Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 4:05 pm Post subject: Nail clipping
Does anyone have any tips for me on nail clipping?
I've just bought a guillotine clipper.
I've read an article about judging the length that needs clipping by looking at the dew claw.
Problem is his dew claws were removed along with a few other claws after being abused by a previous owner.
Im not sure if he will even let me do it yet as hes not keen on having his paws touched. Im going to give it a go as id rather he see someone he knows doing it rather than taking him somewhere and having a 'stranger' do it. If he gets too upset ill have to stop though.
Does anyone have any tips on clipping?
Any do's or don'ts?
I found the best way with black labs is to look from the underside of the nail. You should be able to see an overhang from the actual quick. So, you know how far you can clip without cutting the quick.
As for tips on how to get a nice calm dog that holds their paw up for you to do it... best of luck!!
Clipping claws is something it took me years to get to grips with for Charlie. I now try to clip off a little bit myself every two or three weeks, but it still unnerves me - he has very long quicks, and I am paranoid I am going to cut one. The quick is pink part inside the claw, and if cut it can be painful for the dog (not to mention bleeding profusely).
I can't see how the length of the dew claw would be any guide. It grows longer than any of the others anyway because it is not in contact with the ground. It has to be cut because it can grow round and eventually start to dig into the dog's leg.
Try to have the feet pretty clean so that there is no mud clogging up the claw and stopping you from seeing the quick. Once you are confident you can see the quick and will not cut it, begin by just taking a little bit off the end off each claw. Do this each week or two to build up both your confidence and Diesel's.
Good luck. It is worthwhile when you start to manage it.
Incidentally, I have never mastered cutting my cocker spaniel's claws. She has black quicks and black claws. I have the groomer do her, as I am too chicken myself. I can do Charlie at a push though.
Oh, and by the way, I have ended up muzzling Charlie when I am clipping him, because he tries to lick the clippers whilst I am using them. That makes me scared about accidentally clipping his tongue if he butts in at the wrong moment.
Good luck again, and well done for being willing to try yourself.
Well i wont be doing that again!
The first one was fine he was really good. He was getting lots of cuddles from OH while i had his foot.
The second one went wrong He moved his leg at the last min and i nipped him!
It bleed for a few seconds. I cant believe i cut him. I stopped straight away and will not be doing it again.
Hes fine now and its stopped bleeding. I feel so guilty
It happens to us all sometime or another. I used to have the vet's nurse do Charlie. Normally it went fine, but on one occasion she clipped him too.
I did it in a minor way a few months back, and don't know how because I could see I had not clipped near the quick. Charlie actually did not seem to have noticed, which was fortunate.
Walking, especially on hard surfaces such as tarmac or concrete, keeps them down for some dogs, but others just seem to grow too much anyway. Charlie seems to be one from the latter category, and with the growth his quicks have also extended themselves a lot.
Topsy, by contrast, is a much smaller dog, yet hers seem to remain relatively OK.
I don't know about health problems but i've had Diesel a year and this is the first time i've thought he needed them doing.
Diesel does lots of walking on grass and in woods so they don't file down easily. I think pavement walking helps keeps them filed down well, so i've heard.
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He moved his leg at the last min and i nipped him! 
