I can get 2 nails done before he loses the plot now, then I have to let him chill for a few minutes before I do the next 2.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Groomer here. To get the quick to recede you have to clip right up to it, so the quick is slightly exposed.
I clip nails day in day out and have some very awkward customers! A good groomer can get black nails right back to the quick. You can actually see it appearing if you clip the nails with the foot held like you’d hold a horses hoof.

I do have a Dremel as well, which I use for some dogs who just can’t tolerate the nail clippers. Though some can’t tolerate the dremel.

One of my most difficult customers is a rather dramatic pug (they are notoriously bad for having nails done) who quite literally throws himself into the air when you touch his feet. We have a system now that involves a licky mat, some chicken paste and some insane fast nail clipping! I can get 2 nails done before he loses the plot now, then I have to let him chill for a few minutes before I do the next 2.

Thank you that's really helpful to know. We've not been in with Ivy when she's had her nails clipped at the vets but they told us she was good as gold. She's good picking up her front paws, less so the back. She quite enjoys a paw rub when she's laying flat out so that might be the best time to give it a try. Not sure how she'd take to a dremmel - it was more for our worry about learning to clip but I'm guessing if you have a good pair of clippers and just do a little at a time it gets easier?

 

[scats]

Thank you that's really helpful to know. We've not been in with Ivy when she's had her nails clipped at the vets but they told us she was good as gold. She's good picking up her front paws, less so the back. She quite enjoys a paw rub when she's laying flat out so that might be the best time to give it a try. Not sure how she'd take to a dremmel - it was more for our worry about learning to clip but I'm guessing if you have a good pair of clippers and just do a little at a time it gets easier?

While you are learning, try to almost ‘shave’ a little bit off at a time. Hold the foot back like you would a horses hoof (they often need you to support their leg too) and then take tiny shavings off at a time and just keep going. It can take a bit of practice to get used to it but it does get easier. Another tip, if you are worried about hitting the quick, is to gently squeeze the nail with the clipper before you actually clip it. If you are on the quick, they usually react to the squeeze.

You’ll get used to identifying the quick on black nails. This photo is often shared on the groomer pages and can be helpful to people. In the bottom picture, the tiny black spec you can see coming through in the middle of the dark bit is the tip of the quick.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

While you are learning, try to almost ‘shave’ a little bit off at a time. Hold the foot back like you would a horses hoof (they often need you to support their leg too) and then take tiny shavings off at a time and just keep going. It can take a bit of practice to get used to it but it does get easier. Another tip, if you are worried about hitting the quick, is to gently squeeze the nail with the clipper before you actually clip it. If you are on the quick, they usually react to the squeeze.

You’ll get used to identifying the quick on black nails. This photo is often shared on the groomer pages and can be helpful to people. In the bottom picture, the tiny black spec you can see coming through in the middle of the dark bit is the tip of the quick.
View attachment 93554

Those pictures are helpful. That's what I leaned on my own...but by accidentally hitting the quick. Fortunately she forgave me (again, food driven).

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

While you are learning, try to almost ‘shave’ a little bit off at a time. Hold the foot back like you would a horses hoof (they often need you to support their leg too) and then take tiny shavings off at a time and just keep going. It can take a bit of practice to get used to it but it does get easier. Another tip, if you are worried about hitting the quick, is to gently squeeze the nail with the clipper before you actually clip it. If you are on the quick, they usually react to the squeeze.

You’ll get used to identifying the quick on black nails. This photo is often shared on the groomer pages and can be helpful to people. In the bottom picture, the tiny black spec you can see coming through in the middle of the dark bit is the tip of the quick.
View attachment 93554

Really helpful, thank you for sharing the pictures. Do you have any recommendations for clippers? We're happy to invest in decent ones to make the process as easy and comfortable for Ivy as possible.

 

[scats]

Those pictures are helpful. That's what I leaned on my own...but by accidentally hitting the quick. Fortunately she forgave me (again, food driven).

It can be literally the tiniest bit between these pictures, which is why it’s a good idea to use the shaving technique.
New groomers are often advised to aim for the middle picture while they get their confidence.
You also get used to each dogs nails. I know my regulars like the back of my hand and exactly who has long or short quicks and how far back I can go on each.
I had a Frenchie in the other day (frenchies tend to have very curled in nails and quicks that grow almost the same length, which makes them hard to do). He’s normally a bit of a pain but not too bad, but he was hysterical. On collection I told his mum that he’d been far fussier than normal and she confessed to having brought some nail clippers and promptly causing a blood fest. Even groomers hit the odd quick, particularly if a dog jumps, but it’s definitely worth leaving it to a professional if people are nervous about it. It will take a fair bit of work to get that dog trusting over his nails again.

 

[scats]

Really helpful, thank you for sharing the pictures. Do you have any recommendations for clippers? We're happy to invest in decent ones to make the process as easy and comfortable for Ivy as possible.

I like the Millers Forge ones because they are sharp and you get less of the initial ‘squeeze’ that some dogs object to. They are also good at taking off small shavings of nail.

