Nail Clippers

joannaryan · #1 6th April 2012, 06:33 PM

So Toby's nails are really long and really painful when he jumps up on us and his vet is 40 mins away from where we live and as high as gas is it's just not worth a trip just to get his nails clipped.....My question is, is there anyone that can tell me a safe and sure clipper to purchases so that we can clip Toby's nails ourselves? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks Joanna

sargboxerluv · #2 6th April 2012, 07:04 PM

I use a dremmel. It's like a mini sander. Some dogs don't like the noise, the feel, the smell. So if you get one don't be surprised if you need to let him desensitize to it before you can actually use it.

My Harley could care less about it. But Titan is obsessed with trying to lick it. Which is very annoying because I have to do it alone or he gets to hyper, so I have to try to push his head away with my elbow. I'm sure it would be quite comical to see.

One nice feature is if you push hard, it slows down.

This is a great article if you do need to do the desensitization thing. How to Dremel Dog Nails @ DoberDawn.com

Gatorblu · #3 6th April 2012, 09:25 PM

I agree get a dremel! I did the clipper thing and after I clipped one too short I became nervous and that made the dogs nervous. Thor was fine with the dremel from the get go. Arabella took some time but she is fine now. And don't think you'll save money by getting the Pedipaws. It is not strong enough for a large dogs nails. Fork out the extra few bucks for the dremel.

jacquim · #4 6th April 2012, 10:16 PM

I use the JW GripSoft Deluxe nail clippers in size large. Here is a link to them:
JW Pet GripSoft Deluxe Nail Clippers at PETCO

They work really well on Raiden's thick nails. My old pair that I used for my other dog wasn't sharp enough/strong enough to get through his nails and I didn't want to risk splitting them.
I also have a dremel that I often use after I clip his nails to smooth the edges. Raiden doesn't mind the dremel but Sadie won't let me near her with it (she is very sound sensitive though). I find that sometimes the dremel takes too long though for Raiden's poor attention span. Sadie will lay nicely and let me trim her nails but Raiden tries to climb on me/lick me/jump all over me if I get to his level to do it, making it more challenging.
All of Raiden's nails are white though, and most of Sadie's are so it make it a lot easier to not risk cutting the quick. I have yet to hit their quicks when doing nail trimming.

srennie · #5 6th April 2012, 10:43 PM

I use a dremel too and love it! Hurley has never minded it and since he knows getting his nails done means a treat afterward he runs and plops himself down in front of me as soon as he sees me get it out. Darby was scared to death of it when we first got her (she was 4y/o) so it was a very slow process. I let her watch me do Hurley's nails a few times (as she hid and peeked out from behind. Soon she was watching over my shoulder. I'd treat her with Hurley each time even though I didn't do her nails. Just so she could associate the dremel with treats. I'd let her sniff it and treat....turn it on and treat, etc. Then I'd have her lay down and turn it out (not even touching her with it) and treat. Then hold it in my hand and touch my hand to her so she coudl feel the vibration and treat. Then I'd touch one toe nail for a fraction of a second and treat. Then all toes on one foot and treat. It took a few months but I could then do all of her back toes. The front ones were just scarier and it took me over 6 months to get her to just lay there while I did all 4 feet. Now she is fine. It's important to do it slowly so you can build up trust and a positive association with it. Until that happened I used a nail file that I got at Petco that worked pretty good. It was curved and fit over the nail. I HATE nail clippers of all styles.

Cami · #6 7th April 2012, 06:52 AM

We use the Dremel also. From start to finish for all four feet takes under 3 minutes.
Two people and a large spoonful of peanut butter.
Hubby holds body with one arm to keep her from moving around and the spoon with the other. I do the deed and as long as the PB is in front of her face she could care less what is going on with her feet!

boxrmommy · #7 7th April 2012, 11:09 AM

We use dremel and also take him to groomer. It cost very little if you go for nail trim - maybe $5. It is included with his bath. I swear he flirts with the girls. We started when we got him so he would get used to others touching him. Spoiled.

TwoDogs · #8 7th April 2012, 12:07 PM

I use a dremel on my guys. My little one doesn't really like it yet, so I only do a few nails with the dremel and then switch to the clippers for him. I use Miller's Forge clippers for the strength and quality of the blade.

I wouldn't recommend letting just any old groomer clip your dog's nails--especially if they are long to start. If all the groomer cares about is getting your dog in and out then they are going to wind up quicking the nail and you'll have a dog that hates getting his nails done. Make sure you tell them to take their time and that you're okay with them not getting the nail real short or getting all the feet done this time as long as it's a good experience for the dog. Let them know you'd rather come in again a week later for another trim or to get the rest of the feet.

Alot of groomers will grind the nails with a dremel for only a little bit more cost. There is much less chance of hitting the quick with a dremel because you can grind a bit at a time. Even the Petco near me offers nail grinding.

If you grind your dog's nails yourself, make sure you don't hold the dremel still for very long. Short taps to the nail are better or else you may grind too much and hit the quick or you may build up alot of friction heat.

chrystel · #9 7th April 2012, 02:57 PM

We use the pedipaw, and my boys LOVE it!!!

whiskers · #10 7th April 2012, 06:30 PM

I have these Safari clippers:
Amazon.com: Safari Professional Pet Nail Trimmer, Small/Medium: Pet Supplies

Gets the job done just fine for my dogs.

I have a dremel as well but don't use it much. My dogs don't really like it, my little gal already hates having her nails dinked with, and she really fights it when I try dremeling them. Juno tolerates it fine, but she jerks her paws more with the dremel, so for me it's easier and quicker to just clip them since she doesn't move at all for that. And then I can take my time and round them out a bit with the clipper. But sometimes after I clip them, I go over with a dremel just to smooth them out and get as close to the quick as I can.

There's really no way to guarantee you won't hit the quick, but for squirmy dogs or if I'm just unsure how close I am, then I err on the side of caution and just take a little bit off. Taking off a little bit every week is still better than nothing.

joannaryan · #11 7th April 2012, 07:00 PM

Thanks guys! A dremel it will be, and from all of the advice I will take it very slow and introduce Toby to it a little at a time until he is used to the whole ideal of me doing it and not his vet. Wish me luck

boxermom5 · #12 9th April 2012, 01:34 PM

We use clippers (large size heavy duty open jaw type - not the ones you stick the nail thru the hole) and a course nail file (the black 100 grit type one would use on gel/acrylic nails). Tenaia doesn't mind her mani/pedi at all, but my DH's dog still takes 2 of us - she hates any "beautification" routine, and all her nails are black (plus she has nasty dew claws). What she won't let me cut, I simply file the daylights out of and she is tolerant.

Oddly though, I recently dared to purchase a grooming attachment for my dyson to help with her shedding (she is a lab/border rescue) figuring there woiuld be no way in he$$ she would let me near her with it, but she doesn't seem to really mind it.