Doggie Manicures

[Pam]

Once when I was in the vet's waiting room there was a dog that was there to get his nails cut. Having always had poodles and doing all of their grooming myself, which includes cutting the nails, I found that a little unusual. Maybe it's not, though, if you have another breed of dog. Anyone out there that doesn't cut their own dog's nails?

[carrie]

I am constantly in shock at how many people don't even groom their own dogs, let alone cut their nails. I'm gald it's not a Stateside "thing" as I thought it was. I find grooming and a daily body inspection (of the dog!!!!) is a major part of the bond.I could never bring myself to take any dog to the vet for a nail trim. (Actually that is a bit of a lie - I did once! We had been at the racing track and I had seen a dog that couldn't stand properly let alone run. I thought it was because the dog was so overweight - I asked my employer if he would give me £100 as a loan and he did!! I bought the dog and brought it home. In the morning when I got Danny out of the kennel it was obvious that both his wrists had been broken at some point, his front legs were about two foot apart! His nails had looped around and were penetrating the pads on his front feet. That one I took to the vet for a nail trim!! He lived as a family pet for 11 years after that with rabbits, kids, cats and the like. In case anyone is wondering - a Greyhound) Danny still came out and won a veterans race three years after he left the dog track!!

[Rottie]

I do everything myself, but I know lots of people that have big dogs that hate getting their nails clipped. It takes 3 or 4 people to hold them down, plus one to clip. Sometimes, the only place you can get that many people is at the vets or groomers.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

My Husband does all our grooming and thats no small feat doing Schnauzers, he also clips their nails and we brush them every day. They chew nylabones and we brush their teeth once a week. I don't know if that is often enough. We read in Dog World that you can use an electric tooth brush with soft bristles on their teeth and we may try that maybe that way we would do it more often if it works.

[Logan]

I almost hate to respond after reading the previous posts, but NO, I don't trim my dog's nails. During the colder months, I have no way to bathe them, so once a month I pay for a bath and they get their nails trimmed at the same time. They walk on the pavement so much that they really never get too long anyway. But I won't trim them myself. We had a bad experience cutting one too short when I was younger, and I refuse to go near them now. Sorry to be the wimp of the group. That's just what I do!!!

Logan

[aly]

Logan, there's an electric little tool that you can use to file the nails down. I have been looking around the internet for one but I can't find it yet. I forgot what they are called but I will let you know if I find any. I know people who use them because they are afraid of clipping too short. With this thing, you don't have to worry. The sound of the motor is not very loud either.

[Dixie Belle]

I never cut my dogs nails, my dad always did it. When I got married my husband took over the job. But since we got Dixie Belle, it takes two to get it done. (She is a St. Bernard) But we have never taken ours to the vet for it,

[Anja Bear]

The electric tool is called a dremel.

I grrom Anja my self. I am always amased at the caregivers of small pup who pay to have them groomed.
Anja is 128 lb and get into the tub by herself and will stand in still thur the two shampoos and the conditioner. She is a breeze to trim nails and clean ears and she get her teeth brush everynight. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

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It's not much of a tail but I love it.

[AdoreMyDogs]

I always trim Graham's nails every week. He loves to be pampered. He's a very prissy boy. Cassie is another story. I cut her nails every few weeks and she's horrible! If I had her as a young dog I would have taught her some manners while she's getting her nails done, but her last owners didn't do anything for her so she's a brat when it comes to nail trims....I DON'T let her boss me around though....if she needs her nails trimmed she's getting her nails trimmed no matter how much she fusses. She's slowly getting better, she is starting to trust me because I have not cut into her quick yet. The first few times I cut her nails I almost quit and decided to take her to the vet for a nail trim because she was so horrible. I give her lots of T.L.C., praise, I play tug-of-war with her and her favorite stuffed toy, and give her a biscut or two. It helps shen she gets so much good stuff after the dreaded nail trimmings. She's getting better http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[KYS]

I too have always trimmed my dogs nails,
and with my luck they happend to
be black. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif
Sheba hates having her nails trimmed.
Rocky wears his down on cement, so
I only have to clip his front dew claws.
If I did not groom my own dogs,
I would love to have someone else
cut their nails for me.

[ownerof3dogs]

I cut my dogs nails. KYS guess what? mine are all black too but I have never cut the quick. my dogs are very good about getting their nails clipped and getting bathed. Herc just jumps in the tub.

but I understand why people bring their dogs to the vet to get it done. I work there and some dogs are just terible. They bite and wiggle and scream and it takes how many people to get it done.

[ilovehounds]

I groom and trim my own dogs but having short haired hounds its not that much work http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

I always trim my dogs nails, Hannah loves it so much that everytime she sees me filling and painting my nails she comes over to get hers done to. She will ever go and show my parents her nails when Im finished painting them. She puts her paw and gets all happy when they say "oohh pretty nails" http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Copper is a different story, he was neglected and abused he hadn't had them done that much and doesn't like his done I need someone to help me hold him.

I don't see anything wrong with taking your dog to the vet.

And Logan I can relate with you and I understand why you wont trim your dogs nails, I had alittle accident with Hannah a coulpe weeks ago I was cutting her nails and my sisters pup came running in and Hannah jurked and I cut her nail to short. It started bleeding and I didn't know how to stop it, the vet said to put some thick cream like vasaline or cow balm on the end to stop the bleeding and wrap it up. It stopped the bleeding but everytime she went outside and walked on it alittle it would start again. It was scary but thankfully she still loves to get her nails done http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif So don't feel bad, your not a wimp http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/tongue.gif

[RachelJ]

I would love to clip the nails myself as I agree with Carrie that the daily grooming is part of the bond, but despite my best efforts and starting early, Hannah will fight with all her strength against having anything done to her feet. She gets hers done at the groomers every 6 weeks. The only time I am allowed to even touch her feet is when she gets a massage.

