# Pedi Paws Nail Trimmer



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I am in no way connected to this company, but I want to let you know how well this product works for trimming the nails for Dexter. 

Dexter is now 6 months old. I tried the manual trimmers when Dexter was 3-5 months old. Dexter hated the clippers, but the nails needed to be clipped. You have to be so careful when clipping the nails because if you get too close to the quick of the nail, it will bleed and your pup will not be happy and you will not be happy upsetting your pup!

Besides cutting the nails, first you have to see the nail and that means moving the hair away from the nail and then getting your fingers just right on the toes that need to be clipped (you want a firm grip, but not tight) because if you pup is not use to you touching his toes with some firmness, you will have problems cutting the nails. So, get that pup use to you touching his toe pads with firmness.

I have learned the more you clip the nails, the more quick of the nail will start to grow back closer to the base of the nail...I do not know how long this takes, but I am keeping the nails trimmed close to the quick as I can. 

Dark nails can be challenging because you cannot see the quick, just trim the nails about the same length as the lighter nails with the trimmer. 

The trimmer allows you to get very close to the quick of the nail very slowly. 

To use the battery operated trimmer, you must get your pup use to seeing the trimmer and praising, then turning it on and praising, getting close to your pup and letting the pup see it and hear it without doing anything and praising, then touching the pup's foot with the trimmer on and praising and let the pup feel the vibration and praising the pup. 

We started out doing one nail while my husband held Dexter. I showed Dexter the trimmer and turn it on, then getting the nail ready is the longest part of the entire nail clipping process.....because as soon as you get the nail ready, your pup will pull his foot back. It can be very challenging and frustrating trying to clip nail of your pup, just stay calm and do that one nail. Do not let your pup win! 

Turn on the trimmer. Insert the nail into the trimmer at the bottom of the grove of the trimmer, make sure no hair is inserted into the trimmer. If you apply too much pressure with the nail on the sander of the trimmer, the trimmer will stop until you take that extra pressure off. 

Do a very short session, just so your pup gets use to the trimmer. As soon as we were finished with that first nail, I did lots of praising and I gave a treat to Dexter, so Dexter can relate to the trimmer as something good (If I get my nails trimmed, I will get a treat). 

Being patient for the first 2 weeks will pay off. I had my husband hold Dexter several times to use the trimmer while we did Dexter's nails over the next 2 weeks. You can tell when your pup has had enough, but finish doing one more nail and stop and praise your pup. 

Today was the first time, I held Dexter in my lap to trim the nails. Dexter is still looking to see what is going on and I could only do 3 or 4 nails, but it is the beginning and we are making progress. We stopped, I praised Dexter and I treated. Dexter is very treat motivated, so that is what works for us. 

I hope my experience with the trimmer has help you over come your fear and anxiety of trimming your pup's nails. The clipping of the nails have got to be done, the pup's nails hurt when the pup jumps up to greet you and they hurt other people. So, let's do our jobs and take care of our precious little ones by taking care of those nails. 

:whoo:


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

I have considered buying one...I for one am petrified to trim the dog's nails. They are black and you cannot see the quick. So far the groomer and the vet have done it.


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## imamurph (Apr 15, 2008)

Linda,

Sophie and Gabes nails grow like weeds and even after I have them trimmed they scratch. And as much as I try to file them, it seems like they are always needing to be cut.

Does this trimmer leave the nails smooth? Gabriel is a bear when it comes to just brushing his feet. He's learned the art of making them curl into his body so they're hard to get at!!! Ugh! :frusty:


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

I have the Peticure and really like it. Tucker doesn't care for having his nails trimmed, but he prefers the Peticure to the hand held nail trimmer. It doesn't give that loud sudden "snap" along with the sudden tug when the clippers go through the nail; it does make a whine with the motor, but since it is consistent it doesn't surprise him. You do have to make sure you pull back all the hair so that there's no chance of it catching in the sander belt.

Diane, after I'm done doing the majority of the filing off of the nail, I kind of roll the nail edges on the belt and it smooths the rough edges off to my satisfaction, anyway.


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## imamurph (Apr 15, 2008)

Would it be possible to put a paw into a nylon stocking, poking the nails through to keep the hair back???


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

That would probably work well; but, it's not enough of a problem for me to bother with.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I thought about the stocking or an empty onion bag, but then I would have to worry about keeping the stocking on and pulled back and then having to get a hold of the toe. 

You can round off the nail with the sander. 

