Do most of you clip your dogs' toenails yourself?

[JackieMaya]

I usually have my vet clip my girls' nails, or if they get bathed when they're at the kennel.

But I'm thinking I might start doing it myself. What's the best kind of clipper to get for a virgin nail clipper? I know I have to be careful not to cut down too far or I'll get the quick. So I'll just take a little off the ends the first time. Any suggestions or recommendations?

I also used to get their long hair clipped on their feet, but tonight I cut most of the long hair off Maya's feet with a scissors (very carefully), and she was great! She has so much fun in the mud that I decided to go ahead and cut her hairy feet. Jackie's feet will be next.

[hicksstar]

Not sure on the best clippers I just got mine from the pet shop. I do my dogs myself and all behave well except Charlie. I almost have to pin her down she goes a bit silly. And she is very strong, it would help if someone helps you keep the dog carm. Good luck and the best thing to do is to get someone to show you how, Vet, groomer or someone that knows how after that as long as the dog isnt being difficult :roll: its easy. :wink:

[Pumpkin the musher]

oh yeah...... :bigcry:
Let's see, 12 dogs, 16 toenails each, 192 toenails. :o
Some of them just lay there, but a few have a real problem and it ends up being a wrestling match, with the only one coming out bloody and bruised is me. Bernie is particularily bad- I literally have to lay on him to hold him down- funny thing is, nothing "bad" has ever happened to him involving toenails, he's just a dork.
Thank dog I don't have to cut nails in the fall and winter- running keeps them short.

Hi!, I'm a dork!
[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0UQAVA4AZ3C0iRB675ibRclLBsg1Mcv*!xfk!s!yBP8f5StLzYoK5up82yReJqcD*yktyxKZ*BLO4u7OGfHlmhOJAvrMbuU7SSPNMgOheTF3CaNRGZCsJLJ1Pt2NqTokJ/bernie.jpg?dc=4675509679070232396[/img]

[Crystal]

McKenzie was always great about the nails. She would sit and hand me her paw and be all sweet.

Toby is a disaster. The first few times he did ok. He has doubled in size and now he freaks out. I got clawed on the neck and bit in the face yesterday for trying to but his nails. I can't hold him still because he tries to bite me. I may have to get hubby to help me.

[mouseatthebusstop]

only the drew claws the other ones wear down with walking

[Crystal]

hmmm I wonder if the filing would be easier with toby. I've accidently drew blood when cliping because he jerked and I cut to much. Maybe filing them would get him used to having them messed with and later on we can go back to cutting. Gotta try it!

[imported_Debbie]

Sassy is the only one that will let me clip her nails..........
Gretchen has a monthly Groomer's appt. so I've started taking the 2 Jacks with me when I pick Gretch up and they get their nails done by the Groomer.
She uses a dremel. :wink:

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes.. i clip zoeys.. never have had to clip codys thank god for some reason they stay really short.. i haven't done Strykers yet as i'm scared he as all b lack toenails..

[imported_Kat]

I have to be honest and say that I have never once clipped Meg's nails. She has always kept them well short including the dew claws when shes been running. Zoe also gets a lot of hard walking and mostly her nails are only done a few times a year.

[Guest Mutts4Me]

Sasha is a bear to do, but I try to do it myself. I also cut a couple of my cats' nails.

I would go for the scissor-type nail cutters as opposed to the guillotine-style where you have to stick the entire nail through a hole.

If their nails are big and thick, get the bigger size (they come in two sizes). If possible, though, I would reccommend getting the smaller size.

I work at a grooming salon and cut oodles of toenails a day, and I will always try the smaller ones first, even on labs. Sometimes it works, but some are too thick. Bassett Hounds always have the worst nails, though :lol: I just like the smaller ones because they're easier to manuever, and you can be more precise.

[ObedienceGrrl]

I worship my dremel!!!

[kendalyn]

I've given up doing it myself. I always get the quick when I do it. His are all black and really weird if you ask me. And when his nail starts bleeding it takes a very long time to stop. Even with styptic powder.

I take him to shampooches and have it done there.

[behle]

:o No nail clipping here. Vet has to do it. Both of our boys have nails as hard as steel and I don't have the hand strength to do the job quickly and competently.

Ben simply gathers himself together and walks away every time we have tried to get the job done. There's just no way I can restrain him long enough to complete the job. He's funny about his feet.

However, the dremel tool does sound interesting. I think it might be worth a try. :D

[Crystal]

[url]http://forum.dogomania.com/viewtopic.php?p=230918#230918[/url]

Before this topic got started I had one going in care about the same thing. Just incase anyone wants to see how the dremel works there is a terrific link in that thread. I was extremly impressed when I read it all. there is even pictures. WOW. It will blow ya away if you've never seen it. Defiently got me hooked!

