Toenails! How to wear them down?!

[Susan]

Rufus's claws are really quite long, and the groomer said that we need to walk him more on hard surfaces to get them worn down, as the quick will gradually get further down the nail and this will cause problems. He is not on a hard surface at the weekend, but during the week he gets around 45 minutes a day on the pavements. It just doesn't seem to be wearing them down. My Mum's wee yorkie never had this problem, and he was only walked 15-20 minutes a day during the week.

Do you think some dogs just have harder toenails?! Should I be taking an emery board to Rufus?! LOL!

Seriously..any thoughts or advice appreciated!

[Emma*]

I am afraid i won't be much help. My girls never need doing, i don't know if it's because of their size when they jump about on the pavement i am assuming this keeps them trim..
_________________
Happiness is being loved by 2 Great Danes

[Fiona]

Hi

Black horn is harder than white but it does all depend on the angle of your dogs foot to the ground. Star and Libby have really short nails but Jakes are much longer. When you look at the way he stands and walks his nails don't really strike the ground like the others. You might just have to cut or file his nails on your own.
_________________
Dogs are like Chocolate, you just can't have one!

[Nikki]

Yeah I'm the same Millie's seem to stay nice and short, we don't even do that much pavement walking!!
Must be lucky I guess!!!
_________________
When a dog wags her tail and barks at the same time, how do you know which end to believe?

[JennyMc]

Bear is OK but Tala needs to get her's trimmed and they go on the same walks. Guess what I'm trying to say is that it depends on dog breed as well .as exercise

[Susan]

Thanks guys, this is what I suspected!
The man did clip them, and its only 9 weeks now till he goes back again, but I was hoping to have them all nice and short by then.

Can you file them Fiona? I might try that if he will let me!

[Fiona]

Yes Susan you can also clip them. Only thing is they have blood vesles that run to about half way down in their nails and if you cut them to short they will bleed so don't take them to short.
_________________
Dogs are like Chocolate, you just can't have one!

[Robert Baskerville]

Hi,

With white nails its easier to see the quick (it tends to be darker) make sure not to clip close to the quick. Black nails are very difficult to judge. Louise uses potassium permanganate in our salon to stop the bleeding if you nick to far up the nail, this will stop the bleeding.

Hope this helps

[Ashley]

corn flour also stops the bleeding... I use that on the rat too if i cut back too much!
_________________
Ashley with Holly & Murphy.
I hope to one day be as great as my dog thinks I am right now!!

[Arlene]

The reason dogs nails can only be cut so often is that they have blood vessels right at the tip of their claws so if they are cut too far down then the blood vessels will be cut and will not stop bleeding. If your dogs nails are cut about every 4 weeks or so then the blood vessels move back slighty each time so soon enough they can be cut near enough right down
I find the best way to keep Rusty's nails quite short is too throw a stick or ball on a path and he will skid along after it
Hope this helps

[Lorna]

I have a nail file designed for dogs it is kind of wedge shaped rather than flat. With black claws I am reluctant to cut them myself.
_________________
Regards,
Lorna, Basil & Poppy
Great Danes are not substitute children. They are much more important than that!

[shirley c]

Pixels nails are a nightmare but i think its mostly he shape of her feet, but she mostly gets walked or ran on grass, so probably thats why they are soo long too
_________________
lurchers Pixel and Zev and whippet, Fen
3 cats, Greebo, Yu and Lexx - 2 ferrets and Dales pony Jazz and adopted pony, April

[kendal]

just reminded me that i need to do the girls, its normally only the front ones that need done on our two and its not that there are too long its just there is too much of a point on them and it hurts when the scratch.
_________________
microchiping and grooming www.chipnclip.co.uk

[Susan]

Thank you for all the tips guys!
I think I will invest in the doggy nail file, as I wouldn't like to risk clipping them and getting the quick. That is really interesting that the quick will also retract Arlene, the groomer was talking about them growing too far down, but not that they would gradually go back too!

Lol, Kendal, Rufus has caught my nose a few times when I have been playing with him, it was so sore!