# I let the nails get too long, now what?



## thaliasmom (May 3, 2007)

I am a bad doggy mom. We normally trim a bit off Puppy's nails every week or every other week, but we had a hectic few weeks and now they are _really_ long. I trimmed them today, but just a bit off the ends (of course), so they're still long.









I don't want to hurt her, but I do want the nails shorter. Will going back to a weekly schedule get enough off to trim them back again? Or should I try a bit every few days? She is super about having them done, so I don't want to ruin that by accidentally hurting her.









If it makes a difference, we have a "regular" nail trimmer, one that looks like a hedge trimmer, not a guillotine type or a dremel. Thanks in advance!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

A dremel would be nice because you could take a little off every few days with the dremel...

But if you do not have one, I would suggest trimming the ends off every three days until you have the pup where she should be nailewise.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

i actually don't care for the dremel or the hedge trimmer type... the good ol guillotine works well for me. when Gia's nails were overgrown, i did however use a dremel to get them back into shape.

basically you cut them as short as possible, then either dremel (or clip) around the nail (since the vein is in the middle) and from walking/running/hiking/playing the dog will naturally force the quick back. keep doing this method until its as short as you'd like... then just wait until you have enough of a tip again to clip them the regular way.

i hope my explanation made sense.

another option (if you're planning to have your pup fixed anytime soon) is to have a tech cut the nails back while she's under anesthesia. they'll use nitrate sticks to stop the bleeding and by the time she comes out from being under - she'll have other weird aches and feelings to think about.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

I used the dremel for Mandi's nails when I had done the same thing you had. It also seems that every few months something comes up that keeps me from doing her nails and they get a little long and I have to do the trim and dremel thing. It gets them back in shape quick, though, since they dont get TOO bad.


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## SuzyE (Apr 22, 2005)

OMG Paige hates her feet being touched and she has what I call "ghetto nails" and I am tempted to paint them with little devil decals on them lol


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## Chantell (May 29, 2009)

[email protected] ghetto nails, too funny! I am too scared to trim Chyannes nails, I bring her to the vet, my vet does them for free, and it allows me to weigh her every month.


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## thaliasmom (May 3, 2007)

Thanks gang, this is all helpful.







I really dislike long nails, so I want to get them back in shape asap! No more tickatickaticka on the floor!


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## downinthabayou (May 20, 2006)

What are "ghetto nails"?? As an black man I am offended by that term!!


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Ghetto nails?
Why would you be offended?


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

ANYWAYS, I find like a concrete walkway or something & let my dog file his own nails down.
He bites the nail clippers, so I had to find another way to keep them short.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

After clipping hundreds of nails with various clippers, these are our favorite. The blade is thin and very sharp. There isn't uncomfortable pressure or tearing. They stay sharp a long time too.


http://www.amazon.com/Millers-Forge-Pet-Nail-Clipper/dp/B0002ARUKQ


Then dremel with sandpaper drum:


http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html

If they have gotten long, you maybe do them about every four days as you work to get them back into shape.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: downinthabayouWhat are "ghetto nails"?? As an black man I am offended by that term!!


I have no idea - and I am Caucasian. But I agree with you. Any daily use term that plays on negative racial stereotypes is offensive.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Stereotyping can be offensive, indeed, so we want to avoid that. 

I think the person might be referring to the preference for rather longish nails by some. The artwork can be quite impressive.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o13/wrosesongs/Ghetto/GhettoNails27.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/24/43570456_fb88b80225.jpg


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Ugh! Not my cup of tea for "art", but hey, differences is what makes the world go 'round!


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## Vio79 (Dec 29, 2009)

I'm in the same boat with my dog...with everything that's been going on with him, we've let the nails slip, and I'm paranoid about cutting them too much and hurting him. We have a clipper, kind of like the Millers one that samba posted...but do not have a dremel. I feel like we need one just to help out. 

Can anyone recommend a dremel - and where do you get one? From what I remember, pet stores don't really carry the good ones. Are they at hardware stores??

The vet has done them twice - once with a dremel and once with the clippers. Max isn't a fan of either but will tolerate it.

I'm mad because he was knocked out this week for x-rays and I asked them to clip his nails while he was under, and they didn't! Argh!


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi Vio - if you look at the underside of a dog's nails, you will see that the pointy parts are indented underneath - "empty" if you will, then it gradually fills in until the whole nail looks solid. As long as you clip the "empty" parts, you are good! You can start with just the ends at first, until you get more comfortable with it. As you cut towards the solid parts of the nail, there will be a whitish center - this is the meat of the nail, and part of where the quick is. If you see the white parts - that is far enough. Any further could hit the quick. 

With that said - I found that some dogs nails are harder to read than others - my GSD puppy has definite hollow half-moons to guide my clipping, my mixed breed is notoriously difficult to figure out where to clip. Fortunately, is I hit the quick, which happens more often than I like to admit, I only get a dirty look from her, but she handles it well. 

I also use a dremel and LOVE it!!! It is very good for dogs that fuss a lot with regular nail clipping, they seem to tolerate it better. You can get dremels at the hardware store, use the sanding drums - NOT the grinding stones. I used the Doberman Dremel page that Samba linked to guide me in how to dremel my dogs' nails.


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## Vio79 (Dec 29, 2009)

Thanks Castlemaid









I'm going to send my hubby out to get a dremel today. I've seen the bottom of Max's nails - they look all white to me. But when I run my nail over it, it's almost like this powdery, chalky substance that comes out. Not sure if it's build-up from walking on the roads (all salty due to snow treatments) or what. Sounds like for now I need to clip just the very tips and use the dremel to shape them...and just gradually work back as others have suggested.

Should be fun!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

http://www.vomlowenherzigrottweilers.com/dremel.html is a great site about what dremel to buy and how to use it on our dogs...


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Camerafodder... and from walking/running/hiking/playing the dog will naturally force the quick back.


Not if they spend 99.9% of their time on grass - like my gang.

My guys NEVER wear down their nails naturally - I wish they would!


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