# Wow... Nail clipping!



## pugs_boy (May 14, 2010)

I just had my boys nails clipped to the tune of 87 dollars! They had to sedate him to do it because he is so hyper. Any advice on calming a dog down so I could clip his nails myself next time?


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## aimee235 (Apr 29, 2007)

Teach him to sit and shake. Or exercise him really well before hand. A tired dog is a good dog.


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## PerfectPit (Aug 2, 2010)

This might sound crazy but both my dogs will lay quietly while I clip their nails when I place a box of Mike n Ikes in front if them. They are so focused on getting one they forget what I am doing. After a couple of nails they get a couple Mike n Ikes candy. It's funny watching them chew them, before you know it the nails are clipped. They have gotten to the point now when they hear the box rattle they come a runnin'. Or you could try Bendryl prior to doing it to calm them.


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## Bully4Life (Oct 21, 2010)

What works for me is noise. My dogs HATE the sound of their nails being clipped, so a loud tv or radio does the trick.


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## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

I'm a dog groomer so i'm a nail freak, but to anyone that has a puppy with nail problems or a dog with nail problems, i am ALWAYS stressing this: repetition!!!!!!! and start young!!!! when you get a puppy, either learn how to trim nails or get them done a lot when they're young! my salon doesn't charge for clients so if you get your pup groomed (a bath, dry, ear cleaning and nail clip for the pitties) it shouldn't cost too much if you look around and some places will not charge for nails for repeat clients. i recommend once a month! my dogs get their nails trimmed like once a week since they come to work with me. they hop up on the table and i'll shave the ends off, just for repetition purposes. 

get your dog and give em a nice workout so they're tired, and play with the feet for awhile. they have to be used to getting their feet played with. also, just put the clippers out in the open, whatever, let em sniff em. it's a gradual process if your dog is super hyper or super afraid of getting it done. take it slow, talk to the dog... things like that should help. since they put him out i'm guessing they cauterized em so they're super short now, so try and keep up with it now so they don't get out of hand.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

:goodpost:

I also cheat and do nails when they are sleeping on the couch.

I train my dogs to tolerate nails being done when they are little puppies, they get them done twice a week even if they do not need them done I will just clip the tips, this repetition makes them learn it is no big deal. I am also Alpha in my house so if I put them on the couch or floor in a down and say stay they just lay there because I am in a dominant position. I also use this method when I scale their teeth, We do nails and teeth at the same time about once a month (or as needed with the nails).


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

i put my guys in my lap and cut them and hold them till they go stop fighting, eventually they don't even care, this is Tika my husky with a nail trim she hated it so much she fell asleep lol, (sorry can't get to photobucket right now, hope this works)
Pitbulls : Go Pitbull Dog Forums - Aireal's Album: the kids - Picture


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## Angie (Jul 2, 2010)

exercise like hell


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

I cut mine when they are sleeping on the couch beside us , we have never had an issue but we do start when they are young, we always play with there feet or ears when the cuddlin or laying by us I think they just get used to us handling them they dont care after awhile.


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## SapphirePB (Jul 31, 2010)

meganc66 said:


> I'm a dog groomer so i'm a nail freak, ...


meganc66,
Clip or grind? I prefer the latter except when they're extremely long (when I get lazy or so busy I can't get to them for a few months).

Oh and since you're a groomer I was wondering...
I noticed (my bully girl) Sapphire's quick grows at the same rate as her nails. Is this true for this type of breed? I'm familiar with other breeds i.e. dalmatian, Labs, border collie, dachshunds and I just trim off what has grown without having to worry about the quick.


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## purple93lowrider (Mar 25, 2008)

well i would have to agree with the previous posts of start young and be repetitive...that works for me


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

SapphirePB said:


> meganc66,
> Clip or grind? I prefer the latter except when they're extremely long (when I get lazy or so busy I can't get to them for a few months).
> 
> Oh and since you're a groomer I was wondering...
> I noticed (my bully girl) Sapphire's quick grows at the same rate as her nails. Is this true for this type of breed? I'm familiar with other breeds i.e. dalmatian, Labs, border collie, dachshunds and I just trim off what has grown without having to worry about the quick.


It has a lot to do with the dog and how they walk on their feet. Dogs who have tight feet tend to have shorter nails because they wear as they walk. If they have flatter feet then the nails do not wear down as much and you will have to trim them more often. Some dogs do have longer quicks and my male Kaos was like that and I have a few like that now. It is hard to keep them short because the quick is so long. If they get too bad you can take them to the vet and they can sedate them and cut the nails really far back and that means cutting and cauterizing the quicks to make the nails shorter. It is not a great option but some dogs have to have it done once or twice (sometimes more) during their life depending on how bad they are. I have a friend who has to have her dog done twice a year and she does cut the dogs nails but the quick grows with the nail and not much she can do but go to the vet when they get too long. UGH the few dogs I have like that are a pain to clip because I want the nails shorter but nothing I can really do.


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## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

SapphirePB said:


> meganc66,
> Clip or grind? I prefer the latter except when they're extremely long (when I get lazy or so busy I can't get to them for a few months).
> 
> Oh and since you're a groomer I was wondering...
> I noticed (my bully girl) Sapphire's quick grows at the same rate as her nails. Is this true for this type of breed? I'm familiar with other breeds i.e. dalmatian, Labs, border collie, dachshunds and I just trim off what has grown without having to worry about the quick.


pretty much since mine get done so often i will grind em a bit and it's done super fast, but at work we usually will clip and then grind them rounded so they don't scratch you to death! if you ground them the whole way instead of clipping some of it off it would probably take forever... i'm not sure, but .. seems like it, haha!

And like Lisa said, it's different for all dogs! Although I do know that all of my pugs have super long quicks and they will NOT retract and it's sooooo annoying!! Yeah, dogs like that you just do what you can and eventually I hope that they do get them cauterized because ... they just get so long. lmao. but neither of my girls are like that, so i'm not sure if it goes like that because of breed!


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## SapphirePB (Jul 31, 2010)

ah thanks for the advise.


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## Carriana (May 13, 2008)

Loki screamed like we were murdering him the first time he had his nails clipped. In fact, my husband was in the shower while I was doing it and thought I was torturing him. But now, after lots of repetition he is fine with it. They just need to get used to it.


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## Novakkennels (Jul 16, 2010)

I use a dremel to grind them...The dogs dont like it but im their boss!lol. you have to start young and not just clipping but playing with their feet to the point that they dont even notice when you grab a toe. Your breeder should have begun this for you by clipping every week and toe touching...So just keep playing with its feet and even if you dont clip maybe the dog wont have to be asleep for the vet/groomer to do it and that should make it much cheaper. Good luck!:woof:


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## n0zqh (Nov 1, 2010)

I have never had to trim nails. I walk my dog enough down the street and sidewalks her nails are always short.


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