# I'm the worst nail cutter/mom ever!



## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I am just so terrible at cutting nails! I'm just awful. I tried to do it this afternoon since it has been so long since he has had it done and his nails are getting so long (a friend did it the last time).

I thought I was being so careful and barely getting any nail, trying to be better safe than sorry, but the second I press down poor Riley lets out a painful yelp and sure enough, he is bleeding.

I feel terrible! Poor guy was so sweet and trusting by letting me cut his nail and on the very first nail I hurt him. Now he is licking it. 

I gave him a bunch of cheese though because I felt so bad (being as overprotective as I am, I was borderline crying), and he seems to think that all is well in the world.

I am never cutting nails again!!


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

Aww! Its okay  This is exactly why I don't cut Joey's nails though lol! Big hugs to you and Ry.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

Have you tried to dremel his nails? I was feeling the same way you are now, when I hit Tess as a pup with that awful clipper. It took me quite a while to get her accustomed to the dremel, because she was basically against anything, anyone touching her feet, but in the end I succeeded. It only takes me a minute to dremel her nails now, and she is alright with it. Lots of treats after every paw, of course. I didn't even start clipping Liza's nails, used the dremel straight away. She tolerates it a lot better than Tess at that age!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Don't beat yourself up Val. We have all done this, TRUST me. It happens. The trick is to do it on a regular weekly schedule so you both get used to it. 
Now if you really want to hear a story worthy of a self beating, I'll tell you about the time I trimmed Oriana's tail just a LITTLE to close. :doh:


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I quicked our dear girl Polly once and it took me 20 years to get over it. Now I used a technic that prevents me from taking off too much at once.

I hold the nail between my thumb nail and index finger nail creating a 'block' so the clippers can't go farther toward the quick. After I clip, if the nail looks light colored and dry, I move my finger nails back just a tad and clip again. I don't do more than 2 clips.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I cut Molly's quick on the first nail when she was about 10 weeks old. I felt terrible too, and gave her a bunch of peanut butter and then she had the worst diarrhea to date for two days. I just kept making it worse! I hope the two of you feel better in no time


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

The first time we attempted to clip Bayne's nails we ended up rushing him into the vet, thank goodness they had an opening, on a Saturday to boot. We had nipped three of his nails and they just wouldn't stop bleeding. The thing was Bayne didn't even yelp at any sign of pain, he just started licking and licking and licking.. We put styptic on it but they just wouldn't stop. From now on we'll pay the $18 to have his nails done, last vet visit he didn't need them since he digs so much in his kennel. I'll let him dig to his heart content just so we don't have to do his nails. LOL


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

I learned method this from my groomer that was at my shop. She had been grooming for over 40 years and had never quicked a dog after learning this method. 

If the dog doesn't want to be dremeled, (I can't dremel because I can't stand the smell :yuck, and needs to have clippers used, get the kind that shaves the nail bit by bit. I use Millers Forge with the orange handle, (recommended by a member here). If the nails are black, keep shaving until you see a shiny black dot in the center of the nail bed. That is the very tip of the quick. Stop at that point or you can go a tiny bit more until it just nicks the quick. It won't bleed but a tiny speck of blood. 

If you trim them this way, you will never quick him again. I've taught it to a ton of customers and it has never failed.

If the nails are lighter colored no worries because you'll be able to see the quick.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Ifind if i do them more often,and just take a little bit off each time, it goes well, EXCEPT,for our lab,black nails cannot do hers,very often.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I can cut Buddy and the cats nails- No problem but the yorkies- Heck no! They are wirly little Buggers 2 people is a must. Even the groomer has issues with them.

It happens to everyone.


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

kwhit said:


> I learned method this from my groomer that was at my shop. She had been grooming for over 40 years and had never quicked a dog after learning this method.
> 
> If the dog doesn't want to be dremeled, (I can't dremel because I can't stand the smell :yuck, and needs to have clippers used, get the kind that shaves the nail bit by bit. I use Millers Forge with the orange handle, (recommended by a member here). If the nails are black, keep shaving until you see a shiny black dot in the center of the nail bed. That is the very tip of the quick. Stop at that point or you can go a tiny bit more until it just nicks the quick. It won't bleed but a tiny speck of blood.
> 
> ...


