# Nails



## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

I absolutely HATE trying to trim my Hav's nails.....I used to do my collies but they were white nails and so I could see what I was doing.......makes me very freaked out to try and do it...so I've been having it done when I have them groomed which is about every other month and has been working out but the last time at the groomer's I do not think they did their feet at all....I called them back when I got home and they said they did but they left all the hair between the pads and I could not see any signs where the nails had been cut or even feel any difference in the nails........and I hear them clicking on the tiles when they walk...so I attempted to do Sissy's today...I hate to say it but she is not as big of a baby as Smokey so she is always my guinea pig lol......anyways I could NOT believe how long her nails actually are.......they look HUGE compared to how small her foot is...... But I'm just wondering if anyone else's Havs have really long nails................I'm beginning to think they haven't been doing them the at all the past few months and I just haven't noticed because I'm always preoccupied with how bad their hair looks lol..........

The good news is that I did manage to get most of the cut with no accidents but OMGOSH it was difficult and she was really bad about it.........


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

Aw, poor Sissy, and poor you 

I saw a video once where the groomer took a dog who was having a very bad reaction to even seeing the clippers, and had a helper hold the dog, pet him, praise him, and feed him treats while she proceeded in small steps to re-introduce the dog to getting his nail clipped. She started by showing the dog the clippers, then bringing them closer to his feet, then tapping on his toes with them, and finally to clipping the nails. By the end, the dog was so relaxed and so interested in the treats, he hardly even noticed what the groomer was doing - and when he did notice and tighten up, she backed off a bit until he relaxed again. Might be worth a try? I will try to find the video again...

Also, the longer the nails grow, the longer the quick grows too. That is why it is better to do many small trims if your dogs' nails are quite long to start with (and may be why they didn't look trimmed to you after the groomer? Though it seems like they would have TOLD you if that why...). Even small trims make the quick recede, then you clip a little more a few days later, etc. 

Well good luck! I am interested to hear what other people have to say...


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I just got Maddies and Zoeys nails done. If you can hear them clicking on the floor they are too long. My trainer say's they need to be done about every three weeks. I hope to get it so I can do it myself. I think it would be a lot easier if some one holds them while you cut ,\. You can also file them.


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

Suzi said:


> I just got Maddies and Zoeys nails done. If you can hear them clicking on the floor they are too long. My trainer say's they need to be done about every three weeks. I hope to get it so I can do it myself. I think it would be a lot easier if some one holds them while you cut ,. You can also file them.


Oh yea, I forgot to mention that you can also try the nail filer little drill things. I got one for Cey but it is still too big for him, so we haven't tried it yet. I think that a lot of people recommend the Dremel with the nail file attachment, as far as the best product to use? Maybe somebody who has used these can give you a better recommendation for or against...


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

Here is the video: 




Also, I try to handle Ceylon's paws many times a day, along with his face (especially around his eyes and mouth) and even handling his bottom area, so that he is getting used to being handled in those 'sensitive' areas on a regular basis, and not just when he is being subjected to clipping/cleaning.

Finally, I assume that you know to keep syptic powder on hand JIC! Better to be prepared, is my motto .

HTH. I am hardly an expert, but this is actually something that I have given a lot of thought to, even if I have only been doing it for a couple of months .


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

WOW what a difference 4 minutes can make lol...thanks for sharing the video...I did have the syptic powder on hand ....I share the motto better safe than sorry! I also did use alot of treats and praising but I think I need to recruit a helper...........


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

I think I just expected her to be used to having her nails clipped since they've been going to the groomers since they were babies.......


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

The problem I have is that when Maddie does not want me to do something she will not even be interested in treats! I have not tried really good treats like turkey or cheese. Maybe that would work better. 
I also need to buy some of the stop bleeding stuff before I try again I cut Zoey and was a scary thing she moved right when I clipped and would not stop bleeding I felt sick to my stomach I think I was in shock. I think I need conditioning before I try it agian. Hum Cookies


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## JMGracie (Mar 30, 2011)

Yeah, Gracie really doesn't like getting her nails clipped. I've never hit the quick either, so I'm not really sure why. I handle her paws a lot so she's comfortable with me touching them, but one clip and she gets really paw-shy and squirmy.

