# Trimming nails when quick is too long



## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

I'm having this issue too, so I'm curious about what other people have to say. Iorek would let me trim his nails at home but I never feel comfortable because there's verryyy little room between the end of his nail and the quick. But he's also tapping the floor and losing traction so I know they need to be trimmed. 

Fingers crossed someone comes along with an idea/help.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I use a dremel. That will allow you to grind the nails regularly and the more you grind them, the more the quick recedes.


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## HiTideGoldens (Dec 29, 2009)

Dremel user here as well. You still have the potential to hit the quick if you aren't careful, but it will be just a slight nick versus the cut you get with the guillotine style clippers.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

If you decide to trim, I would suggest you taking just a little bit off and do it weekly. 

My girl's nails don't grow as fast as my boy's do-I do his almost weekly and my girl only needs hers every other week and sometimes not all of them need to be trimmed. 

I trim the hair on their paws when I trim nails too.


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## TiffanyPartyOf8 (Jul 14, 2011)

I'm a wimp - up to Petsmart we go for nail trimmings. lol.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Dremel user here, too. The more often you dremel, the more the quick recedes and you generally don't draw blood anymore.


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## nicosmom (Apr 19, 2011)

Okay, I am going to look into a dremel I think. Does anyone recommend a particular brand? Thanks for the responses!


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

Dremel IS the brand. I use the cordless, rechargeable, Pet Dremel (Model 756-01) found at the pet store. I recommend look at posts regarding getting your dog used to the Dremel too. Very well worth the time and effort!





nicosmom said:


> Okay, I am going to look into a dremel I think. Does anyone recommend a particular brand? Thanks for the responses!


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

This is a great resource to show how to dremel properly and at what speeds. Just click on the link on the left side of the page that says, "How to Dremel Dog Nails":

DoberDawn.com


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I also dremel, and I had never used it before I had gotten Beamer. I tried it on my two labs before I brought him home and they hated it. Beamer tolerates it as long as I have food to keep him occupied. It is much easier than having to trim them. I still have to trim my lab's nails, though.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I watched the video, went through all the slow slow steps trying to get Brooks used to the Dremel (because I hit the quick over 50% time when using nail clippers). I took over a month trying little by little, treating for every tiny approximation (touching paw with my hand, Making sound of dremel and touching paw with my hand). No dice. He was tense and stiff and we never really made any progress unless I used Dremel while he was wolfing down his dinner (which takes him all of 20 seconds).
I finally just gave up and I haven't trimmed his nails in 6 months.


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## GoldenJoy (Jul 30, 2009)

I trim Joy's nails twice a week with the regular old clipper, and her quick is REALLY far back after 2 1/2 years of trimming! I used to put peanut butter on the fridge and trim them while she was licking the PB, (yes, I disinfected the fridge door when she was done!) but now she is so relaxed about it that I can just trim them out in the yard with no assistance. I'm also a FREAK about keeping her paw hair trimmed and neat, so we do that at least once a week, too. It's a good chance to inspect her pads and paws for injury, especially since she is so active. 

When Joy was an adolescent pup, I sometimes would only trim one nail per day so that we could stay calm! Do whatever works, but yeah - trim those nails. My friend's dog has structural problems in the legs because he's 3 and has NEVER had a nail trim... yikes...


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## Sosoprano (Apr 27, 2011)

GoldenJoy said:


> I used to put peanut butter on the fridge and trim them while she was licking the PB


What a brilliant idea!!! :thanks: I've been trying to follow the nail-trimming-with-clippers video and treating for every approximation, but we don't have a grooming table, so I'm on the floor with Pippa. By the time I've picked up a paw, wrestled the treat bag out from under my leg (where she can't nuzzle it), treated her, put the treat bag back, picked up the clippers, let go of her paw because she withdrew it, and started over, it's been several minutes and we haven't done a single nail :doh:

She loves peanut butter--I can't wait to see what happens later this morning when I try this


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

The quick shouldn't be going all the way to the end of the nail, but it does grow as the nail gets longer. There should always be at least a little nail without quick at the end. When you cut the nail, the quick recedes a little bit from the end, so if the nails are super long, you need to take a little bit off the end once a week (unless your dog is a fast nail grower, in which case you have to do it a little more often) until the nails are the right length.

Folks seem to have good success with the dremel, but I just use the clipper, and I only take a little if I'm not sure how close the quick is, and I just come back for that nail in a few days and take a little more.


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