# First Nail Clipping



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Nikki's nails need to be trimmed. I have a nail trimmer, but I'm afraid to do it myself, but I know I have to pretty soon because she won't be going to the groomer for a couple of weeks. Any good advice on trimming tiny nails? Thanks.


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

If she has white or clear nails you can probably see the quick. Try not to cut into the quick....she will scream and you will feel soooo bad! I take Sassy to the vet and have him do the nails. He is so used to seeing us for nails only he doesn't even charge us for an office visit. Just $6 for nail trim. 

I wubs Dr. McDweamy.....him are my boyfwiend. ~Sassy


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Here's a pictorial on trimming dogs nails. The major thing to remember is to try to stay away from the quick. I always have styptic powder beside me just in case I do nick it. It hurts the dog and it WILL bleed if you clip it. If you have trouble seeing the quick, you can use a flashlight underneath the nail to help locate it.



Clipping A Dog's Claws







Joy


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## jazak (Feb 12, 2008)

I was told not to use the guillotine type trimmers. I use the scissor type.


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

I just thought about this video on Expert Village which gives some tips for getting puppies used to the nail trimming.


Expert Village Video



Joy


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> Here's a pictorial on trimming dogs nails. The major thing to remember is to try to stay away from the quick. I always have styptic powder beside me just in case I do nick it. It hurts the dog and it WILL bleed if you clip it. If you have trouble seeing the quick, you can use a flashlight underneath the nail to help locate it.
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## Eli's Mom (Mar 20, 2008)

I hate it too. I'm a rookie at it but do it every week.
I figure if I take off a little every week, they won't get too long.
I started the first week I got Eli & he handles it pretty well but I HATE it,
scares me to death.
I just try to take it very slow. I know he can feel my impatience if not.
You're not alone. *hugs*


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## Gigis_Mom (Mar 14, 2008)

This post was very helpful. Thank you all.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

This is the only thing I don't do myself at home--I used to do it when he was a puppy and his nails were pink and you could see right through them. Now you can't see through and I'm scared to death to hurt him--and I'm not coordinated enough to use a flashlight and scissors at the same time. There's a pet supply store in the neighborhood that does it for $5 if you go between 8 & 9 a.m.


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## thinkpink (Sep 25, 2004)

> This is the only thing I don't do myself at home--[/B]



I'm with you on that one. I get nervous and then she gets nervous and it all goes downhill from there.


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## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

I can't do nails either. It scares me to death because Zoey won't hold still and hates to have her feet messed with. I'm just so afraid I'll hurt them. The groomer does it for me or if they need it done and I'm not going to the groomers I stop by the vets. It's much less stressful


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## newpup (Mar 19, 2008)

anyone have any tricks in keeping their furbabies still? Mali hates when I touch her paws, I got her back nails down but haven't been successful with her front ones


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## oiseaux (Feb 16, 2008)

In a well lit/sunny area, I position Uno in my lap so he's sitting on his tushie and his back is against the left side of my chest and I hold him close with my left arm to brace him. I gently touch each paw first and talk to him saying "good boy" and such. While my left hand is holding his leg/paw of interest, I was advised by the vet to wet his paws with a warm damp cloth and pull any hairs back first with it. I also look at each nail as I touch it to eyeball where the quick is. I used a guillotine cutter (Bamboo brand has one with the styptic powder included and a file (the latter doesn't work that great). When I cut, the vet showed me to hold each nail and take the difference between the quick and the tip of the nail and cut in the middle of the two. On the back of the Bamboo package it also tells you to face the blade in the direction away from the nail so it's another mm or so apart from the quick. I was able to do all four paws in about 10 minutes this way and didn't cut him in the quick once. I was so surprised he was okay with it , I actually went back on some nails to see if I could get closer and clipped a little more here and there. I also had a teeny ceramic bowl with just a few chopped pieces of carrots, apple and celery in it as a treat to reward him afterwards for good behavior.

Just so you know that was my very first time and originally I was quite nervous so I had to calm myself down before I would try it so he wouldn't sense any tension from me. I think my having the TV on helped me just to have background noise. I also had a large white towel and the styptic powder right next to us in case I ended up cutting him which, thankfully, I didn't. Next time, I may try it after his bath when gets especially sleepy.

I found the cutting much easier than I though it would be. It's the filing he doesn't like and wouldn't sit still for!  I'll have to find a better filing sander at a beauty shop since the one that came with the guillotine cutter didn't work well.


