# Show me how short you keep your GSD's nails



## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

How long or short are your GSD's nails?

I do my best to keep Hans's nails clipped, but I think they could be shorter. I am thinking of clipping more often to get the quick to retreat. 

Here is Hans's freshly clipped paw.
I can't seem to get that "pinky" nail short enough, because he won't let me cut it shorter. Is it supposed to be?

How short do you keep your dog's nails?
Would love to see your pics.


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

I would actually love to see pictures as well. I am trying to learn to trim his nails, the way they clipped him at the vets office is very different from what I would do at home. Not sure what they used but it almost has an angle to it.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Revised first post with a pic


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

I will post a pic on Friday, we are going to get the vet trim one last time. But Z's pinky nail is longer on both front and back and I think it is also the way he steps on it that it makes it look longer.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

That's where I keep Lisl's trimmed. She due now for a trim. I do it about every other week.

They are just short enough that they are barely visible through the fur on her toes.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

MichaelE said:


> That's where I keep Lisl's trimmed. She due now for a trim. I do it about every other week.
> 
> They are just short enough that they are barely visible through the fur on her toes.


Michael, how about the pinky?


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## Pooky44 (Feb 10, 2013)

I get my dog's nails clipped monthly. These were done last week.
Same dog, 2 different views.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

Sunflowers said:


> Michael, how about the pinky?


May just a wee bit shorter than Han's, but that one is more visible *than* the others.

The Dremel trimmer does a much nicer job of rounding the edges *than* a clipper will


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

Unfortunately, Duke's original owner did not care for his nails well.... so they are extremely long, and so is the quick. But there's nothing I can do until we put him out and have them "quicked" which I hate the thought of doing.... then again, I'm worried of his getting his nail caught and breaking his toe. So I probably should do it.

Storm's I keep as short as I can.... but her patience runs thin when it's nail time. So sometimes we have to do burst sessions.

I have to actually do them sometime this week.... I'll try to remember to take pictures.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I use a dremel. If it's been awhile and the nails are really long I'll take the tip off with clippers before starting. Halo (this is what I aim for, but don't always succeed!










This was Dena:










And Keefer:


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

Woah Cassidy's Mom that's great! I use a dremel too, but always afraid of the quick so I just dremel until the nails are flat (the tips pretty much) then I just round them off... that's very cool though, because I bet you don't have to dremel nearly as much as I do... How do you get them that short? A little at a time? When do you stop? I suppose you have to dremel the quick just a tad every time to make it retract right? Did you ever cause bleeding from dremel?

I know I just blasted you with a torrent of questions, so feel free to answer just a few or only one


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

Can you guys post a link to what dremel you use or what tip? I have a nice dremel tool, but not sure what to use for the nails.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

No problem. 

IF I do it every 2 weeks it doesn't take that long to get the nails to that point. Unfortunately, I've been lazy about it for awhile and sometimes I don't get around to it for a month or two. Still, I can usually get them almost that short in one session. Sometimes I run out of charge (I use the cordless Mini-Mite and have 2 batteries) before I get them as short as I like, mostly because Keefer's nails grow extremely fast and are as hard as rocks! I stop when I start to see a half moon shape in the middle of the nail. 

I have quicked a nail with the dremel before, but only a couple of times. It doesn't hurt like clippers do, and it won't gush blood either, the heat of the tool seems to cauterize it to an extent. Instead of a yelp and the paw yanked out of my hand like when I quicked a nail using clippers, they don't even seem to notice, and I'll spot a tiny ooze of blood. 

With Cassidy, who had really long nails with long quicks because she was so horrid about having her nails clipped, I spent about a week desensitizing her to the tool, and at first I took a little off every 3 or 4 days until I got them where I wanted them. With regular maintenance it shouldn't be nearly that much of a chore. These were the instructions I used: How to Dremel Dog Nails @ DoberDawn.com

The last time I did nails I wasn't able to get them down far enough in one session that Keef's nails no longer clacked on the hardwood floor, so I did a followup a week later to finish the job. I really need to stay on top of it, it's so much faster if I don't procrastinate!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Neko said:


> Can you guys post a link to what dremel you use or what tip? I have a nice dremel tool, but not sure what to use for the nails.


See the link in my previous post.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Frag had been staying with his other owner for a few months and his nails got ridiculous. So I've been working on them and this is where they're at...


Frag toes by DJetzel, on Flickr

I try to keep Recon's a lot shorter... 


Neat Feet by DJetzel, on Flickr



TrickyShepherd said:


> Unfortunately, Duke's original owner did not care for his nails well.... so they are extremely long, and so is the quick. But there's nothing I can do until we put him out and have them "quicked" which I hate the thought of doing.... then again, I'm worried of his getting his nail caught and breaking his toe. So I probably should do it.


You don't have to put the dog under and quick them. You can work the quick back in a few short weeks trimming/dremelling often.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

Cool idea!


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## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

wow all of your dogs nails are so short! I'm afraid to cut bubbles nails that short. but at least bubbles gets blue nail polish


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> See the link in my previous post.


haha we posted 1 min apart!


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

DJEtzel said:


> You don't have to put the dog under and quick them. You can work the quick back in a few short weeks trimming/dremelling often.


Already attempted that when I got him. Didn't recede fast enough, or not at all (couldn't tell which).... I tried for months. Dog got tired of it, and so did I. 

I would try again, but it's too stressful for him, and with his medical issues at the moment I have to be careful how much stress I put him through. He's already got to go under for some more x-rays.... so it's not like we'd put him under just for that. That's the best way I can do it for him with as little stress as possible.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> I use a dremel. If it's been awhile and the nails are really long I'll take the tip off with clippers before starting. Halo (this is what I aim for, but don't always succeed!


These look amputated and very unnatural to me. I like for them to have some nails. They have them for a reason.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

My guys keep their nails short by running around outside. If they start to get long in the winter they use a nail board.


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## Pooky44 (Feb 10, 2013)

wolfy dog said:


> I like for them to have some nails. They have them for a reason.


Agreed


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

wolfy dog said:


> These look amputated and very unnatural to me. I like for them to have some nails. They have them for a reason.


Keep in mind that my dogs are longcoats, so they have more hair on their paws than a regular stock coat does, making it look like their nails are shorter than they actually are. I'm always surprised when I go to dremel them and push the fur back away from the nail - they're usually a LOT longer than I thought they were!


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

Fresh trim for Lisl. That second one on the right is a little long. I may go over it again. The main thing for me is that they need to be smooth with no sharp edges to cut me.


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

I do Bear's nails every other week at the groomers.
I still think they look long, but they insist that they take them down as far as they can. 
I swear his nails grow faster than mine :wild:


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

I did all 3 tonight and remembered to get the pictures...

Here is Duke's nails.... as you can see, they are still long, which is what I explained before. This is almost down to the quick. He was losing patience. 









Zira's.... her nails are usually shorter, but she was so bad today during this. They are not clicking on the floor though, so I'm happy.









And Storm's.... I keep her really short. (She has pencil toe markings.... so it's a bit hard to see where her nails are.)


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## Rallhaus (May 17, 2011)

When I notice the clicking sound on the floor, I trim nails. As long as then don't "click", I don't trim.


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