DocTurtle

So our Basset Snickers is 7 months old. We just got her from a friend a couple days ago. I need to clip her nails, but I have heard you have to only cut a small amount off at a time because it hurts the dog. Any suggestions here?

Also, I've noticed that some of her nails are black while others seem to be almost clear. Anyone else come across that? I've had Rottweilers in the past and have never seen it before.

Thanks in advance!

Soundtrack

The reason you clip a bit at a time is that there is a vein in the nail that might be cut if you clip too far. If you cut it, the dog will experience a moment of pain and the nail will bleed. It is NOT the end of the world and the best reaction on your part is to calmly continue clipping and apply Kwik-Stop once you are done clipping the foot.

I prefer to teach my hounds to lie on their sides to have their nails done. I find it easier to handle the feet and to see what I am doing from this position. I give them treats and bellyrubs during the process, but I am also very firm that they must stay in position until I release them. Most of my hounds will actually lie down when I pull out the clippers.

If you are at all nervous about doing them, have a groomer do it. I recommend at least once a month if having a groomer do it, if you are able to do it yourself I recommend weekly trimming so that you only have to remove a small amount and also so that it becomes routine for your dog.

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DocTurtle

Thank you so much for your response. How much is a little though? Are we talking 1/8" or 1/4"?

Mikey T

that is not exactly true on cutting into the quick or using dull clipper so the nail is squeeze more than cut causes pain. Black nails can be a bit of a pain because the quick is not ready visable. This is one reasin for the take a bit off at a time approach becuse that way you can notice sign you are approaching the quick

Clipping a Dog's Claws (Toenails)
It is illustrated and demonstrates when to stop cutting black toe nails to avoid the quick BTW a mixture of black and clear toe nails in a basset is quite common probable more the norm than exclusively one type or the other.

Finding a pair of toe nail cliipper that are stong and large enough for basset nails yet sharp enough the cut more than squeeze is not easy. I use the Large orange handled variety from Miller Fordge but will never buy online because I reject a lot of them wile test in a store. They have a burr. the pivot joint is two tight or loose etc. Even then I by two or more and use only the best pair after test on the dog.

Provided the dog does not have a fear of motor or other high pitched sounds one way to avoid the problem inheirent in clipper is using a dremel or other tool specifically designed to grind/file a dogs nail.

How I Dremel Dog Nails

Mikey T

Unfortunately how much depends on how fast the individual dogs nail grow. That said 1/4 is not a little in reguard to a dogs nails, a little would be 1/8 or less.

Mikey T

If you have two people this process is even easier on feeds/treats while the other clips. It becomes classical conditioning, like pavlovs dogs, the clipper become associated with treats. I have one dog that use to require muzzling when triming nials that commes running now when the clippers comes out.

I prefer the dog standing And I then bend the paw I am trimming up at the carpsal ( wrist/ankle) I find I get less of the leg wrestling/pulling away in this postion But I am fairly ambidectress and can use either hand to hold or trim which makes that a lot esier. It all comes down to personal prefference and what works for you. I must say the one dog I have of Mirriams aka Soundtrack I do trim when she is on her side bcause well that is what is confortable for her.

Mom2Flash

I take Flash to Petsmart to get his nails clipped. I've been taking him once every 4-6 weeks. Last time they told me they couldn't clip much off because he has long quicks. They said if I brought him in every 2 weeks the quicks would eventually recede so they could cut more off and he would have shorter nails.

Any truth to this or are they just trying to get more money out of me?

Kirska

Here is a website with pictures:
Clipping a Dog's Claws

I'd recommend going to a groomer and asking them to show you how to do it. It's $9 at the Petsmart by me to get them to do it. Bring your vaccination record with you, as some require proof of rabies vaccine or they'll muzzle your dog.

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Lightning&Stomps

I wait until evening when Lightning is asleep to do his. Stomps would never let me touch his nails so he always had to go to the groomer. He went from having to be muzzled to lying calmly for the groomer.

Soundtrack

Yes, frequently clipping or better yet dremmelling the nails as close to the quick as possible will gradually cause the quicks to recede, just as letting the nails grow very long causes the quicks to grow longer. It is a slow process though.

Another option if your dog has to go under anesthetic for any reason is to ask your vet to whack the nails right back while the dog is under.

__________________
Rosie-Ch Soundtrack Cracklin' Rose CGN AGN RA Am RN TT
Melody-Ch Soundtrack Unchained Melody TT
Sailor-Ch Soundtrack Expedition Sailor RN TT
Chili-Ch Soundtrack Spice Up Your Life
Curry-Ch Soundtrack Canadian Brass
Pepper-Ch Pennieslogon Living La Vida Loca CGN
Vina-Ch Soundtrack Grand Illusion
Leila-Ch Soundtrack Almost Paradise
Deela-Ch Soundtrack Wink Of An Eye
Hermione - Soundtrack Spellbound
Eowyn - Soundtrack Rain Dance