[tabelmabel]

Snap! Exactly the same as mine - that is SG's recommended beginner one - she also uses a branded dremmel dremmel.

Jo told me you had a new dog last summer i think. I cant remember. This year has been a bit of a blur. I think i did know. Maybe.

 

[O2.0]

Snap! Exactly the same as mine - that is SG's recommended beginner one - she also uses a branded dremmel dremmel.

Jo told me you had a new dog last summer i think. I cant remember. This year has been a bit of a blur. I think i did know. Maybe.

I just re-read her nail blog and yup, that's exactly the one I got. The diamond tip is nice too. I did buy a diamond tip for my dremel years ago for the danes because I was having to change sandpaper after two toes. Plus the sandpaper gets a lot hotter than the diamond tip does.

Nail blog post for anyone who hasn't seen it:
https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2013/08/cutting-your-dogs-nails-how-important-is-it-really/
The video is well worth a watch. She's very right about old dogs, Bates nails at times have been longer than I would like and it absolutely makes a difference in how much he's willing to do and even where he's willing to walk. I know it's time for nails when he starts getting reluctant to cross the stream or walk on the gravel driveway.

And yup, have a new dog, a little swamp rat meth puppy thing we found on the side of the road and I spent about a week getting close enough so I could finally catch her. She's a hot mess as the kids would say, but she's a ton of fun too

 

[Beth78]

The new dremel came!! Well, it came yesterday and I had to charge it. Today I used it.
OMG!!! The right tool for the job makes a massive difference. It took me half as long to dremel Bates this afternoon. Fastest job yet.

This is the dremel I got and it's got enough power to grind though Bates super tough nails and the lower speed was fine for Penny. I even managed a few toes on her. It's as quiet as an electric toothbrush. She didn't mind the noise at all. And if she is busy eating I can get a few touches in before she even notices.
Yay!!

Bates nails today after a quick dremel.
Front feet:
View attachment 464080

Rear feet:
In this first photo below, you can really see how even when he leans forward to shift his weight, his nails clear the ground well, and all of his toe pad can make contact with the ground without interference. For old guys who don't have the best balance anyway, that's so important.
View attachment 464081

View attachment 464082

I see, very good. I will strive to get Whisps like that.

 

[tabelmabel]

I've done well with murphy's back ones. I cant say he is that comfortable with having it done. We just went for the distraction technique. I have been at his front ones but he is not as willing on those and pulled away so they need another go.

Tilly is going to be a tricky customer. She is ok with ears and mouth inspection. But her feet and bottom end are super sensitive. If she gets and brambles or anything stuck in her butt hair when walking, she wont let me pull them out; she has to bite them out herself. I should have started on this years ago. But she is still only 3 so there is time yet hopefully.

I keep looking at her nails now though and want them lopped off but im going to have to keep calm and slowly slowly. The only way with tilly is going to be getting her on side. Im not going to risk any distraction techniques. Im sticking to working on getting her relaxed with handling.

 

[O2.0]

I see, very good. I will strive to get Whisps like that.

If you're starting with really long nails that put pressure on her toes when she's standing I would take @Sarah H advice and maybe see if your vet can help you get them knocked back enough to take some pressure off.
Once they're shorter, Whisp will probably be less fussy about having her feet messed with because the toes themselves won't be as sore.

 

[Beth78]

If you're starting with really long nails that put pressure on her toes when she's standing I would take @Sarah H advice and maybe see if your vet can help you get them knocked back enough to take some pressure off.
Once they're shorter, Whisp will probably be less fussy about having her feet messed with because the toes themselves won't be as sore.

D'you think this is a vet job?

Shes absolutely fine with the nail grinder and the odd treat, so hopefully if a vet can clip them I can just maintain their shortness.

 

[tabelmabel]

If she is fine with the grinder @Beth78 - just grind them shorter. Some of murphy's were pretty long but the grinder is pretty effective if you kind of rotate your hand in a back and forth arch as you go over the nail top.

I have got murphy's back ones really good over about 3 sessions.

It's trusting your vet too isnt it - im pretty sure my vet would just go right to murph with the clipper and he'd come out set right back.(as in nail clipper terror!)

How sedated are they at the vet @Sarah H - could that work for Tilly?

I think she would need a full knock out. She would fight with all her might.

Is whisp good and chilled at the vet, beth?

 

[Beth78]

If she is fine with the grinder @Beth78 - just grind them shorter. Some of murphy's were pretty long but the grinder is pretty effective if you kind of rotate your hand in a back and forth arch as you go over the nail top.

I have got murphy's back ones really good over about 3 sessions.

It's trusting your vet too isnt it - im pretty sure my vet would just go right to murph with the clipper and he'd come out set right back.(as in nail clipper terror!)

How sedated are they at the vet @Sarah H - could that work for Tilly?

I think she would need a full knock out. She would fight with all her might.

