Nail trims and Peticure desensitization

I see a lot of hype with the new dremel tools in whatever name they come Peticure etc. I used to dremel but got my knuckles more than my dog's nails and it's slow. Since there have been a lot of questions on several forums and some suspect that the vendor is making posts I thought I'd do a real time test and see how long it takes for a Peticure. It does seem much easier than an open dremel. We'll see. :dogdry:

I have one fearful 4yo dog and one 1yo puppy. I clip their nails only right now but we started with introducing a Peticure yesterday. Two videos explain how I desensitize the dogs for clipping and how I clip. The third shows day 1 of Peticure and I will add progressive days. I get a lot of questions on how do you do your own dogs' nails?? Here's how. I usually do it at night when they are tired but I did this during the day for the light after snow play and elk barking so both are hyped. It still works though.

I used a dremel 2 years ago on the fearful dog but she's clearly forgotten as you'll see by her reaction. The puppy was exposed to a dremel at the breeder before 8 weeks. Since I've had both from 8 weeks I do daily or almost daily paw manipulation. I also do things the vet would do once a week, look at teeth and ears and palpate belly. This makes a vet visit much easier. If you adopt an adult dog start the same way just be more patient and go slow.

Paw manipulation and desensitization
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhdNu-HF6LQ[/media]

Two dogs nail clip
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_EjG9U2Y0c[/media]

Peticure day 1
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHH_TeFX-Q8[/media]

day two

Day two. Shy dog will retrieve it but still doesn't want to be touched with it. I'm enticing her to play as I do with toys. Puppy is laying on it with paws all over it no fears. I do have the end turned so that no moving parts are accessible. This is so much safer for us than the traditional dremel.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z41vZrhuGqs[/media]

day three

Our 3rd day and great progress. One friend that did buy competing Pedipaws said the battery ran down before she finished half the dog's paws. I prefer a plug in instrument but Peticure seemed cheap and easy for a try. I don't know if any of these machines come hardwired and with guards. Generally neither of these portable devices sound like they have the stamina of the regular old dremel that used to scrap my knuckles raw. I wonder If I could retrofit the guard on my old machine. My older dremel had off and supersonic speeds though. Easy to cut and cauterize a quick painfully and never know. Never more than 2-3 seconds per nail with constant movement.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyciy7nKRHM[/media]

Nail trimming is essential for maintaining good health. If a dog's nails are allowed to grow, they will curl over into a spiral shape; walking will become increasingly painful to the dog as they grow, putting pressure on the dogs toes. pet products

I don't think I'd use the word "essential" there. My vet actively discouraged maintenance trimming when I enquired about it, he considered that natural wear was better for the dog. If a dog is walked adequately (especially on hard surfaces) it may never need nail trimming as its claws will naturally wear down. Most (but not all) dogs I have seen with overgrown nails are simply not adequately walked - though some dogs do have faster growing claws and often dogs are unable to walk far enough as they get older and they need some help with trimming.

It IS especially important when relying on natural wear to check your dogs claws regularly and make sure they are wearing evenly and are not cracked because as you say overgrown claws are a horrible thing for a dog.

Hmm, i so WISH i did not have to trim Buddy's nails, (i use PediPaws nail grinder which Buddy likes just fine after being properly desensitized).

but i do have to trim Bud's nails down, about every 4 to 6 weeks.

The bulk of Buddy's walks are on cement streets, and Buddy walks at the least, bare minimum, two miles each day, unless there is actual ice on the roads.

and in great weather, we often walk him 8 miles each day, (four miles in morning, four miles in evening, daily)
yet,
his front paw nails do overgrow and begin to curl. I read this overgrowth (to the point of curling over,) can mess up the positioning some of the 100s of tiny bones in their feet and ankles, so i do keep them trimmed.

Once, when i had let his nails go toooo long without trimming them,
he did begin to walk a bit oddly. He did, i could TELL by his gait, his nails were getting overgrown, and i looked, and sure enough, his nails were even beginning to curl. I felt one inch tall, like a negligent owner.

When Buddy's nails begin to get long, i can see him trying to wear his nails down, and he often scratches his nails on the deck, on our carpets, etc, trying to wear his nails down, well, it looks like that is what Buddy is doing, anyway. And he only does that when he is due for a trim.

Also, Buddy does have his dew claws , and his get crazy long (and annoying i'd think), so those also have to trimmed.

but, i'd bet each dog is individual. My last dog, walked far less than Buddy does, especially as he got older, he barely walked at all!!! (cuz he was crippled by then, towards the end, we were even carrying him in a sheet to get outdoors to pee pee.).
yet, that dog rarely needed his nails trimmed!!! go figure!!!