Lotsa Dogs Lotsa Fun

Lotsa Dogs Lotsa Fun
The Big Dogs Wait at The Door

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Dr. Jon on Trimming Your Dog's Nails Without Trauma

A dog's nails are very important parts of their bodies. Dogs are what we call “digitigrade,” meaning that they walk on their toes. Canine nails are made of the same material as ours and also continuously grow like ours do. When left for too long, overgrown nails can cause pain and difficulty walking. That's why having short nails is so important; can you imagine walking on long, pointy nails? Yikes!

But most dogs don't sit placidly while you clip away the excess. Nail trimming is one of the most popular services in pet grooming salons because it's just so darn unpleasant for many dogs. You know the drill… you get ready to trim your dog's nails and somehow he senses that you are about to mess with his paws before you even get started. Now the real fun begins! Your corner him, grab his paw and try to cut his nails. But he's not having it. He begins to fight hard and pull his leg back, and the wrestling match begins.  Eventually you will win (if you're lucky), but he won't make it easy.  And with all that wiggling, fussing and moving, you worry about hurting him or accidentally cutting into the fleshy center of the nail. This can be very painful for your dog and cause the nail to bleed

You stop and think; what can you do? His nails are too long so you persist, praying you won't hurt him.  He "play bites" you, putting his teeth into your hand. Maybe he even begins to bark and growl. The more you try, the wilder he gets. Oh, the drama!

Frustrated, you are tempted to give up. You tell yourself that his nails can grow until they become "weapons of mass destruction" for all you care. But then reason wins out. You know that there is no getting around it - those nails MUST be trimmed.

Now you have a few options.  You can simply pay a groomer or your vet to trim your dog's nails every month, or you can keep struggling. What can you do to make this process less stressful for you both? (Because believe me, your dog doesn't enjoy this either.)

I have some good news. Approaching the problem with a different tool can make things much easier. In fact, the traditional nail clippers that people tend to use on their dogs could be a reason why so many pets hide when it's nail trimming time: the blades can pinch and twist the nail, adding more pain to an already uncomfortable process. A nail grinder may be just what you need to take the sting out of clipping. It does not cut the nail. Instead, it files the nail away a little at a time, eliminating the need for painful bladed clippers and making the experience a much more pleasant one. 

There are many different types of nail grinders on the market. My staff and I have tried them all to find out which one is best. When all was said and done, I really liked the Gentle Paws nail grinder, so I asked one of our veterinarians, Dr. Karin Szust, to take it home and try it on her 5 dogs. Dr. Szust came into the office this morning and told us that she agreed—she really loved this nail grinder. There are lots of great things to say about it (it's easy to handle, powerful, and the results are wonderful) but the most important in my opinion is that the dogs like it. Transitioning to a grinder from clippers can seem difficult at first because many dogs are wary of the noise. But Gentle Paws is quieter than most grinders, and can easily be worked into your dog's routine. Just gradually introduce it to your dog by first letting them investigate it, then leaving the grinder running while you gently pet and reassure them. Karin's dogs warmed up to it very quickly; once the dogs realized that this gadget wasn't going to hurt them, they relaxed and cooperated.

Karin loved Gentle Paws and so did her dogs. Now the dogs have smooth, healthy nails and everybody was happy!

We give Gentle Paws two thumbs up and you will, too!  With Gentle Paws there will be no more struggling and no more painful trimming accidents. It really makes the job quick and easy. And you get smooth, rounded nails in just a few minutes!

Give it a try. This product is in high demand so I suggest that you act now. If it saves you a trip to the groomer or the vet it will pay for itself many times over. To order, go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/gentlepaws

Until next time,
Dr. Jonhttp://www.petplace.com/

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