# another nail question



## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

Ava has always had issues with her nails being clipped and then just before we moved I took her to someone and they quicked her pretty bad and it became almost impossible to touch them. I have been working with her for months now, and now have her to the point where I can trim them easily (she still doesnt like it, but she allows it without having a meltdown)

The problem I am having now is they got too long while I was working with her on accepting handling again. I have been trimmining them a couple times a week trying to get them back to where they should be but the quick doesnt seem to be shrinking back so that I can get them shorter. 

Am I wrong in thinking that with regular trimming the quick is supposed to shrink back? Is there something else I can try?


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

With regular trimming they should start to shrink back, but the other thing that helps is filing. If you can use a dremel, or even a nail file every day it will help with her foot sensitivity and also help to get the quick t recede.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

I do use a dremmel after the trim to smooth up edges, Do you think if I use the dremmel daily that would help in between the nail trims?


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Why are you using both a clipper and the grinder? If she handles the grinder fine, I would use that and only that once a week as you can get a much closer trim without hitting the quick. It sounds like you are not trimming as much as you should if the toes are still too long. If you are not sure of yourself and afraid you are too close, you can try and grind back as far as you can comfortably go and then grind off just the outside shell of the nail, leaving the soft inner part. This leaves it exposed and will back up the quick very quickly.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

She really doesnt like the dremel at all, so I can still only do very short sessions with it right now. (which is why I was only using it to touch up edges) I'm trying to get her to the point where she is completely relaxed while working on her feet with either the clippers or the dremel so I didnt want to push too hard too fast. But I will start stepping up the use of the dremel.


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

Have you tried giving her a treat every time you touch her nails? It might help her to understand that this can be a positive experience.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

yes, that is how we got to the point we are now. We started with just handling the paws and rewarding, then touching with clippers or dremel, reward, small tip on one claw, reward... etc.... She has come a long long way in the past few months. But in the process (and we are not all the way there yet) her nails have gotten longer than they should. Honestly, I dont know what all happened at that groomers. All I know for sure is that while she didnt like her nails done before, she would accept it, but afterwards, she didnt want anyone to even look at her paws very hard. So, I will not trust her feet to someone else again, and will continue to work them back to where they need to be. I guess I just thought I would be closer by now.


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## pinkanml (Sep 3, 2007)

I've found that smaller sized nail clippers with thinner blades are able to kinda "shave" the nail in thin slices, so you can get pretty close to the quick with them.

I had this cheap small/med size one from Petsmart when Nico was a pup and it lasted me until a few months ago. That thing could shave the nail like cold butter, and I always got remarks on how short his nails were. 

Sasha's are a different story, she has really resistant quicks and her nails were long when I got her a couple years ago. They're still longer than I like, but off the floor. I got them back by cutting as close as possible (using multiple thin cuts) and then beveling the edges by cutting the sharp angles off. That kinda exposed the interior like mentioned above with the dremel.

Figures I went ahead and bought a med/large clipper the other day and quicked her bad for the first time ever. I'm going to donate it to the daycare and go buy a smaller one, or probably a dremel.

How close are you getting, can you start to see that black central dot in the nail? Also maybe just hand filing would work if she hates the dremel.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

Do you have a pic or a web site where you got your clippers Jessica? I bought new ones, that are much sharper than the the others, which helped a lot, but if I could find an even sharper set I'm sure it would be better still. I do try to shave off and just take a little at a time and I do get it down to that dot, I get close, and have actually quicked her slightly myself on accident (fortunately it was not enough that she even noticed herself). Since I'm doing this a couple times a week right now, there isnt much to take off each time anyway so I've been trying to be careful. I will pick up a hand file the next time we are out at the pet store, that may be the best way to go. Ava's nails are not touching the floor when she stands, but she still has a pretty good clipping sound when she walks on the tile and wood floors. 

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by exposing the interior. Do you file the underside and the edges to do that?


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## pinkanml (Sep 3, 2007)

I bought the clippers at Petsmart and they were just the generic black handled brand. When I went back to get another pair, they had changed to ones with blue handles and they were completely different









To expose the outside, rather than clipping straight across the nail, with the clipper flush against, I would tilt the clipper to catch the edge on an oblique plane and cut the corners away from the middle (if that makes any sense) on the left and right, which left a little point at the top that I'd trim off too.

I will have to post pics later, though it will be hard to do it with these stupid clunky ones I have now.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

Thanks so much Jessica!!


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## pinkanml (Sep 3, 2007)

You're welcome, I really hope that awful explanation helped


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