Nail Clipping

[edzbird]

Well I've never tried cutting Coco's nails. Not since I cut the quick on poor Scooby have I cut nails. Coco's are kept a reasonable length by pavement walking, but I decided I really ought to get him used to it. And he has a vet trip on Friday, I don't want to be picked up on his nails.

So this morning I lay him down with a pot of treats in front of him and showed him the cutters, touched him with the cutters, held his foot - he was looking at me like "come on mum, hurry up" - so I clipped a nail (only a tiny bit - he has black nails and I was terrified on the inside) - he wasn't a bit bothered. We carried on and did all nails on both front feet with a treat for each one. He looks "looked after" now.

Coco was so easy, I have no tips to offer anyone who is struggling. I will recommend the JW Gripsoft Deluxe Nail Clipper though. Good and sharp with a nice, positive action.

Question - if I'm trimming a tiny bit at a time, how long should I leave before trimming a bit more ?

 

[HAH]

Hurrah for Coco, what a boy! I love your description - terrified on the inside sums it up beautifully I've been trying to s-l-o-o-o-w-l-y get Kipper cool with clippers, but we're still not there yet. His daycare trimmed his nails a couple of months ago, but they're now creeping up so I need to progress the trimming practice - although like you say, pavements keep them down a bit.

I did get suckered into Amazon's Prime Day the other day and ordered a 'grinder' nail trimmer, very well reviewed so we'll see how that goes. Slowly slowly is still the name of the game...

I'm interested in your question too, as I understand that regular trimming helps the quick recede a little every time. Is this right?

 

[Heidrun]

To answer your question - it depends on the dog. Some of my dogs hardly ever need their nails clipped or filed but one needs filing every other day. Black nails can be tricky compared to white nails as you can't see the quick. I only take off tiny bits and keep looking for a change in colour and texture which tells me I'm getting closer to the quick. I also tend to take off bits from the top of the nail and the sides rather than just a straight cut across. That way the quick will recede faster.

 

[snowbunny]

I think I’m odd because I find the black nails easier than the clear ones. It’s so much more obvious when you’re getting close to the quick.
The quick will only recede if you get close to it. Trimming a little at a time is good but you need to make sure what you’re doing is worthwhile, too. Of course, in the early days you need to take it slowly with lots of reinforcement for the dog so as to not sensitise then, but this is separate to what is best for the nails themselves.

Some dogs’ quicks grow long as the nail grows and others stay short. So, when your dog is happy with grinding or clipping, you can work your way back to find where the quick is. Taking off a tiny sliver at a time, check the end of the nail. The quick has a sheath around it which is a different colour and texture to the rest of the nail, so (in a black nail) you will see quite a pronounced change as you get close. That’s where you can stop; this sheath is soft and so as the dog walks it will cause the quick to recede. Of course, if your dog’s quick is very short anyway, you don’t need to go that far, you just need to get the nails a good short length.

When clipping or grinding, you get more off by using the “alternative cut line”. Rather than cutting perpendicular to the end of the nail, you trim off the top and sides, so you are cutting more parallel to the quick. You have to wiggle about a bit to get the little slivers, especially with clippers, but it allows you to get the dog’s nails shorter much faster than using the conventional cut.

 

[kateincornwall]

Poor Nelly , I feel so guilty, we both do . She has front and back dew claws , the back ones grow at an alarming rate and so we cut them last night but cut one into the quick . She screamed and it seemed to pour with blood for ages , we felt like the worst dog parents in the world . I`ve now ordered some powder , it stops the bleed and has antiseptic properties . She is alright today thank goodness, poor lamb x

 

[HAH]

Ooh, it's horrible when that happens - you feel so utterly rotten. But she'll forgive you in a heartbeat, and hopefully the powder will put your mind at rest for the future (but I'm sure it won't happen again). I did this with Kipper a few months ago, I still feel bad when I think of it but he's forgiven me since. I doused cornflour on it which did the trick.

 

[kateincornwall]

Ooh, it's horrible when that happens - you feel so utterly rotten. But she'll forgive you in a heartbeat, and hopefully the powder will put your mind at rest for the future (but I'm sure it won't happen again). I did this with Kipper a few months ago, I still feel bad when I think of it but he's forgiven me since. I doused cornflour on it which did the trick.

Someone else told me about cornflour , must get some in xx

 

[Cath]

Oh dear Kate, never mind I am sure she will be alright Like @HAH said she will forgive you xx

 

[Stacia]

@kateincornwall, I did this with Rourke and it wouldn't stop bleeding, I had to bandage it up and was quite sure I would find a 'bled out' dog dead the next morning! Poor wee Nelly, but she is over it now, you are the one suffering