Sometimes it just takes two people. Have one person hold the dog and have good treats ready, then the other person clipping. If they're really bad with it, then treat after every clip and praise.

One thing I've heard too, but haven't tried, is to use an old stocking or sock. Push the nails through and you can get the job done quicker without digging through all that hair.


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## Graciep0o (Apr 23, 2010)

DH holds Oliver and clips his nails while I shove Charlee Bears in his mouth to distract him, I'm sure there's a better way to do this, but that's what works for us. We only wind up feeding him a couple because I break them up. Wouldn't know how to do it on my own...it's definitely a two man job at my house. 

I always wonder how the groomers get him to cooperate - although I've heard that sometime they're better with people that are not their owners. Oliver knows I'm a sucker and will give in if he starts whining or squirming.


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

Do you have a Petco near you? They charge $5 to clip nails...for me, it is so worth it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Graciep0o said:


> DH holds Oliver and clips his nails while I shove Charlee Bears in his mouth to distract him, I'm sure there's a better way to do this, but that's what works for us. We only wind up feeding him a couple because I break them up. Wouldn't know how to do it on my own...it's definitely a two man job at my house.
> 
> I always wonder how the groomers get him to cooperate - although I've heard that sometime they're better with people that are not their owners. Oliver knows I'm a sucker and will give in if he starts whining or squirming.


Thta's exactly what we do with Kodi, though it's the groomer and me... Dave would probably cut his toes off!ound: The nail trimming thing is about the only thing that stands between Kodi and perfection. (at least in MY eyes:biggrin1 but it was a BIG problem for a long time. He used to scream so loud that it sounded like a dog was being murdered. And he's start before you TOUCHED the clippers to his nails, so it certainly wasn't because anyone was hurting him. Now he's a little wiggly, but as long as I keep shoveling Charlee Bears, he's stand and let her do it. (I don't bother breaking them up... I figure a meal of Charlee Bears every 3 weeks isn't the end of the world.)


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

dbeech said:


> Do you have a Petco near you? They charge $5 to clip nails...for me, it is so worth it.


Just be careful that whoever works with him is willing to be slow and patient. I am SURE that a large part of Kodi's problem with his nails started because I took him to the vet a couple of times to have them done. He was awful about it, it's true, but their solution was to have 2 techs hold him down, while the vet clipped his nails. He screamed bloody murder. But I COULD NOT do it by myself, and trying to have my husband hold him was worse. So I felt like I had no alternative.

It was only when I found our current groomer, who was willing to take whatever time it took, and let me keep feeding him that he has slowly (and I mean more than a year) gotten better about it. I can't believe that for $5 every 3 weeks, I've taken SO much stress out of our lives! (better than a therapist any day!ound


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

krandall said:


> Just be careful that whoever works with him is willing to be slow and patient. I am SURE that a large part of Kodi's problem with his nails started because I took him to the vet a couple of times to have them done. He was awful about it, it's true, but their solution was to have 2 techs hold him down, while the vet clipped his nails. He screamed bloody murder. But I COULD NOT do it by myself, and trying to have my husband hold him was worse. So I felt like I had no alternative.
> 
> It was only when I found our current groomer, who was willing to take whatever time it took, and let me keep feeding him that he has slowly (and I mean more than a year) gotten better about it. I can't believe that for $5 every 3 weeks, I've taken SO much stress out of our lives! (better than a therapist any day!ound


 I took Maddie to a $5 nail clip in the new town I just moved to. I told her she hates it and asked if she wanted me to come hold her. She said no walked back to the groomer I could hear each clip and no screaming. She brought her back I asked if she was a good patent was told she just held her while the groomer cut. I gave her a $5 tip All of Maddies nails are black. And were way past due.


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

Petco is where I have been taking them.....blek! lol.....in all honesty we are on the 5th set of groomers..I don't think I'm THAT picky...I just expect them to be matt free.....not have their faces shaven ......not have their hair cut when I tell them not to...you know..basic things like that lol...but the place that did the absolute best job on their feet is the place that cut Smokey's tips and shaved poor Sissy like an onion.......of course the bf is out of town and what he doesn't know won't hurt him...I may have to try them again but write it all down and make sure they understand exactly what I want and do NOT want and never tell the bf where I took them......


