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  1. #1
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    Advice: nails (pics)

    Hi, all-I have not been on this forum in years (since my doggo was a pup) and had to create a new name. Anyhow, I've recently started grinding the nails of my 9yo lab myself--we were inconsistent with taking him to the groomer for his nails (very bad, I know) and also the groomer just gives him such anxiety that I decided to try at home. I've watched a few YouTube videos and studied some online instructions and went for it. This is the 3rd time I've ground his nails and I'd like some advice:
    1--how is the angle of the nail?
    2--why do you think that one nail is black?


    I know this is very important for his hips and gait and I do NOT want to mess up his legs as he is very healthy even at 9. Thanks any and all for looking/giving advice.
    For both pics below: on the left is before and on the right is after.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails -collage-2017-11-18-11_32_55-1-jpg   -collage-2017-11-18-11_31_27-jpg  

  2. #2
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Hi (again?)!

    I kind of follow the instructions this gal gives and try to grind the nails more like her photos. Our older lab would let me grind away with never a complaint. Our younger girl despises having her nails trimmed, grinded (yeah, probably not a real word), or anything so hers don't get done too often. The way Chase held his feet made grinding them more necessary than Lark, who appears to rest back on her feet more than Chase so her nails don't touch the ground much even if they're a little long. Anyway, grinding Chase's like the instructions doberdawn gives worked well for us, you can angle the grinder such that it gets the nail shorter and it doesn't get to the quick as fast. You may have to do it weekly to get a little bit off at a time to get it all the way back that short. On your pup's nails, you can see the little round circle in the middle is still surrounded by a good amount of hard nail. If you held the grinder more perpendicular to the nail, you could get it a smidge shorter by grinding that top edge without grinding the quick, if you see what I'm talking about.

    How to Dremel Dog Nails @ DoberDawn.com

    As for the black toenail, has it always been like that or is it something new? If it hasn't always been black, maybe the nailbed got bruised from the length of the nail or something and it grew out dark. If it used to be light like the others, I wonder if it will grow out light again if the length is shortened up some. Otherwise, I guess it's just something that makes him special.

  3. #3
    Best Friend Retriever LucyTudeOn4Feet's Avatar
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    My Lucy had one black nail, also. Since I couldn't see the quick in that one, I would just dremel it to similar length as the others, and I did it last. She had it her whole life.
    As far as the angle, the thing I read (I don't know where that was, to give you a link) was that on the top side of the nail, to angle back more toward the leg, rather than away. That helps the quick to not grow long. You can kind of see that in the bottom pics of the link included in the prior response.
    Here is another link that show the angle in a drawing, and some helpful pictures, although this one addresses using clippers, the end result is still the same.
    A Stress-Free Way For Trimming Your Dog’s Toenails
    .
    If you have a partner and your dog likes peanut butter enough, they can hold a spoon of peanut butter for your dog to lick while you're working. YMMV.

  4. #4
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    Thank you both! Yes, it totally makes sense the angle you're talking about, i.e. more perpendicular to the nail. I think that will help get a lot of the length off that is causing him to slide a bit on our wood floors. I am going to get a new grinder tool, my husband and I were looking up the top brands as the one I have is kind of cheap and cruddy. I think with more practice I can feel confident about taking care of his nails! Thanks again for your input!!

  5. #5
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Try trimming the hair between the pads too. It makes things slippery.
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  6. #6
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    I use a regular dremel tool, not one designed specifically for pets. For me, one helpful thing with the grinder is to change the grinding band when it gets worn down. Just like an emery board can become less effective after some use, so do the bands.

  7. #7
    Best Friend Retriever LucyTudeOn4Feet's Avatar
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    Same here, we used the dremel brand non-dog variety available at Home Depot and Lowes. This time of year, I wouldn't be surprised that they have one on sale in the tools for Christmas gifts section. We bought the cheapest corded one, not rechargeable. And a bag of the sander mid-range grit drums.

  8. #8
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    I'd try to go shorter.

  9. #9
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JenC View Post
    I'd try to go shorter.
    I would too. I use a guillotine type clipper but the odd time the nails have got away on me I will clip two or even three times a week to get back to a shorter nail.
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  10. #10
    Senior Dog
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snowshoe View Post
    I would too. I use a guillotine type clipper but the odd time the nails have got away on me I will clip two or even three times a week to get back to a shorter nail.
    Yes...if you don't do it slowly over time, you'll end up getting the quick on your way to a shorter nail (the quick retracts as the nail is shortened and needs to be given time to do so).

 



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