I feel so bad....

[Justicemom]

You and me both! I think a dremel is what I will ask for this Christmas.

I don't remember with my first sheltie, but do all adult dogs have black nails? Smudge still has some that are pink! Fluffy has mostly pink with a few black ones.

Nope they can have white nails ,black nails or a mix of both(striped). If the skin is pink the nails are white. If the skin is black, the nails are black. Look at the pads. You'll see black and pink and the nails are the color of the pads. Diva has a mix of black and white. Ember has striped ones and Justice mostly white.

 

[BarbV]

I hate doing the black ones.

Never tried the dremel route. April has a fear of anyone touching her front paws, so I'm not sure I'd be able to get a dremel within a foot her nails. Chelsea used to keep hers worn down with the running she did, but April, liking the couch as she does, needs them done year round.

If you do a gradual introduction to the dremmel you might get away with it.

I did it something like this (I wish I could find the first time I posted instructions because I don't remember every nuance).

Using treats and praise for every positive move

1) show her the dremmel
2) touch her body with the dremmel
3) touch her paws
4) turn it on behind your back
5) turn it on in front of her
6) turn it off, and hold dremmel against paws with a little pressure
7) turn it out and place against her body (dremmel side not touching) - it's so she can feel the vibration

...and so on.

 

[KarenCurtis]

I haven't done Sandstorms nails because we are afraid to- we cut a dogs nail too close once. If the dremmel makes a sound, Sandstorm will not go for it at all. I hate to bring him to the vet or groomer just for that, but his nails are getting long, and if he steps on my foot it can hurt. What to do?
Karen

 

[Emmasmom]

Emma has ONE black nail and the quick is long on every single nail. Even when I trim them, she still has long nails. Noah had mostly black nails, with some white one. Hamish I think had a long of while nails.

 

[wjo53]

If you do a gradual introduction to the dremmel you might get away with it.

I did it something like this (I wish I could find the first time I posted instructions because I don't remember every nuance).

Using treats and praise for every positive move

1) show her the dremmel
2) touch her body with the dremmel
3) touch her paws
4) turn it on behind your back
5) turn it on in front of her
6) turn it off, and hold dremmel against paws with a little pressure
7) turn it out and place against her body (dremmel side not touching) - it's so she can feel the vibration

...and so on.

Tjamls - Ok, Lets try that with correct finger placement. Thanks Barb. I'll try it, but she doesn't even like me touching her front paws. Pulls them away, and tucks them under, out of reach. She can play all she wants with MY feet, but when I try hers, well, they're off limits.

 

[Smudge]

Emma has ONE black nail and the quick is long on every single nail.

So are Fluffy's. Fluffy will stand still for everything except nail cutting. One time we did it and she jerked her paw away just as I was mashing down to cut it. Her paw bled the entire day. It scared me so bad I thought I would have to take her to the vet. She came home with long quick.

 

[take4roll10]

This is why trimming nails is the only thing I wont do. I take Bailey to the vet or petsmart. Luckily for me, her nails take forever to grow. Its been over two months since they were cut. I got her front nails cut on Saturday but they said there was barely anything to trim.

 

[SheepOfBlue]

Sca is a big baby about his toes being touched. On everything else he is fine and you just roll his big moose carcass around but don't touch the toes (or get the tape measure out )

To make is worse he has about 50% black nails so I am afraid of cutting them if I could (two person job)

 

[k9kreationz]

All I can say is.....I HATE Miko's nails. They are all black. Koji's are white (but 1). Howver, I still cut the quick sometimes. Koji's definitely a bleeder. I typically don't "chop" into their quick, but hit it gradually. So no yelps. Thankfully.

And per SUBU rules, they get lots of treats and hugs from me.

 

[Smudge]

I am very, very squimish when it comes to blood and gore. It doesn't bother me so much when it is me that is hurt, but it makes my toes curl to see somebody else bleed.


Right before I got Smudge, when I was still working overnights, I was in the backroom downstacking grocery from pallets onto carts. Somehow my index finger got caught on one of the carts and ripped it open. I ran into the manager's office crying and asked if I could go home. They told me I was not going home - I was going to the ER! Seven stitches later and I was sent home for the next two days.

I had just gotten my stitches taken out when Smudge came home. His "toy" of choice? My finger that was still healing. YEOWCH!


Here's my finger and Fluff's paw when I cut it too much. You may or may not be able to see the crusted blood on her pretty white paw.