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

Jplatthy said:


> Petco is where I have been taking them.....blek! lol.....in all honesty we are on the 5th set of groomers..I don't think I'm THAT picky...I just expect them to be matt free.....not have their faces shaven ......not have their hair cut when I tell them not to...you know..basic things like that lol...but the place that did the absolute best job on their feet is the place that cut Smokey's tips and shaved poor Sissy like an onion.......of course the bf is out of town and what he doesn't know won't hurt him...I may have to try them again but write it all down and make sure they understand exactly what I want and do NOT want and never tell the bf where I took them......


I don't take my dogs to Petco for grooming, just for between groom nail trims. My dogs are okay with people handling their feet and it only takes about 5 minutes.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

My dogs let me trim their nails, they will give me their paws and hold up the back ones or lay on their side so I can do the pads. This did not happen over night and I always show the junor pup the older dogs first and work up to it. Yes black nails are scary!!!!! I clip a little and grind the rest, I do this before every bath as part of the bath. If you cut the quick you can use flour, it works.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> My dogs let me trim their nails, they will give me their paws and hold up the back ones or lay on their side so I can do the pads. This did not happen over night and I always show the junor pup the older dogs first and work up to it. Yes black nails are scary!!!!! I clip a little and grind the rest, I do this before every bath as part of the bath. If you cut the quick you can use flour, it works.


 That is good to know. I am going to get my nerve up again next cut. someone else told me that it is good to do it after a bath because they are softer and easier? Have you noticed a ridge on the nail? someone showed me their Havanese had a little ridge that you cut the nail too. She said you can feel it with the clippers. Maddie doesn't have it . I was thinking that it might be because I have not had them trimmed enough.


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## Hav Mom (Dec 29, 2010)

Candy's nails are black and she doesn't let me touch her feet - the one sure way to have her leave! I get them cut at the groomers (that's all they do). I hold her and they cut them with no trouble. I get them done about every 2 weeks - I let them get too long and quick grew out so I have to get them cut that often to try to shorten them up. The other 2 have white nails so i can do those myself. I have someone hold them (that's a trick in itself) and feed them the treats while I clip. I think it's the worst part of grooming! I agree - I think they are like kids - better when others do stuff to them than when we do.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

You really need to work on the nails. Think about what you could spend the nail money on!!!!! Everything takes work. Dogs are not humans, we love them like mad, but they are different. Just keep trying.


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## Diann (Apr 25, 2011)

I was able to trim Lucy's nails today very successfully. I used a tip from someone here (I'm so very sorry I don't remember your name right now) about giving her a very yummy chew treat that was only for grooming. I got all nails done and she didn't even pay attention to me. It was great! 

Question about the dremel tool/grinder: We use do use this for our Lab but I thought with all that hair it'd be dangerous to have a spinning tool so close to all that hair. It's not? Do you do it when their paw hair is wet? I was thrilled to see Lucy's nails all white after having black nails to trim on our Lab. I was totally suprised by all the hair on her paws and how difficult that would make trimming them.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Tillie USED to let me trim her nails.. a spoonful of PB and she was a happy camper... then I clipped the quick. several.times. Now, nail trimming is a NIGHTMARE ... I don't blame the poor girl ... but getting her to trust me with her toes is NO easy feat for sure!! For now the groomer is clipping them every month. sigh.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

JMGracie said:


> Yeah, Gracie really doesn't like getting her nails clipped. I've never hit the quick either, so I'm not really sure why. I handle her paws a lot so she's comfortable with me touching them, but one clip and she gets really paw-shy and squirmy.
> 
> Sometimes it just takes two people. Have one person hold the dog and have good treats ready, then the other person clipping. If they're really bad with it, then treat after every clip and praise.
> 
> One thing I've heard too, but haven't tried, is to use an old stocking or sock. Push the nails through and you can get the job done quicker without digging through all that hair.


Thanks, that is a great idea! I think I will try it!


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I have only done Zoeys nails twice now. My Nail lady raised her price so I had a friend give me a lesson and I did it! I was taught the shorter the better cut almost to the part where it will bleed. I haven't gotten that confident yet Maddie still goes to the Nail lady because hers are black and it scares me. She does have a nice shape with a arch and I was told that it would be safe to cut right at that arch. So much work keeping up a Havanese!:faint:


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