# Dremel - does fur get caught?



## Zenith360 (Mar 17, 2019)

Hi all,

I have a 4 month old Havanese, and I have been wanting to Dremel his nails. I have the Dremel and his breeder socialized him to the Dremel before he came home-- he had his nails dremelled 6 times by the breeder. 

But his feet are so hairy, even with grooming, that I am scared of ripping out some foot hair in the process and causing him pain. Especially because he is still a puppy and pretty wiggly for regular toenail trims (which is what I've been doing).

Just wondering if anyone has dremelling experiences they can share ... Do you have trouble avoiding foot hair? If you hit the hair, is it a terrible experience for the dog? Maybe it will be easier than I think? Maybe it really is hard? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I know you have to hold back the hair and just be very careful. It’s awesome that’s he’s already had experience with it!

I didn’t buy a dremmel until my puppy was almost a year old and he’d been to the groomer for his nails many times. I was really careful to introduce it slowly, let him come to it, and I used lots of treats. The second it touches his nail he flinches, starts thrashing, and gets that wild look in his eyes. I couldn’t find anything to distract him and I didn’t feel like I could safely even do it for a second and increase the time. I’m sure someone more experienced could work through it with him. I know I’ve read forum members who’ve had rough experiences with nail grinders and worked through them. 

I would maybe work on trimming his feet. Even if you don’t groom at home, it’s really helpful to be able to trim his feet yourself. If he’s comfortable with the dremmel he’ll probably be comfortable with a trimmer, and you’ll have better access to trim his nails. Mine starts sliding on our hard floors just two weeks after a haircut. 

One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t handle my puppy’s feet more from the beginning. Generally he’s really good about grooming but I need help from my husband to trim his feet or it takes all day. There are lots of videos on how to trim feet, but in the meantime I would handle his feet every day. I knew my puppy didn’t like it and I was too hesitant about it instead of gradually increasing how much I handled his feet. 

Somewhere here on the forum I read that instead of cutting or grinding nails you can swipe them with a regular nail file. I don’t remember exactly the frequency? I’ll see if I can find the thread.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

This thread helped me even after I had been doing his feet for quite a while.

https://www.havaneseforum.com/9-grooming/133806-foot-grooming-video.html


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

There is a definite technique to doing it safely. The first time I tried, I got Kodi's mustache caught in it scared both of us to death and didn't use it for another two years! Then I had a professional groomer teach me how to do it right, and now it's a piece of cake. It's easiest on a dog wet from the bath, so the hair is NOT so fluffy. But that's true of using nail clippers too.


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## seesawhavanese (Jun 17, 2015)

We started early with the pet Dremel, hoping to socialize Mochi to it, but we failed. Mochi's hair got caught one or twice so we stopped using it. Fortunately, the Dremel didn't pull any hair out, but it was scary. I think the Dremel is too big for their small paws. I've seen smaller pet filers that have a guard that may work better.

We are back to a human nail file and Millers Forge nail clippers.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

seesawhavanese said:


> We started early with the pet Dremel, hoping to socialize Mochi to it, but we failed. Mochi's hair got caught one or twice so we stopped using it. Fortunately, the Dremel didn't pull any hair out, but it was scary. I think the Dremel is too big for their small paws. I've seen smaller pet filers that have a guard that may work better.
> 
> We are back to a human nail file and Millers Forge nail clippers.


It has nothing to do with the size. The Dremel I use, and that my groomer taught me to use, is an ordinary, non-pet, hardware store type Dremel, and it works absolutely fine, even on puppy feet. It's a matter of knowing how to position and hold both the dog (most important) and the Dremel correctly. Which is why I really suggest having a professional (or someone very familiar with doing it) teach you how in person. I don't know how it can be done on the internet. But when you know how to do it, it is very easy, very fast and totally painless.


