[NAGDU] advice on nail grinding

Thu Mar 2 20:28:04 UTC 2023

I trim the nails so that the tips are slightly upturned, and the nail is
about the same length as the fur around it.  The first few times it might be
a little longer; I forget.  My goal is to keep them short so my dog can be
as safe as I can make him when we need to use an escalator. 
My understanding is that, if you keep the nails consistently the same
length, the quick also stays short.  The quick grows longer as the nails do,
which is why I do them weekly.  The quick has the blood supply, and I know
from personal experience that cutting or breaking a nail into the quick
hurts like crazy.  But, as the dog's nail quick is staying short, and I'm
always trimming about the same amount, I think it's no more bother than
trimming my own nails is to me.  They're not super-keen on the vibration,
but they can deal with it.  
Tracy

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Janell via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 2, 2023 2:57 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: nellie at culodge.com
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] advice on nail grinding

Tracey,

I love your technique with the nail trimming.  I am patiently awaiting for
my 3rd guide dog, and I will keep this in mind!  Thanks for the suggestions,
Janell The one question I have is: how do you know when the nail is short
enough, and I don't want to get them too short?

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 2, 2023 1:39 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: carcione at access.net
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] advice on nail grinding

I have been grinding my dogs' nails for around 25 years now, and never hurt
a dog in the least.  I have to be careful not to catch the paw pad, but
that's easy to avoid.  I do nails every Sunday, so they never get very long,
and each paw goes pretty quickly.  I bought a plug-in nail grinder from
Amazon, because I got tired of the battery not being charged when I was
ready to use it. It also has a variable speed knob, so I can set it to the
speed I want and change it if it doesn't seem right.

I started doing it for Igloo about a year ago, and this is what I did, as
best I recall. Most of it is what I still do.
I put a handful of kibble in my treat bag and hooked it on my waistband.
Then I command Igloo to lie down where I want him to be.  When he's down, I
hold a kibble a little back and to the side, so he turns a bit onto his side
to get it.  Then I tell him to rest.  I start the grinder and do the 2 back
paws, which are sticking out nicely to the side.  I give him a kibble when
we finish each paw, and I don't stop the grinder until the paw is done.
Then I do the front paws, which are a little harder because he won't lie
totally on his side.  When I'm doing the paw nearest me, I put my foot
behind his elbow so he can't move it.  When we're all done, he gets the
jackpot--a nice handful of all the kibble that's left. 
I think, when we started out, I might have only done one paw the first time.
If he started jumping, wiggling or complaining, I scolded him gently and
reminded him to rest.  I want him to know that doing nails is something I
want him to do, and I'm not taking any silliness.  Within a couple weeks, I
was able to do all his paws, and now, when I get out the treatbag and the
grinder and call him, he comes running and flops down in the spot ready to
go.
It probably helped that my old dog Krokus lives with us, and I did Krokus
first the first few times, so Igloo could see what was happening and how his
packmate was handling it.
Igloo is a lab.  Some of my friends with shepherds have to work harder.
Some shepherds are such babies! :.)
Tracy

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Marj Schneider via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 2, 2023 9:21 AM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Marj Schneider <marjschneider at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [NAGDU] advice on nail grinding

Hello All,

Can those of you who use nail grinders to keep your dog's claws short give
me suggestions on how you accustomed your dog to the experience?

I bought a grinder from Amazon, based on the recommendation of a fellow
Seeing Eye grad who uses one with more than one dog. I've been back from
Seeing Eye for about two weeks with my new dog and have tried turning the
grinder on to its low speed and putting it next to his paws. He pulls back
the moment I try putting a claw on the grinding surface. He otherwise hasn't
minded his feet being handled, though I haven't tried a more typical claw
trimming approach yet, something I need help to accomplish. I'd rather be
able to do the task independently if I can just get my dog comfortable with
the experience.

I'd appreciate any tips on this.

Marj

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