Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

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ClareMarsh
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Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by ClareMarsh »

Argh, my nail clippers are obviously blunting as for the second time they've failed to cleanly slice through Ted's nail and he's yelped. I SHOULD have worked out the first time that they needed replacing but I didn't and having got him over the first incident he now (understandably) not in the mood to chill out whilst I clip his nails :shock: I am beating myself over the head with a rolled up newspaper.

Anywho, I need some new nail clippers (scissor not guillotine style), I could just get the ones I had before but I'm interested if anyone has some that they think are really great. I think my last ones were about £10, maybe a bit less, I don't mind paying more for a good pair because let's face it going to a groomers at £5 a go and your dog being completely distressed by it the clippers seem like a bargain :lol:

I am thinking though as I have all black nails to deal with and I've got to go through another desensitisation anyway I may as well give the dremel a whirl (whoops, pardon the pun) so again, if anyone has any recommendations that would be great.

I've always been quite taken with Ari's puzzle fist idea for execution but in reality I want to be able to do this with just me as I don't always have a second pair of hands available. Anyway, it more about the tools that the technique but all advice gratefully received :D
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
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Sabrina
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by Sabrina »

Hi Clare!
ClareMarsh wrote:I am beating myself over the head with a rolled up newspaper.
:lol: Yup, me too - except I pushed Charley too far with the dremel. I have a bottom of the line cordless model, and the battery pack started not seating tightly, so that it would slow way down at unexpected intervals. This must have been highly uncomfortable for Charley, because even by starting totally over with the dremel, he wanted nothing to do with it.

Charley's nails are all black, too, so I was hesitant to go to clippers again (when we first got him I used clippers, and quicked him :oops: ). I got a flat file from the hardware store (not a "pet nail file" - those are worthless on Charley's nails!). Then I went through desensitizing him to the file, then to the file touching his nail, etc. Now he will let me file his nails - in exchange for treats, of course! (I sit the bag next to me so he knows there's an adequate supply!)

According to my vet, as long as I hold on to his nail (I grip it between my thumb and forefinger) I'm not in danger of damaging his nail bed. (This is hopefully true?) It is rather a puzzle to figure out how to hold his nail and file it without filing off my knuckles! And with Ted being probably half the size as Charley, this might be even more of a challenge for you! Filing does take a lot longer, so my ultimate goal is to get back to using a dremel. If I can get to that point, I'll probably use a corded version so I don't have to worry about the battery pack loosening up unexpectedly.

Anyway, all that to say - if Ted's not thrilled with the clippers, it *might* be too big of a step to go straight to a dremel.

(Just wanted to add that Charley is doing fantastic on his RMB - at his checkup the vet mentioned his "excellent body condition"! :D )
ClareMarsh
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by ClareMarsh »

Sabrina wrote:Anyway, all that to say - if Ted's not thrilled with the clippers, it *might* be too big of a step to go straight to a dremel.
Yeah, maybe I'll try a file *sigh*. His nails grow really fast and despite walking every day on concrete for anywhere between half an hour to an hour they grow much faster than they get worn down :?

At the moment I am messing with his feet a lot, including gripping the nails etc. He's pretty ok with it but I suspect when a new pair of clippers come out or a whirring dremel it will be a different story now *grabs newspaper again*
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
JudyN
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by JudyN »

These are the ones I have: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Groomin ... B0036766MU Though maybe not much use as they're currently unavailable, and are also Jasper sized (I'm not sure if that would actually be a drawback). I only seem to need to do the front two claws on his front feet, and only one is black. I only ever take off about a millimetre at a time as his quicks grow a long way down to the ends and I'm pretty sure that if I hurt him just once it'd take a long time before I could get near them again :shock:

Anyhoo, they cut through his nails cleanly, and his nails are a lot thicker than Ted's :D
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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Sabrina
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by Sabrina »

ClareMarsh wrote:His nails grow really fast and despite walking every day on concrete for anywhere between half an hour to an hour they grow much faster than they get worn down :?
Charley's grow like weeds, too - I feel your pain!
ClareMarsh
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by ClareMarsh »