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## seesawhavanese (Jun 17, 2015)

Wow, that wasn't very nice. Guess you could do anything if you had professional teach you to do it correctly and when you do it the right way.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

seesawhavanese said:


> Wow, that wasn't very nice. Guess you could do anything if you had professional teach you to do it correctly and when you do it the right way.


I think you misinterpreted the response if you thought it was mean. Please consider re-reading the post assuming the response is genuinely intended to help, not as a direct criticism. Lately simple disagreements have been misinterpreted and I'd hate to see it happen again.

I had trouble with the dremel when it came to my dog and I had planned and prepared - and I'm comfortable with rotary tools because I use a dremel all of the time for artwork. Personally I think trimmers and clippers have a learning curve, too, and all of those things can be overwhelming for someone with a new puppy. I did have a groomer offer to show me how to do a couple things but she was at lunch when I picked up my dog so it didn't work out. I think there are groomers out there who love to share what they know and would take a minute to demonstrate as long as it isn't when everyone is picking up their dogs at the end of the day. It's worth asking if someone wants to learn to dremel. Nothing wrong with using something else, too. I will probably end up paying for nail trims for life since I'm a little traumatized over making our Hav fear nail grinding!


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

I second what EvaE1izabeth said. Karen is always willing to help other forum members with their concerns. She is clear and no-nonsense. I remember feeling a bit intimidated by her when I first joined the forum, but now I know that she would do anything to help any dog anywhere, and I am always grateful for her advice.

Regarding dremels, I am too nervous to do anything to Shama's nails. When she was really little, I think I clipped them once. Now the groomer does them every five weeks or so. That said, I certainly do admire the forum members who figure out how to do their dog's nails, regardless of the method.

How is it going, Zenith360?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Going back into not bothering to answer mode. It’s just not worth it. I’ll post frivolous newsy items about my dogs, since thats all new people seem to be able to handle.


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## Tere (Oct 17, 2018)

Mean? I can't imagine how that was mean. Please continue to offer your advice! Although I do like fluffy doggy newsy stuff too!


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## furfan (Nov 24, 2008)

Ruben screams even when the vet or the groomer clips his nails, so I wonder if some dogs are just more sensitive? He goes to the groomer regularly and is fine about the rest of the grooming. Every dog is different, right? Just like people.


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## Zenith360 (Mar 17, 2019)

Thank you, everyone, for your helpful responses! I'm still feeling pretty apprehensive about trying the Dremel, especially after reading about someone's experience of their dog's beard getting stuck in it-- I didn't think of that, yikes! I'm continuing to trim with with nail clippers, but I'm going to take EvaE1izabeth's advice and ask a groomer to show me how to use the Dremel safely. I never thought to do it while my pup was wet, which makes a whole lot of sense for a number of reasons. I love dremelled nails and really want to learn-- I was chicken, too, with my last two dogs, and am determined to learn now with this new puppy who is already socialized to the Dremel.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Zenith360 said:


> Thank you, everyone, for your helpful responses! I'm still feeling pretty apprehensive about trying the Dremel, especially after reading about someone's experience of their dog's beard getting stuck in it-- I didn't think of that, yikes! I'm continuing to trim with with nail clippers, but I'm going to take EvaE1izabeth's advice and ask a groomer to show me how to use the Dremel safely. I never thought to do it while my pup was wet, which makes a whole lot of sense for a number of reasons. I love dremelled nails and really want to learn-- I was chicken, too, with my last two dogs, and am determined to learn now with this new puppy who is already socialized to the Dremel.


To be fair, I'm seconding Karen's advice  When I first joined the forum she mentioned being shown a few things by a groomer and it hadn't even occurred to me to ask. Since I don't know any groomers personally and haven't found one groomer we've stuck with, I didn't know if a groomer would find it rude. A few might feel that way, but I don't think most view it as a threat to their business or as devaluing their skills if someone asks for advice on how to hold a puppy for grooming or for suggestions on how to use a certain tool, that kind of thing. I have found that most good groomers appreciate any effort to maintain the dog between appointments.


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