As Tucker doesn't go to the groomers as often as Hannah, I probably should do his in between. (I just checked his and they could use a trim.) I know I have several nail trimmers around here so I think I give it a try tonight. He had his bath yesterday and I wore myself out on that and making sure that he got combed out good so he wouldn't get any tangles.

When we do go to the Vet for any reason, he does cut their nails while they are there. It takes me holding Hannah while he does it. The groomer always says that Hannah behaves well but I wonder.

[aly]

ilovehounds: I have this styptic powder called Kwik Stop that I keep by me when I cut Shiloh's or Reece's nails. If you cut too short, you can apply this and it stops the bleeding. I have not had to use it yet but it is good to keep on hand. Its available at most pet supply stores.

[aly]

Anja Bear: Is there a specific dremel used for dog grooming or do the ones at the hardware store work? I just looked on ebay and there are a lot there.

[KYS]

Originally posted by ownerof3dogs:
I cut my dogs nails. KYS guess what? mine are all black too but I have never cut the quick. >>>>>

Oh sure rub it in. lol

[bugmom]

I am a chicken at it too! as Bug is my first dog- i have never clipped the nails of an animal before. I know i should though. I also don't know which is the best and sharpest (making the cutting quick and clean) trimmer to get. and i know if i ask the clerk i'll be pointed to the most expensive which isn't always the best. so for now , bug gets clipped at the vet or groomers.

[Pam]

I don't want anyone to think I was criticizing people who go to the vet's to have this done. It's just that it never occurred to me that people went to the vet for that sort of thing. I always think of visits there as medical (shots, etc). http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Two of my past dogs had black nails and a couple of times we clipped their nails too short and they bled. It wasn't too bad though. We used a styptic pencil and just had the dog rest for a while. If they start running around too soon the bleeding starts up again.

[nsweezie]

My dog Pugsley goes to the groomers once a month. I used to bathe her myself, but it got to be too difficult. She absolutly loves being in the bathtub, so much so that when I try to get her out she has a doggy temper tantrum.
The groomers that she goes to now do a great job. She loves going there, she is so relaxed that she actually fell asleep in their bathtub.

[nsweezie]

My dog Pugsley goes to the groomers once a month. I used to bathe her myself, but it got to be too difficult. She absolutly loves being in the bathtub, so much so that when I try to get her out she has a doggy temper tantrum.
The groomers that she goes to now do a great job. She loves going there, she is so relaxed that she actually fell asleep in their bathtub.

[Daisy's Mom]

I cut Daisy's nails myself but she hates it, and I usually have to have someone on hand to pet her and calm her while I do the cutting. Once I cut into the quick because she tried to jerk away and I felt so bad I bawled. I also used a styptic pencil and it was okay. She hated nail clipping before that, and obviously after that little incident she still hates it. It's quite a chore but I think it's worth it to save a bit of money.

[Rottie]

Originally posted by aly:
ilovehounds: I have this styptic powder called Kwik Stop that I keep by me when I cut Shiloh's or Reece's nails. If you cut too short, you can apply this and it stops the bleeding. I have not had to use it yet but it is good to keep on hand. Its available at most pet supply stores.

The Kwik Stop works wonders. But this is one of the things that you can't get the off-brand of. If you don't get name brand, it won't work. At least that's my experience.

[Dixie Belle]

To everyone that does take their pets to the vet, don't feel bad. If I wasn't married, Belle would be going to the vet too. Over a hundred pounds of dog, that is in better shape than me, is too much. Without my hubby, I could NOT do it.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Rachel, Hannah and Daisy sound like they could be twins. When my husband doesn't have time to do Daisy ( he always does Perry) we take her to a Russian groomer named Neena, she is from the old country and she calls Daisy her babie, but says sometimes not so good, don't like her feet touched and don't like her butt clipped. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[ilovehounds]

I will pick up some Kwik Stop next time I go to the pet supply store. The vet told me about that, but as a quick around the house product to use at the time the cow balm work okey.

Thanks for telling me about it, I had forgotten the name of it in the panic of things http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[BoxerLover]

I tried to cut Nikki's nails, but she hates it and pulls away, and i am afraid I am going to cut it too short or pull it. So we have our vet or groomers do it. You should have seen her the first tome at the groomers! She was so cute! She walked right in, not expecting anything, and then they picked her up and put her on one of those grooming tables, she just stood there and kept staring at me, with these huge scared brown eyes, and she picked up all of her paws willingly, not even flinching. She just stared at me, her ears flat out, you could see the shine on her beautiful velvety forehead! I love her so much! She was so good! And she is so cute! So now she goes to the groomers everytime she has to have her nails trimmed. She gets a toy everytime we go, too. She looks sort of awkward, too, this shorthair boxer comin in with all of the long haired dogs. She doesnt seem to mind though!
As for bathing and grooming, thats all done by me. I wouldnt let them touch my precious baby with those beautiful brown eyes, white flashy markings,floppy lips, and velvety brown fur for too long. Besides ,she loves getting a bath and I wash her with shampoo that smells like Pina Colada. I groom her EVERY night before bed, too, so she keeps smelling good. She is probably the most spoiled dog in all of the world, I love her so much! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

[shais_mom]

When I first got Shaianne I had to take her to the groomers for her nails, she just fought me so much I couldn't hold her. And she only charged $3. But a couple weeks ago I trimmed them myself, and even tho I got one to short, she did very good.
My sister cut her dog's nails and cot one too short(a black one) and they went thru 5 nitro sticks, to get it stopped!! My 4 year old nephew was freaking out b/c he thought mommy was killing his puppy!