You make it sound so easy LOL Bayne has black nails so impossible to see the quick. At least if his nails get long enough I can hear if he goes into the kitchen and keep an eye out. LOL


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Deb_Bayne said:


> You make it sound so easy LOL Bayne has black nails so impossible to see the quick...


It actually is easy if you know what to look for. The method I described is for black nails. You can see the tip of the quick if you go slow when you trim. It looks like a bulls-eye. Here's a picture, you can see the tip of the quick surrounded by the whitish area:


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

I think it happens to everyone at one time or another. I did it once to Louie and he freaked out. I was so upset with myself! Looks like I might have to try this new method of taking just a tiny bit off at a time!


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## mm03gn (Sep 24, 2008)

We've made both of our girls bleed and have decided it's just not worth it - we take them in to the vet to get their nails cut by the tech's there...


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Thanks for the tips guys, good to know I'm not the only one! Perhaps I may have overreacted just a tiny bit, its always a possibility. 

But I definitely think I'll be finding someone else to do this particular job!


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

I'm sorry that happened to you but you should stay in the game of doing it yourself. You get to know "those" nails where the quick is closer to the tip than the others.

All of mine have bled once or twice, it happens.


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## havana13 (Jul 15, 2012)

The longer the nails get, the longer the quick (the vein in the nail) gets. This may be why he is bleeding even when you take a little. You'll have to work them back by cutting the nails just a little every week or two. The quick will recede over time as you do this. I would recommend styptic powder to stop the bleeding because it has a numbing agent in it. You essentially want to plug the vein with the powder. You can also use cornstarch or baking soda to plug it if you don't have styptic. In my opinion, it is less cruel to clip the vein than it is to let the dog walk on his nails. This is why if you go to the vet to get it done, they will make sure to get them off the ground even if it means they will bleed.


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## jimla (Oct 9, 2008)

Penny's Mom said:


> I hold the nail between my thumb nail and index finger nail creating a 'block' so the clippers can't go farther toward the quick. After I clip, if the nail looks light colored and dry, I move my finger nails back just a tad and clip again. I don't do more than 2 clips.


Your technique works great for me too.


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## siulongluiy (Apr 25, 2012)

Can anyone tell me how far do you want to trim the nails? I don't cut Oatmeal's nails as I made him bleed when he was a puppy, but I do use the dremmel. I always feel that it's still too long after I take some of his nail off.

He has no issues with me touching his nails or anything which is great! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

The dremel is the way to go I used to always make our chow/husky bleed My vet showed me the dremel trick & it works like a charm.Don't feel bad Val we all know your a great doggie mom


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Can you still cut the quick with the dremel?


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## Shay1 (Aug 10, 2011)

When you go to clip notice where the nail curves, cut about an inch before that point and you should be fine.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Anybody who cuts their dog's own nails has done this at least once. Don't feel bad. The key is cutting smaller amounts more often in order to force the quick (the living tissue) to recede. When you let it go too long, the quick gets very long.

I always encourage people to do this themselves if possible. It's a good trust exercise with the dog, and you should really be trimming fairly often in order to keep the nails nice and short so the paw hits the ground properly. It's not as easy to do frequent trimmings if you have to make appointments for somebody else to do it.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

mylissyk said:


> Can you still cut the quick with the dremel?


Not likely but possible I suppose. I once felt so bad when the dremel skipped and pulled out a tiny tuft of hair from Tucker's paw. He never flinched but I felt horrible.

I cut the nails myself. I have found when the hair on the pads start to look a bit unruly, It is time to cut the nails, we rarely walk on any paved surfaces so they do not wear down from that. If they seem to be rough at all after cutting a quick pass with a fine grit sanding drum on the dremel smooths them out fast.


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