Do You Cut Your Dogs Nails?

[Mim]

I cut my dogs' nails and then dremel to smooth and take them that extra bit shorter. The boys' nails seem to grow slower than the girls'. Lucy, my foster, came to us with extremely long nails and whilst they are much shorter, they are still too long. She doesn't like her nails being cut. She isn't aggressive, she just squirms a lot and makes lots of noise which is offputting. For this reason I can only do a few nails at a time. Her quicks seem to be very stubborn and just will not recede!! It drives me crazy!

Only Sarge and Daina have dew claws and theirs don't get worn down on their own so need to be trimmed. I find it very awkward to cut them with nail clippers so I dremel them the whole way as it's easier.

If for some reason I couldn't cut their nails, I would take them to a groomer or vet to get them done.

Edited November 3, 2011 by Mim

[ktig]

I did my pup's for the first time this week...scared me because they are black and the last dog I did had white nails so I could see what I was doing. He was an angel though, so I don't think it'll be a problem...

[RiverStar-Aura]

I've been pretty lucky with Zeus that since I've taught him to shake hands, I used that as a way to get him used to having his nails cut. He zooms around on pavers during the day so I only have to worry about his dew claws. I get him to jump up on the work bench, tell him to sit, then say "foot" and he gives me his paw and away I go. It usually takes me about a minute or two for each claw because I'm always scared I'll cut off more than I should and hurt him, so I tend to be overly cautious of hitting the quick.

I'm also teaching Kirah the same way, however, she's got black claws so I'm even less confident with those. Although I have noticed that I can still see the quick if I look really closely -- it's just not easy as she's a puppy and is still learning to sit still to have her nails done.

I use a nice pair of Rufus and Coco nail clippers I bought from the pet aisle in Woolies. They're nice and big and sharp, which I need for Zeus as his dew claws seem quite tough.

[B-Q]

I clip all ours nails, Mac and Buster I have a cheap dremel type thing to use to round off the sharp edges but Quinn hates that stuff so hers just get clipped and then rounded off on walks.

[~*Shell*~]

I've only ever had to do Zero's front dew claws. And even then it's been maybe twice in the nearly 5 years i've had him. He's about due for it to be done again.

I do my cat's and the two birds' nails all the time. They would be nearly $20 each if i took them to the vet to have it done. Easy :D

[WreckitWhippet]

I do my own dogs, if and when they need it.

I'm also a groomer and do them as a matter of routine. I also cut nails on dogs that are not being groomed and we do a lot of those each week, in our pet supplies store. You;d be amazed at the number of people who do not know how to do it, are scared of doing it and would pay some $32 at the vets to do it for them. We charge a lot less than what the vets do and we see lots of dogs each week.

[Kavik]

I do my own dog's nails. Some of them tolerate it better than others. Kaos had to have an anaesthetic recently so I got his done while he was under to save me doing it when he is recovering as he is one of the more difficult ones to do.

[The Spotted Devil]

I trim the nails on my cats and dogs every 7-10 days. The dogs have plenty of exercise - some on hard surfaces but most on grass and both train/compete in multiple dog sports. The Dalmatian nail sits up quite high so they tend not to wear down no matter the exercise.

The cats think it's an excuse for attention, Em thinks it's an excuse for a cuddle and Ziggy (who has never liked having his legs and feet handled) thinks it's something worth putting up with for the sake of the biscuit at the end. In fact, there is often a queue when I bring the nail clippers out and it's not always an orderly one I wouldn't pay someone else to do them - I enjoy the interaction too much for a start.

Edited November 3, 2011 by The Spotted Devil

[Swizzlestick]

I do my 6 dogs usually fortnightly. All are taught to except it, so none of them mind at all.

Where I work (vet clinic) we charge $31.50 to do them.

I can't believe we charge this ridiculous price, and am embarrassed to tell clients how much it is. Us nurses often do them for free without the boss knowing.

[jacqui835]

I trim my cat's nails weekly - they seem to grow insanely fast but fortunately he loves having them trimmed and will happily lie on his back on my lap for the procedure.

My dog does a lot of running so his nails trim themselves. The dew claws also stay reasonably short but I do trim them maybe once a month. I wouldn't say my dog enjoys the experience, he will try and eat the nail clippers if we let him, but he is not worried and I can sit on the floor and make him come over and hold out the target paw.