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## herculesdad (Jun 4, 2007)

I clip Hercules' nails during his bath while the conditioner is setting in. I find the wet hair also makes it easier to see the nail. And just to make sure I don't make it bleed, I always cut 2 millimeters below the quick.

Also when I play with him, I occasionally check his teeth, open his mouth and inspect his feet/nails, so he is used to being checked in this manner.


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## newpup (Mar 19, 2008)

Thanks for the tip on wetting the hair first. I think that's what gets Mali anxious expecting it to come. I tried working on her front paws today, holding her down as one of the video links above had suggested  ...Mali just wiggled and thrusted all about! Maybe it doesn't work with small dogs. But it's an improvement, I got two nails done before she wriggled away from me  I went searching in old posts, and I'm going to have to start working on her just being calm enough with me just holding her paws. I tried with her back paws first, and she laid there no problems, I counted up to 15 seconds! I praised her telling her how good she was. But then came the big test! Her front paws. Oh we wiggled all over and tried to bite me! Well she mouthed me a bit, but those little teeth hurt, I only got up to 5 seconds, but I still praised her and gave her a treat. 

Doohhh, I just realized what I did, do you think she'll get confused with me rewarding her for mouthing me and not because she let me hold on to her paws :huh: ?

OK! I just tried again, while in the middle of typing this post  she didn't try to mouth me again, but I think the bitter apple I had on my fingers probably helped. :blush: I'll just have to keep on working on it. I'll try again tomorrow, wetting her paws and see if she'll let me hold them :thumbsup:


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## oiseaux (Feb 16, 2008)

> Thanks for the tip on wetting the hair first. I think that's what gets Mali anxious expecting it to come. I tried working on her front paws today, holding her down as one of the video links above had suggested  ...Mali just wiggled and thrusted all about! Maybe it doesn't work with small dogs. But it's an improvement, I got two nails done before she wriggled away from me  I went searching in old posts, and I'm going to have to start working on her just being calm enough with me just holding her paws. I tried with her back paws first, and she laid there no problems, I counted up to 15 seconds! I praised her telling her how good she was. But then came the big test! Her front paws. Oh we wiggled all over and tried to bite me! Well she mouthed me a bit, but those little teeth hurt, I only got up to 5 seconds, but I still praised her and gave her a treat.
> 
> Doohhh, I just realized what I did, do you think she'll get confused with me rewarding her for mouthing me and not because she let me hold on to her paws :huh: ?
> 
> OK! I just tried again, while in the middle of typing this post  she didn't try to mouth me again, but I think the bitter apple I had on my fingers probably helped. :blush: I'll just have to keep on working on it. I'll try again tomorrow, wetting her paws and see if she'll let me hold them :thumbsup:[/B]


<span style="font-family:Verdana">Hi Mali's Mom - That's a good start! You'll get the hang of it soon. For now, just keep handling his paws and as herculesdad said also just check all other parts (ears, mouth, etc). Eventually he'll get used to your always handling him everywhere. I guess it helped me that I was always touching him at his paws even when he was napping. If you end up having to cut a few nails over several days if that's what it takes to start, that's okay. Don't worry about treats for now if he gets overly eager. Tons of praise can do wonders, too. I sat Uno the way that I did just to brace him and it also happens to keep his mouth further from his extended lim/paw. :biggrin: I think also watching the vet do one nail for me earlier helped me see how my boy didn't mind having his paw handled (and, of course, the vet didn't need to position him in any special way - LOL!). The vet also suggested getting a rotary nail file like the ones they use at the nail salon, but I think that's a bit much for me so I'll stick to buying a good 3 or 4-sided multi-grit nail shaper.</span>


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I let my groomer do the nails. And I take my cat and Tink to the vet and let a tech do them. 

Back in the 70's I always groomed my dog and did everything for her (Silky terrier), but as I've aged, I've gotten to be more of a chicken... :new_shocked:


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> I let my groomer do the nails. And I take my cat and Tink to the vet and let a tech do them.
> 
> Back in the 70's I always groomed my dog and did everything for her (Silky terrier), but as I've aged, I've gotten to be more of a chicken... :new_shocked:[/B]



Well, I chickened out too. She's got a groomer appt on the 22nd.....


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## gatiger40 (Jun 7, 2007)

I just saw this new thing on t.v. last night that was a new type of nail cutter for dogs. It looked like a cylinder type device that you use to roll over the nail. It said it would trim the nail in small bits and not cut the quick. Has anyone else seen this commercial for this? It looked liked it might work great, but it was one of those 29.95 type commercials so you never know.


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