Is whisp good and chilled at the vet, beth?

Yes I grind her nails twice a week, maybe I just need to do it every day as they are still long.

Whisp is ok at the vets, the only trouble she has had was the cut quick which she squealed at the vet for.

 

[O2.0]

Shes absolutely fine with the nail grinder and the odd treat,

That's great!
Your other posts on here made me think she wouldn't even let you touch her paws, but if she's fine with the grinder, keep grinding.
When she stands are the nails off the ground?

 

[Beth78]

That's great!
Your other posts on here made me think she wouldn't even let you touch her paws, but if she's fine with the grinder, keep grinding.
When she stands are the nails off the ground?

Yeah just about off the ground, looking at her quick on her 1 light nail the claw is about 1mm off the quick so I dont know how much shorter they will actually go.

But will change to daily trimmings and see how we go.
Yeah she will let you do anything with her feet, massage, wash, grind, but once the clippers come out she freaks.

Sorry if I offended you back there by the way, I haven't and wont read it back but think I was in a "weird" mood back there.
So yeah, no offense meant.

 

[StormyThai]

But will change to daily trimmings and see how we go.

Sorry to butt in, but thought I'd mention that to get the quick to recede you want to do the nails every 3 or 4 days and you will want to use the alternative cut line https://www.positivedoghusbandry.com/alternative-cut-line

 

[O2.0]

Yeah she will let you do anything with her feet, massage, wash, grind, but once the clippers come out she freaks.

Oh okay I totally misunderstood then. It sounded like she wouldn't let you touch her feet which is why I suggested a sedation and knocking them back so you can start fresh.

A lot of dogs don't like clippers. They squeeze even if you keep them very sharp, they can make a loud noise, and they're really just not as comfortable as a grinder. I've spent years telling people who's dogs hate clippers to try a dremel and they think I'm crazy because surely if the dog hates the clippers they'll really hate the dremel but IME, that's usually not the case. I think the dremel can actually feel good if you stabilize the toe enough, kind of like a gentle stimulation, get the blood flowing.

Anyway, yes, I would put the clippers away and just use the grinder with her.
To help the quick recede more, try grinding them at an angle. I've tried to mark on your photo, I hope it makes sense.
All the white nail shell on the underside can go, grind that all off. Then on the top you can angle it a little too, but if you get that bottom stuff off, it will help the quick recede, and the next time you can knock more off.

I wouldn't grind her nails every day, give them at least 3 days between grinding for that quick to move back. You'll know she's ready for another session when you look at her nails and see the pulpy part inside the outer shell has dried up some and it makes the shell look like it's longer, knock the shell back again so the pulp is exposed and then wait for the pulp to dry up and recede. The quick is inside the pulpy part so if the pulp is moving back, the quick will too

 

[Beth78]

Sorry to butt in, but thought I'd mention that to get the quick to recede you want to do the nails every 3 or 4 days and you will want to use the alternative cut line https://www.positivedoghusbandry.com/alternative-cut-line

Sorry I cant look at the photos as I'm not on facebook

 

[StormyThai]

Sorry I cant look at the photos as I'm not on facebook

If you google alternative cut line there will be plenty of resources for you to check out

 

[tabelmabel]

Sorry to butt in, but thought I'd mention that to get the quick to recede you want to do the nails every 3 or 4 days and you will want to use the alternative cut line

Is that better than daily then to get the blood receding? Im not on facebook either.

Edit - just seen o2s post subsequent to reading yours so i see the 3 to 4 day thing is better, thank you

 

[tabelmabel]

Major progress with tilly today. For the first time she was able to lie in her position with her head down and be stroked all over, including right down each leg to all paws!!!

That is massive for her! I cant say she was floppy and jelly like relaxed but i think she was starting to enjoy it! I cant believe how far we have come just in a few days.

Still miles to go of course but that was the best by far just now

 

[tabelmabel]

Lols - i think murph is trying to tell me he is ready for that front paw:

Murphs' nose was well out of joint when till cracked what he already finds easy.

So now he has his front foot over mine with his nails proferred ready for grinding!

He always had to go one better than Till. Such a show off!

 

[tabelmabel]

Success with murphs!! He is silent now on the kitchen floor! It's so weird to see him walking about with no tip tapping at all.

He will feel so much better for that, im sure.

 

[Sarah H]

They look fab @Beth78 , in an older pic somewhere they looked really long, but if they're like that I'd just grind them every few days as suggested (no point doing too often as you won't give the quick time to recede).

@tabelmabel I think it would depend on the dog as to how much sedative they would need? Some might be OK lightly dozing whereas others would need to be knocked out. If you are making progress I'd not worry about it for now, but it's something I'd think about if you think it's going to be an issue.

 

[tabelmabel]

Thanks @Sarah H - i think tills would need fully knocked out. Im really encouraged by her progress today so who knows, though it seems impossible right now, she might well one day love her nail trims!