Nail Trimming

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NEVER use the "Come" command to do something a dog doesn't like !

Dremel Nail Trimming

I give my girls flax seed oil as a supplement....it is great for the heart.....terrific for the coat !!!... stops much of the shedding !!!!!........but....alas it also grows horrendous nails !
Thick as all get out.

I use the DREMEL Cordless. www.dremel.com because of it's compact hand-friendly size.
The batteries are re-chargeable and the charger comes with the unit. I personally have 2 batteries because I have 2 Danes. These batteries last for years. When you need to replace them, you can easily find them in most craft stores or art mail order catalogs.

It is quieter than other brands, and has 2 speeds. The coarse bit is louder and has
more vibration - but it takes more off faster. The stone bit is much quieter even on high.

I use:
Grinding bit # 407
Sanding sleeves # 432 Coarse ( to take off length)
Stone bits # 8153 ( to smooth surface and edges)
and # 953 ( to get into tight spots )

Start your work with coarse bands and finish with the stone bits.

I also Dremel off the rough edges on the SIDE of the toe pads....then I apply......
a product called Carmicheals Cuticle $9.95 Vermont Country Store 1-802-362-8440
......just before they go to sleep for the night.
The sides become incredibly smooth/soft ! I use this product on myself too !

On the net...I ran into an article that said...... it was ok to lightly Dremel the TOP of the nail to thin it........ I grind the nail from side to side, as opposed to grinding down the length of the nail, I then smooth the whole nail with the stone bit, and I have been doing that for quite awhile. Unfortunately...they still grow thick.
But it makes it a tad more comfortable on the foot for awhile.
........ I have just recently had good success with this.

AFTER you take length off....thin the top of the nail, not alot....but enough that YOU can see it thinner..... then as below says.....Dremel every 3 days.

I lay the dog on the couch with the head by my left hip (they put head behind me) to do front paws. Then I reverse their position, butt next to my left hip to do back paws.

Or.... I lay the dog on a lawn chair and I sit on another lawn chair perpendicular to the dog...... I get a good angle on all 4 feet...the dog gets to sun bathe!

TIP: Make sure you have some ground Cayenne Pepper handy, just in case the dog jerks and the quick bleeds. Wipe blood off, dab a bit on, bleeding stops IMMEDIATELY ! It does NOT burn.

TIP: introduce the Dremel to a new pup ASAP

TIP: to get the dog used to the noise, just leave it running (with no intention of using it), for a few nights while watching TV. You could even put treats near it for
the dog to steal !

TIP: You can use the LOW speed with the stone bit at first just to get them used to it.

TIP: Take the dog for a long walk, tire the dog out !

TIP: do their nails at MIDNIGHT ! (after the above walk) They are much calmer and tired then, the house is quiet too.

TIP: use Rescue Remedy ! to calm the dog down.

TIP: Hyper extend nail and HOLD toe as you work on each toe - this reduces the vibration for the dog.

TIP: NEVER leave the coarse bit on the nail ! It will burn.
Keep the bit moving. Tap.....tap......tap.....tap

TIP: give treat.....do nail.......treat......nail.......treat....nail...is a great way to get them used to it !!! It works ! Now....after 10 yrs. it's foot.....treat....foot...then 5 treats at the end....I leave the treat bag there for them to SEE.....they KNOW they will get one !

TIP: use the coarse grit sleeved bit to shorten...then the stone bit to smooth all the edges. It makes the nail shine.

TIP: Praise the dog the whole time - sweety baby talk will work ! Then really pile on the praise when the whole job is done ! I ask for a shake, then while holding the paw I say ''Pretty Toes ! ! !'' And I do that a couple of times with both front paws.

TIP: When you hear clicking noise as they walk.... time to do nails again !

TIP: Dremel the nails every 3 days...that will shorten the quick....eventually.

TIP: If the nails are VERY long...I use a Resco clipper to take alot of length off first...then I do the Dremel.

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......tip from another post
A little tricked learned right here on the list is to get IN a colossal crate WITH the dog and do the nails! This sure works for me. He can't figit too much and sure can't go anywhere. Gets the job done alot quicker than trying to hold him still.
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Someone has also suggested doing the nails with the dog standing up but against a wall. They concentrate on staying balanced more than what you are doing to their feet.
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Suzanne Clothier, a dog trainer/behaviorists, once said, "We ought to carry a set of nail clippers with us when we go for a walk, that way if a strange dog approaches menacingly we can whip out the clippers and threaten to cut it's nails. The dog would go off howling into the sunset."
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Something always seems to interfere with my doing ladyR's .....thunder, too much company, pool, me getting in the weeds with work......O's take me 15min to do....ladyR's take ALOT longer. Her nails are so much longer. I use the stone to smooth the entire nail surface and round off the edge .....leather furniture, ya know.
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Another suggestion that works for our Austrialian Cattle Dog who shows great
courage except in the nail trimming arena is to use a long (8-9 inch) medium
grade file (regular file you might use on wood) and file in one direction, you
can take a lot of nail off at a time and if you hold the animal's nail towards
the skin they feel less of the vibration from the file, and ergo react less.
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>Do you mind describing the bit that you use.
>Terri

It is the circumference of a Sharpie marker pen.
1/2'' diameter.
Has a screw on the flat top.
When screw is loosened, the coarse sandpaper-like sleeve can be replaced.

The smoothing stone is just that ... a stone, no sleeve.
It is 3/4'' long, 3/8 diameter, about the circumference of a pencil.
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You take a 3cc syringe.....cut off the business end.
Fill up 1cc worth of powdered Quick Stop.....pack it in there.
(not too tight, but not loose either)
Pull plunger back and pack a bit more in.

When you need to stop the bleeding on a toe nail using Quick Stop......
you pull back the plunger a bit.....ram the bleeder into the tip....
and twist syringe side to side to get good coverage....then HOLD
it in there with some pressure to allow time for the powder to do it's
thing along with the pressure.

To stop bleeding on a toe pad ... you can push the plunger up
as you are applying pressure to the bleeding area.

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Start your work with coarse bands and finish with finer grits.

" A Great Dane with short toenails is a comfortable Dane."

OTHER NAIL TRIMMING LINKS:
http://www.daystardanes.com/nailtrim.htm