Nail trimming

[Colliedog]

Hi, any tips on clipping dogs nails that are black? Cant see where the quick is and shes already really nervous of her front feet being touched.

[chook]

Little and often, you could also use a nail file as well,
if shes nervous of her front feet being touched,
i would do some work on that first, by just sitting with her,
i normaly do it at night - when everyones relaxed, and just stroke her front feet, use treats if you want to, once shes used to them being stroked,
move on to just excamaning(sp) them, she will soon get used to the fact
that if there touched - nothing bad is going to happen.

[lassie]

try a dremmel. as Chook says little and often

[Colliedog]

Thanks Chook/Lassie. Ive been stroking her cute little toes and giving her treats and even clattering her nails with the nail trimmer a little and shes not quite so nervy. Im now really nervous myself that if I trim them and catch the quick because I cant see them that we'll have to start all over and she'll be even worse. How little and often? A couple of mil every couple of days?

[chook]

just do the tips for now, once youve cut, then you should be able to look
at the front of the nail and see whats there, then use the file on it, leave a few days, then check again - if theres a little growth then cut again,
if your nervous, then i would see if you can get some quick - stop,
that way if you do cut the quick - you can stop the bleeding,
once you get used to clipping the nails, you get to know were you can cut to,
if unsure ask your vet to show you how to do it.

[Terrier]

Give her treats when just touching her feet. Lots of fuss made over her. Progress to clipping - still with treats whilst she gets used to it.

Our GH used to hate having his nails done. It took two of us to get him to the level of co-operation we get now. One clipping, the other stroking and supplying treats.

(Yeah, he had us sussed! lol)

ADD: We tend to take of about 1-2mm from his darker nails.