Nail Care

Not a day goes by when I don't have at least one person ask me about the peticure commercials. "Do you have one?" "Do they really work?" "Does nail trimming hurt?" "Are they really safer?" Very good questions and I'm glad that people ask.

The device is a grinder. I have a dremel with a sanding wheel on it for grinding nails. Its the same thing but it doesn't have the extra guard on the end to keep the hair from getting stuck in it. I personally don't want the guard because it keeps you from being able to sculpt around the edges of the nail. A beginner may want the guard while they're learning.

Grinding nails is just another way to keep nails short. When I grind nails I usually clip the nails first then grind them down just a bit further and take off any rough edges. Sometimes the nails are short enough that I don't need to clip first but that is very rare.

Its important to learn how to trim a nail properly before you try it. You need to know the structure of the nail, how to hold the foot to get the correct angle, and how to use the tool. Its easier to learn on a dog that knows about nail trimming. If you don't know what you're doing and your dog doesn't know either you will have a very frustrating experience. The same is true with grinding.

There are some down sides to grinding. Grinding for too long will heat the nail and can be very uncomfortable. You can still grind into the quick and hurt your dog. The sound of the grinder can be scary for most dogs the first time. You will still need to teach your dog how to be good for nail care.