I”m familiar with the dremel tool but is this a special tool or adapter just for trimming toe nails?
By Bunni, Dogasaur Blogger http://poodlejunction.com/blog
http://www.dogasaur.com/users/bunnidotcom-5364/profile.html
Dog’s nails are almost always too long and dog owners who will do anything are sometimes still hesitant to trim the dog’s nails. I was one of them and I know. I was so afraid of clipping the dogs’ nails too short. It wasn’t until three groomers in a row ”quicked” Panama that I decided to master doing their nails myself.
Here’s the theory/anatomy part of the lesson. The “quick” is a vein that runs down the center of the nail. As the nail grows longer so does the quick so if your dog’s nails are much too long you want to trim only a little bit and wait a day or two for the quick to recede to trim a little more. In this way you won’t “quick” the dog. This also allows you good training time, getting the dog used to having nails done but just a little at a time. When you’re using a dremel you can accidentally hit the quick without there being any sign of it (such as blood) but the dog might start or jump. If you’ve gone far enough for the dog to feel that discomfort stop on that nail (ideally you’ll stop before you get that far) but don’t end your session on that note. Do at least one swipe on another nail just so you end with not hurting the dog. If you use clippers you have a lot higher chance of quicking the dog and it can bleed quite a bit. You should have some bloodstop powder on hand but if you don’t, use flour or cornstarch and pack it at the end of the nail.
When trimming dog nails you have two basic options, nail clippers and nail grinders. I have found that grinding the nails does a much better job, more safely and the dogs actually mind it less than clipping assuming you have the right grinder and the right preparations.
There are grinders made specifically for dog nails but none are as good as a dremel and oddly enough even the dremel made for dog nails isn’t as good as another dremel available: The MiniMite. The MiniMite is rechargeable while the one advertised for dogs uses AA batteries. I find the rechargeable much better and it is also more powerful. You can use it on the low setting as you get used to it and for little dogs or the higher setting once you are experienced or on bigger dogs.
There are two (easy) skills that have to be mastered to do the dog’s nails. One is to know how to use the grinder. The second is to train the dog to behave for it. Regardless of how you do the dog’s nails you have to have the dog’s cooperation. This can be the biggest part of the job but once you master it, like most things, it’s easy.
Let’s start with the dog. (Even if you decide to clip nails instead of grinding the way to get the dog ready will be the same.) There is as wide a range in dogs’ reaction to having their feet handled as there are dogs. Some dogs have no problem with it at all. If you have a puppy you should be playing with their toes every day. You should put your thumb in the space between their toes on the underside of the paw and move it around. Wiggle each toe. Hold each toe as if you were going to clip the nail. If your dog is not a puppy you’ll want to see if you can do this to him but wait… first get a few treats. Use the smallest most basic treat you can find. (For us that’s Cheerios).
The size of your dog makes a difference in how you’ll do nails. I find that under 20 pounds are easiest done on my lap. Larger dogs are easier done on the floor or table. Before you ever touch a tool to the dog’s feet find your comfy way to do it.
Take your dog’s paw and give him a treat. Touch, tickle and hold his toes giving treats as you go and see just how much he’ll let you do with his toes. Don’t underestimate the power of treats here. I know one dog who will growl as if he’s going to take your face off if you touch his feet without the treats but if you use the treats and do it he’s a lamb.
When you’re ready to use the grinder there is going to be one more step the dog has to get used to and that’s the noise. Usually it is not grooming tools themselves that upset the dogs, it’s the noise they make so introduce the grinder noise with treats and touch the butt end of the grinder to the dog’s food so that the dog feels only the vibration for a start.
Once you can do all of that easily you’re ready to actually do the nails. Everything to this point may have taken 30 seconds or if the dog is really phobic about nails it could take weeks. No matter how long it takes keep in mind that every step only has to be taken once and it will be good for the rest of the dog’s life with a little reinforcement. Just don’t push the dog too hard. Take tiny steps and reward each step well.
Ready…set…wait.
Before actually doing the nails we need to take a look at the hair on the dog’s feet, around the nails. If you usually trim the feet, do that before trimming the nails. We don’t want hair to get caught in the dremel. This sounds worse than it actually is. I know because I’ve done it. Using the dog dremel or the MiniMite on low speed you will not hurt the dog if you accidentally grab his hair with the dremel. The tool will stop. It isn’t great for the tool I’m sure (although I’ve never managed to wear one out and I have 4 different sizes/speeds) but we care more about not hurting the dog. If the dog has hair that is likely to get caught, cut the cuff off a tube sock and wrap that over the dog’s paw with just the nail sticking through the cotton knit. This will give you access to the nail without worrying about the hair. I did this when I first started trimming but got experienced enough that we don’t need to do that now.
Ok, now you’re ready.
Position the dog. Hold the toe between your thumb and forefinger. This will push the nail outward. The vibration may feel strange to the dog at first (it does on your own nail too) but you will get a feel for it very quickly and so will the dog. Touch the nail to the dremel only for a second or two to start with until you get the feel of it. (Also if you are doing more than a couple of seconds you’ll want to make sure the tool isn’t getting hot.)
Stop after the first nail and see how you did. Take a deep breath. If all is well, continue. Give the dog a treat and go for the next nail.
The finished length of the nail should be shorter than most people think. There is no need to hear the dog walking on a wood floor so use this as a guide.
You see here a well done dachshund paw. It might take you a few rounds of trimming to get the nails this short, then do them approximately once a week or whenever you hear clicking.
Tags: Dogasaur, Dog Nail grooming, Grinding Dog Nails – You Can Master This
Posted in Dogasaur Bloggers | 55 Comments »
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