Those are like my ones that need replacing Judy, I think I might just get some more of them to "have on stand by" and also order some sort of dremel to try. Even though I only take a little off each time and have never got near the quick because ALL of his nails are black I am always aware it's a risk which can't help either of us to relax. :D
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
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minkee
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by minkee »

Perhaps get both, and go SUPER SUPER slow with the dremel. If you reward him just for it being out, and for the noise of it going, he could really like it before it gets anywhere near his nails.
ClareMarsh
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by ClareMarsh »

Yep Minkee, regardless of the fact that he will need to get used to the dremel he needs a bit of nail down time anyway. He's ok with my hands on them but I bring an "implement" near them right now he's tense so I need to let some of the water evapourate from his nail stress bucket :D
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
Erica
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by Erica »

Whatever you do (and I'm posting this more for any random person looking for good clippers to buy), don't get James Wellbeloved guillotine clippers...my sister picked some up before I could look up a good scissors kind to get, and when I tried to trim a bit off of one of Opal's nails, the guillotine lodged in her nail before bending out of place. :shock: I've had to try to work with getting her comfortable with having her feet handled again, as even though it wasn't near her quick it still frightened the poor girl.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
ClareMarsh
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by ClareMarsh »

Erica wrote:and when I tried to trim a bit off of one of Opal's nails, the guillotine lodged in her nail before bending out of place. :shock:
Yep, this was a slightly less gruesome version of that which we had with the scissor clippers. :shock: Horrible isn't it, I was no where near the quick either!
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
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Wes
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by Wes »

I have these clippers: http://www.amazon.com/Millers-Forge-Sta ... l+clippers They're not large or unwieldy and stay sharp for a while.

This is the dremel I have as well: http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-7300-PT-4- ... ail+dremel The only thing I don't like about it is sometimes it can loosen itself where you put in the new file, causing the file to drop down into the base. It's nothing big, but just a little irritating when it happens while you're dremeling a nail.
OnceInAWeil
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by OnceInAWeil »

Thanks for this thread; my clippers are just starting to dull. I've JUST gotten Antonio to the point where I don't have to tether him to anything in order to get his nails clipped, but I noticed this last time that it seemed to hurt him a bit, although he wasn't quicked. I don't want to make him skittish about them again.

Wes,. I ordered 5 pairs of those clippers you linked to. :lol:
ClareMarsh
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by ClareMarsh »

Thanks everyone! I popped into Pets At Home and bought a Furminator grinder and clippers. I decided to try the grinder as I can't believe furminator will make something cr@p and get it from a retailer I can physically take it back to rather than save a few pounds on line. It also has a guard as i dont want to mess up and two openings for the nail, one larger, one more Ted sized :D The nail clippers, well, I'm not going to be using them in a hurry but thought the same principle could apply. I'll report back on how stuff works when we start using them.

At present the grinder is on the floor and has been sniffed and disregarded. Am leaning it there and will progress slowly :-)

Fingers crossed this works better for us than clippers given the black nail situation :wink:
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
ClareMarsh
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by ClareMarsh »

Sooooo, less than a month (although it has felt like FOREVER as I've watched nails get longer :shock:) and we are now at a point where I can "dremel" a few nails each session. He doesn't love it but he is tolerating it because there's cheese involved :wink: . I am hoping the more it's done and the more it's reinforced the more he will relax :D

The guard is brilliant as I don't have to worry about accidentally hurting him so I am totally relaxed which I don't think I ever really was with the clippers because of the whole black nail issue.

I also much much prefer the finish on the nail from the dremel and think over time I'll be able to get a shorter nail for him rather than erring waaaay on the side of caution with the clippers because of black nails :D
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
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Nettle
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Re: Dremel and Nail Clipper Recommendations

Post by Nettle »

Thanks for the report - I am looking for similar myself, as I have a household of sensitive little flowers with strong black nails :roll:
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