# Luc on the subway



## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Luc had an appointment at the new vet today to get his nails trimmed. Because he has dark nails and I can't see the quik, I take him in (though not often enough, because he is so anxious about it).

Because it’s supposed to thunderstorm I decided not to walk like I'd been planning (over 10k round trip)...I’d drive to the vet’s! Left with Luc, got down the hall, Neb starts howling (he has mild separation anxiety, only if the humans leave WITH Luc. If Luc is already gone it's fine). Hmmph. Go back, get Neb. Get down to parking garage...AUGH, my husband took the car because he's working a job fair in the suburbs. Go back upstairs, decide I don’t have time to get my rain gear, run to subway station in a long skirt. Luc did good running for a 13 year old, but then, it's like 500m.

Luc historically has been terrified of the subway, the stairs, the platform, the trains coming in. But...Luc does well on the subway, he was very brave. He was completely calm. I think maybe living in an apartment building and riding the elevator helped? He was fine with the tiles on the platform, wasn't bothered by the train noise, and immediately went to the door to board it, just like he would on an elevator!

Get to vet, Luc is anxious but you know, what else can you expect, especially since we took the subway. Vet tech suggested a special anxiety med for his next nail trim now that he's not on anxiety meds anymore (we didn't feel they were doing anything). 

Meanwhile, in his excitement to be at a vet, Neb has lost all of his manners (he jumped up on the receptionist when she gave him a treat) because he's beside himself with happiness...unlike Luc, Neb looooves the vet.

Leave vet, it’s raining, ugh, the vet is halfway between two fairly far apart stations, get on subway, Luc is brave again, though he spends the 4 stop ride staring at the man across the aisle. Walk home in rain without a rain jacket or poncho.

But I am very proud of how well Luc did on the subway!!!!


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## valb (Sep 2, 2004)

You tell a good story, I enjoyed reading it! Have you ever considered doing Dremel nail trims? Here's a video of my girl getting one:



https://goo.gl/xl1d11


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

valb said:


> You tell a good story, I enjoyed reading it! Have you ever considered doing Dremel nail trims? Here's a video of my girl getting one:
> 
> 
> 
> https://goo.gl/xl1d11


Lillie is so good! Aww!!!!!!

I have considered a dremmel, but I worry I'd dremmel into his quik since I can't see where it is. I trim Neb's nails (which are clear) and sometimes hit the quik (he's a bit spazzy about his feet) so I've thought that could be a good solution. It'd certainly be cheaper than taking him to the vet to get it done! How do you know where the quik is though?


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## valb (Sep 2, 2004)

It is a bit more difficult with the black nails, but someone here
several years ago taught me about looking at the very end of the
nail, and when you start to see a whitish 'crescent moon' at the
end of the nail, you stop. Kind of hard to explain. But I never need
to look at them any more, it has become more a sense of feel 
than anything else I guess. Be careful not to do each nail more than
ten seconds, they heat up and are painful. I try to do Lillie's 
once a week, and keep just taking them back a little rather than
grinding away all at once.

Added tip: Treats make it all better!

:wink2:


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

valb said:


> You tell a good story, I enjoyed reading it! Have you ever considered doing Dremel nail trims? Here's a video of my girl getting one:
> 
> 
> 
> https://goo.gl/xl1d11


You are my inspiration. I would love for mine to lie that quietly for trims.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Thanks! I might try this! I don't know how Luc would react to a dremmel. He's not foot shy, oddly enough, with us anyways. He's big on 'holding hands' (I taught him that instead of shake) and loves for me to hold and caress his foot. He might do okay with it.

Question - do you use a dremmel made specifically for pets, or a more general one?


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## valb (Sep 2, 2004)

I use the regular Dremel, I already had one for many years, it works so no need for anything more specific!


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## valb (Sep 2, 2004)

LuvShepherds said:


> You are my inspiration. I would love for mine to lie that quietly for trims.


 Ha-ha well she lies quietly NOW but early on, it was a heck of a battle. She is adopted, and so her first 2 years, I don't know what her experience was. I think she was quicked and/or she tried the yelp and pull bit and was allowed to get away with it. I tried everything, originally the guillotine nail trimmers but it was a 2 person job, me trying to do the nails, husband feeding a constant stream of high value treats. She still battled, and after a year and a half or so, I tried the Dremel again. More screaming, pulling etc. (don't know what the neighbors thought!) until I one time decided 2 swats on the muzzle, and using my deepest growliest NOOOO and she went "Holy heck, the Momma is serious" and I've had nary a peep since. It's very nice. People can't believe she runs over and lays down in the spot where we do it when she sees that little gray Dremel case come out!


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

sounds like the third world. here on the mainland only service animals are allowed on buses and subways. taxis depend on company. best to ask when ordering one.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

scarfish said:


> sounds like the third world. here on the mainland only service animals are allowed on buses and subways. taxis depend on company. best to ask when ordering one.


Here's its hard to get a taxi to take a dog. I live in Toronto though, hardly the third world. I don't believe dogs are allowed on the subway/buses/streetcars during rush hours unless service animals, but at other times it's fine.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

jarn said:


> Thanks! I might try this! I don't know how Luc would react to a dremmel. He's not foot shy, oddly enough, with us anyways. He's big on 'holding hands' (I taught him that instead of shake) and loves for me to hold and caress his foot. He might do okay with it.
> 
> Question - do you use a dremmel made specifically for pets, or a more general one?


My vet uses a regular dremel. I have pet paws or some name like that and it's flimsy. You did well on the subway. I'm impressed.


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

Here is a great article for using a dremel on your dog's nails, including instructions for desensitization to the tool, and how to tell when you're close to the quick: How to Dremel Dog Nails @ DoberDawn.com

Cassidy HATED having her nails touched and even with my husband practically sitting on her it was virtually impossible for us to trim her nails. It took me one week of working with her using the instructions on the DoberDawn page and she would roll onto her side and stay there while I dremeled all 4 feet by myself. 

One thing I really like about using a dremel vs clippers is that I actually have hit the quick a few times with the dremel, but it doesn't seem to hurt the dog, and the only way I knew I went too far was a tiny ooze of blood. No screaming, no yanking away of the paw, no gushing blood.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

@Cassidy's Mom oooh thanks! That article is great! Full of tips that wouldn't have occurred to me at all.


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

It works too, I can attest to that! The funny thing is that my husband is a general contractor and has a big industrial dremel, which was often out at jobsites, so I bought my own, like the one in the article. He took one look at it when I brought it home, laughed, and said "she'll never let you near her with that thing". And just one week later he had to eat those words, lol.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Luc did very well. Your training and hard work really show up. Congrats to you and Luc. Neb sounds like a happy pup!


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