He's a very trusting dog though and he knows I can fix his problems - for example, if he steps in an ant's nest he will rush over to me and hold up the sore paw so I can pull the ants off (little buggers always bite him), or remove bits of bark that get stuck between the pads etc.

ETA the dog that I had growing up would not let us trim him nails, he would bite if we tried so we had the vet do it. He had a lot of issues including seizures and what not, but he was a good pet and made it to 15 in the end.

Edited November 4, 2011 by jacqui835

[aussielover]

I do my 6 dogs usually fortnightly. All are taught to except it, so none of them mind at all.

Where I work (vet clinic) we charge $31.50 to do them.

I can't believe we charge this ridiculous price, and am embarrassed to tell clients how much it is. Us nurses often do them for free without the boss knowing.

LOL me too!!!

[Chris the Rebel Wolf]

I've never cut Zeke's nails in eight years. We have always done a little road walking a few times a week - there is a great abandoned road a street away we use currently - and this with being an outdoor dog sees them stay at a manageable length I would cut myself if I had to. I do bird nails all the time though, since I offer to do it for any of my customers who ask!

[LizT]

How on earth do you get away with NOT doing dew claws??? There is no way they come in contact with anything to wear them enough on my dogs. They are a must as far as trimming goes because I can't dremmel dew claws, they wobble too much.

Our local vet does claws for free to any existing client as he hates to see them neglected and some people can't do it It's really easy if you just do a bit at a time and my dogs get it done from the day I have them. Except the newborns who get it done the first week with teeny tiny human nail clippers.

Better to pay someone rather than neglect your dogs feet IMHO. I do mums dog for her as she can't do it herself. He isn't easy as he was a rescue but he's is getting better with it.

I don't know!!!!

Maybe all the "landscaping" she does She also does a lot of climbing over rocks etc

I check them regularly because I've seen the results of them grwoing too long in other peoples dogs.

We do it for free as part of a regular consult/check up or if they are having another procedure done. But I have found some people very resistant and annoyed that they have to pay for "just a nail clip"

Typically these are people whose animals are very difficult to restrain and require two people at least jsut to clip the nails!

Ah..so she's "paws on" with gardening.

[Jarvis]

Haven't done our pup yet, though he doesn't need it yet, and doesn't have dew claws. But I'm very nervous about it so think I will get the vet to do it.

Just bought some clippers so I can groom him myself, not sure why I'm so nervous about the nails. But then I hate doing my kids nails too so I guess it's no surprise about the puppy really!

[Rysup]

I rarely have to cut nails here, but they get checked when they get groomed.

At work (groomer) we charge $10 to do just nails and see quite a few people. A lot of people are scared to do them.

[Alkhe]

I rarely have to cut nails here, but they get checked when they get groomed.

At work (groomer) we charge $10 to do just nails and see quite a few people. A lot of people are scared to do them.

I'm always scared of doing it too! Though that hasn't stopped me yet - I would rather do 10 x anal glands than 1 single nail .

The one time I accidentally clipped the quick, there was blood flowing everywhere and my dog was just looking at me like 'URGH, you IDIOT'. She didn't even squeal or flinch or anything!

[Podengo]

Libby our mix breed doesn't need any of her nails cut (including dews) as they stay short by themselves, but Lottie the doberman... her nails are awful, they all grow long so quickly! I think her foot shape makes her nails look horribly long very quickly, and her nails don't touch the ground like Libby's to get worn down.

[Rysup]

I dont normally get the quick, and I do a LOT of nails at work, but the other week I did get the quick on my Lhasa girl. Stopped it easily enough with the styptic powder, then put her on the table while I did other things. She likes to rub and be a spaz on the table, well I turned back and there was blood everywhere! She was digging, and of course started the blood flow back up and it was all over her, the table.......yikes, what a mess! She had fun though!

[sas]

Yep, the Danes nails grow fast, we have to cut them every week and they don't wear them down on food paths.

I never cut quicks, I take my time and the dogs are trained to just lay down and let me do it, no matter how long it takes. The old girl has Black Quicks so I am slower doing hers. Then they all get finished with the Dremel.

Edited November 5, 2011 by MEH

[Dogsrawesome]

i only really need to do the front ones on my dog, his back nails dnt seem to grow :S