[courtnek]

well, in all the years I've had Free, I've never had to clip or have her nails clipped...they dont grow or something.....Laurel,yuck..has the HUGE all black thick-as-steel nails, and I dont dare try to cut them. even with a flashiglight, you still cant see the quick and they grow like freakin' weeds!!!!!

fortunately, petco will do them fo 5.00, and they do a nice job, so I take her there.

[JackieMaya]

Well, I bought two different kinds of clippers, but haven't done any clipping yet as Maya especially has been in the dirt/mud a lot (so what's new!), so after her feet are clean I'll see if it looks like I can do it myself. I also found a great site with pictures that shows in detail how to clip the nails. Both of my girls have light-colored nails (when they're not covered in mud), so it will be easier than if they were black.

These are the two kinds of clippers I got. Anyone have preference for one or the other?

guillotine-type nail clipper:
[img]http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/shop_image/product/71b6f34ce362683fd211e49a2a9f5deb.jpg[/img]

scissor-type nail clipper:
[img]http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/shop_image/product/f48fa00d46ccd943b330966861a3f27f.jpg[/img]

[puttin510]

I have been dremeling for the past two years. My rechargeable battery decided it would not charge anymore and I was forced to used the old fashioned method. Never ever again. I dragged my husband big dremel out and I have stolen it. LOL With dremeling I have never made my babys bleed. You can get more off, and you can see where and when to stop. I love it.

[Lucky Chaos]

I'd like to use the dremel but I don't have to do the dogs nails often cause they walk/run a lot. Except for the dew claws. Chaos and Riley are fine with it, but Lucky FREAKS. I mean seriously flips out, screaming, refuses to hold still, and he's a big dog so it usually takes two people to hold him down and one to cut and even then its a challenge. When we took him to the groomers they couldn't even do it, they said he nearly choked himself. So when he went in for his eye surgery the vet did it then.

We think it was cause by our previous vet. He got his nails clipped there one day and they were extremely short when he came home and ever since then he's freaked out.

I use the scissors type, they work well.

[schippsmom]

:Dog_run:

Last time I tried to cut Re-Run's nails, he pooped. :o So needless to say I take him to Petsmart and they fight with him. A few of the girls know my car and they were kidding me last time I went in and told me they saw me coming and flipped a coin to see who would cut his nails. That's how bad Re-Run is.

It's kind of funny, you see these bigger dogs sitting very nice and there is Re-Run, muzzled and fighting for his life, all 13 pounds of him.

Not sure why he makes such a fuss, he loves his feet rubbed.

[Mutt_Lady]

I'm a chicken. I'm way too frightened that I'll cut too close and that I'll hurt K. I wouldn't be able to deal with that, I'm a suck. K goes to the groomer's when she needs to be bathed and such...

[Sharpeigirl]

Sassy is a major chore to trim, it takes 3 people 2 to holder & one to trim and the whole time she's still fighting. Zeus keeps his short from running outside.

[cece]

I trim my little pups nails with the scissor type ones. They have a little guard on one side too so the nail will butt up against it to stop it. Not sure how accurate this is though as far as not cutting into the quick. Deuce is pretty easy cause his nails are almost all white. Only 2 black ones on each paw.

[Guest Mutts4Me]

Definitely go with the scissor-style clippers. They're much easier to manuver, I think more precise as well. Professionals use them, vets and groomers alike. With white/light nails, it's not so bad, but with dark nails it's easiest to pick the foot up like a horse's, so that you can see the back of the nails; you can often see where the quick is from the back.

Schip -- Actually, the little dogs almost always put up a gigantic fuss; the big dogs are 50/50, except Huskies, which almost always struggle and cry :lol:

Courtnek -- Petco does it for $5? We (Petsmart) do it for $8! Forunately, our Petco doesn't have a Salon, so there's no competition except for a vet ;)

[Crystal]

oh great, so huskies always put up a struggle and cry. Poor me, I may never get Toby's nails clipped. Only half husky, but I'm sure he got the husky nail freak out gene. Geez, what great news to get on Monday :roll:

[drjeffrock]

Christine and I first start off by clipping Kira's toenails, then we use a dremel. We are lucky that Dex's nails stay pretty short from grinding against concrete during walks. He cant stand the dremel and wont get anywhere near it! Here is a pic of Miss Kira showing that she has had enough of the dremel. She is pretty good, lets us do it without any problems. LOL, this day though she had enough.
[img]http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d629b3127cce9bc3e1c8030e00000026108Absm7Vo4cNI[/img]