The noise on the trimmer is not bad. I was going to buy a Pedicure, but could not find one anywhere around here and I did not want to pay for shipping.


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## HavaBaloo (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Linda, I am glad to read that you had success with the PediPaws...my experience with it was not good, we tried for 3 weeks and Baloo just couldn't get over the whirl of it. Glad I kept my receipt and Wal-Mart took it back. I bought regular doggie nail clippers and Baloo just lays there and lets me clip away. I found the sound actually quite loud and the sanding circle was really fast and strong... IMO.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

We had to try something different to cut the nails, because the nails were not getting done. I was terrified of cutting the quick (which I did twice) and Dexter did not like being held down, playing with his paws, firm pressure on the nail, and that loud click sound. 

So far ...... so good with the trimmer.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Pam bought one and it works fine. It doesn't catch fur like the Dremel one does. She doesn't really use it much anymore but we tried it on all our dogs and not one minded it at all including the ones who really don't like to have their nails trimmed. She went back to using clippers and emory boards from Sally Beauty because the grinder is just really slow in comparison. She can hit the sharp edges left by the clippers with the emory boards quicker than she can get the Pedipaws (or Pedicure-I don't really remember which one it is) plugged in and going.


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

My 2 don't really mind having their nails trimmed when the vet/groomer does it. It's me....I am petrified. I bought nail clippers and it sits unused. So I really want to try the PediPaws....but will definitely keep my receipt.


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## Sam375 (Feb 2, 2009)

I like the pedipaws! Harry likes it better than the clippers


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Before you buy one, you might find the previous thread we had interesting to read:
http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=5881&highlight=pedicure


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

I've used the Peticure w/Tori for over a year now and I love it. She has the dreaded black nails and there's no way I'm going to try to use a nail clipper on them. The groomer charges $6 to do them and the vet $8. It was a "no brainer" to spend $20ish since I could get that back w/just a few trims.

I saw the PediPaws at a show and was quite surprised at how much bigger, more noisy and powerful it was (I have the petite model of the Peticure). I thought it was a bit of "overkill" for Tori's little nails. I don't think the PediPaws comes in different sizes, does it?


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

You can always wet down the hair on the paw which makes it easier to hold back so it doesn't get caught- I always do my dogs nails after a bath when their hair is still wet-


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

MopTop Havanese said:


> You can always wet down the hair on the paw which makes it easier to hold back so it doesn't get caught- I always do my dogs nails after a bath when their hair is still wet-


Katie~ I agree, wet hair and soft nails after a bath make it MUCH easier!


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## Petaluna (May 9, 2008)

Tom, what is your recommendation for nail cutting technique? I bought some clippers today, not the guillotine style, more like nippers. I almost bought the Pedi Paws, but I figured clipping would be faster. Like many people, I'm also afraid of cutting too close.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

First the clippers need to be a good quality so they are SHARP and stay sharp. Sharp cuts easily instead of crushing. If you have a white claw it helps because you can see how much you can clip without hitting the quick. You don't really even need to get real close to it.

With the dog calm on it's side, hold the paw and put the clippers on the nail. You just want to nibble a little off at the time to start with. Put a little pressure with the clippers on the nail and see if there is any reaction from the dog before you actually do any cutting. If the dog is fine with the pressure, clip. Move up a little bit on the claw and do the same thing........until you have cut enough. The trick is to be able to feel how it is with the dog before you clip.

The sharp clippers will leave a sharp edge which Pam quickly sands down with any one of a variety of emery boards she bought from Sally Beauty.

She likes Doggyman clippers.

As with any training, the groomer has to show no anxiety or apprehension or any other emotion or nervousness that the dog WILL pick up on.


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## Petaluna (May 9, 2008)

thanks, Tom! Is there any particular trick for knowing how far to cut without cutting the quick on a black nail?


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Dexter will not hold still for a file....I am lucky to find the trimmer


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Petaluna said:


> thanks, Tom! Is there any particular trick for knowing how far to cut without cutting the quick on a black nail?


Jackson had two black nails so it is fairly easy for me to simply judge the amount to cut by the length of the white ones. That being said, I still tend to keep those two longer 

I have also found it is easier for me to cut them when Jackson is standing. When lying down, he tends to try to pop up his head and see what is going on down at those paws! For some reason he doesn't mind as much standing, and I usually just lift the paw and pull back his hair before clipping. Might not work as well with a dremel type though.


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