 

[Nasicus]

Mum's mixed breed has black claws, and due to the way he's built, his front claws don't touch the ground. Top it off, he is nail-cutting phobic, so we used to get the vet to do it, but it was approaching 'we need to IV sedate him' levels.
However, my trainer tipped us onto a fantastic idea, a scratch board!
It's literally a wood board with some grip-tape stuck on, and every day we hold it up and ask him to 'scratch' on the board for a treat. Works really well for keeping his front nails in check!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

It can be literally the tiniest bit between these pictures, which is why it’s a good idea to use the shaving technique.
New groomers are often advised to aim for the middle picture while they get their confidence.
You also get used to each dogs nails. I know my regulars like the back of my hand and exactly who has long or short quicks and how far back I can go on each.
I had a Frenchie in the other day (frenchies tend to have very curled in nails and quicks that grow almost the same length, which makes them hard to do). He’s normally a bit of a pain but not too bad, but he was hysterical. On collection I told his mum that he’d been far fussier than normal and she confessed to having brought some nail clippers and promptly causing a blood fest. Even groomers hit the odd quick, particularly if a dog jumps, but it’s definitely worth leaving it to a professional if people are nervous about it. It will take a fair bit of work to get that dog trusting over his nails again.

Yes, I also use more of a shaving method too. I "know" her nails now and it's a pretty straight forward process for us.

 

[Annette4]

I'm still working on Ginny accepting me touching her feet (a stranger would be a hard no) so I just take a small am amount off every 2 weeks. They're too long but not to the point they effect her now and I'd rather she continues to trust me doing it and I can work on the rest.

 

[COldNag]

Very interesting to read this.

One of ours has really long quicks. So much so that I think it affects the way she stands (and hrr arthritis). I didnt realise that could be changed.

She has regular claw clips at the vet and I do have a dremmel type tool and standard clippers at home.

 

[Nici]

I trim our dogs’ and cats’ nails every few weeks. There is a huge difference between those animals whose nails I have snipped their whole life and the rest. @scats thank you for the brilliant photo, I will try to cut a little closer to the quick as I’m always a bit scared of cutting our mixed breed’s nails too short.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Very interesting to read this.

One of ours has really long quicks. So much so that I think it affects the way she stands (and hrr arthritis). I didnt realise that could be changed.

She has regular claw clips at the vet and I do have a dremmel type tool and standard clippers at home.

I'm not sure how accurate it is but I've been reading that some think long nails are a contributor to corns in sighthounds as it alters the way they stand/pressure on the paw pads (if I've understood correctly). We've been told the nails are okay if not touching the floor but I doubt they would stand with their nails pushing on the floor if it was uncomfortable? Makes sense they would compensate in how they stand to avoid pressure. We're finding the problem with relying on vets is they don't want to touch the nails unless they are long and I don't like keep letting them grow out so much before they can be trimmed.

 

[CrazyMare]

My greyhounds go to the vet. One is a screamer.

At £8 a dog I see it as a worthwhile investment?

I take them every 6 weeks or so. We do walk miles though. We do a morning 5-6km walk plus another later walk most days

 

[Books'n'dogs]

I saw this on social media recently and thought it was helpful, thought I'd share since the topic of nail trimming was being discussed.

 

[splashgirl45]

ive already done my 9 week old puppies nails and i will keep on top of them as he is a whippet cross...my old vet always said that sighthounds dont wear their nails down naturally as much as other breeds as they are very light on their feet. dont know how true this is but my collie cross did the same walks as my lurcher and i never had to trim her nails, but the lurcher had to be done regularly even though she covered more miles than the collie cross on the same walk..

 

[rara007]

I must be a bad owner. Mine self trim ?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Depends on foot conformation and what sort of surface they are kept/walked on. My eldest male has very tight feet and they have always worn down naturally. The middle dog has hare feet and his nails have always been an issue.

 

[skinnydipper]

Even if you were lucky enough to have a dog whose nails wore down naturally, wouldn't dew claws need trimming?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Ivy's don't really wear down enough by themselves. Even in winter when we were basically all pavement walking (heaven forbid she have to walk in any mud! ?)

 

[scats]

Even if you were lucky enough to have a dog whose nails wore down naturally, wouldn't dew claws need trimming?

Depends how much they run and make tight turns. JDs dew claws have only got long since she’s got older and no longer runs and does turns while running.

Ideally nails should be off the floor as they can affect the joints and structure of the foot. I groom several older dogs with deformed feet and toes as a result of nails not being trimmed regularly and properly over the years.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Just checked and all dew claws fine here, all quite active in terms of running/jumping, the youngest is in work. The old one with lovely feet just has stumps, like his other nails. He has quite long pasterns though so I guess they might make contact with the ground when he's at full tilt.
There have been two dogs I know who've needed long lay offs in the last year due to ripped dew claws and it's a bugger of a thing to heal. Both are owned by people who wouldn't really be mad keen on long walks/road work and prefer to exercise them through the work, which is something that has never sat well with me.