Dremeling dog nails is a fantastic culling to the traditional method of clipping canis familiaris nails. It is non surprising that many dogs react desperately to boom clipping. Even if y'all do not cut painfully into the quick, the motion of clipping still pinches the sensitive fretfulness within the smash. Dremeling is a neat way to maintain healthy nails, and to lessen stress for everyone involved. Y'all don't have to exist a professional person to exercise a good job, just, there are some of import steps involved in properly Dremeling nails.

Essential Tools

  • Variable Speed Dremel: I recommend against using a single speed model, which may spin too fast. Across it being a Dremel and a variable speed ane, the only other selection is cordless or corded. If you have poor arm/paw force, get corded. Otherwise, I personally prefer cordless. Cordless Dremels are heavier, but, they are also less disruptive to the dog – whereas corded models practice not crave charging, and are lighter to handle.
  • Sanding Drums: 1/2" bore, Fine 120 Grit, Dremel #432. The fine grit provides maximum command when sanding, and prevents flaking of the nail in between sandings.

Optional (but useful) Tools

  • Dremel Ez-Pulsate Mandrel, Dremel #EZ407SA. This inexpensive role makes routine Dremeling and then much easier. This tool (shown below) allows you to bandy out wearisome sanding bands in seconds. It doesn't come with the Dremel kit, merely almost all hardware stores carry it in the rotary tool / Dremel section.
  • Safety Glasses, to keep nail dust out of your optics.
  • If you have asthma, you might also desire to wear a respirator or dust mask.

Preparing & Positioning

You tin can practise putting your domestic dog in "Dremeling" position for short periods of time, treating often, long before y'all introduce the Dremel tool. Doing and so is a groovy idea to make the eventual experience relaxing, familiar, and positive. Afterwards many practice sessions positioning your canis familiaris, treating her, and sitting for a minute or two, you can and then somewhen begin innovate the Dremel, without using it, to familiarize your dog to the sound of the tool. Taking it slow volition pay off!

For a medium or minor dog, I recommend that y'all identify the dog abdomen up on your lap.  A large dog can be laid gently on his or her side on the flooring in front of y'all. Talk to the dog in a soft voice and allow them to relax. Once either size of dog is used to this procedure, you may also choose to have them up on a grooming table.

Miles is a canis familiaris that absolutely cannot stand up having his nails clipped (I cannot emphasize how passionately he hates nail clipping – no amount of food or training could convince him to tolerate smash clipping), only, he is completely content to relax and take a nap while I Dremel his nails. This is because I introduced the tool slowly, and because I use information technology properly.

Safely Sanding

Turn your Dremel on, and set it to a depression speed. Start out at a very irksome speed. When you are experienced, yous'll be using a dull/ho-hum-medium speed. Concord up one paw, select a nail, and push any devious fur abroad from it. (People whose dogs are very hirsuite often recommend pushing the paw through a nylon stocking prior to Dremeling). While supporting the nail between your fingers, touch on the sander confronting the nail, and then retreat.Never leave the sander touching a single spot on a blast for more than a 2nd, andnever apply whatsoever pressure level.The goal is to smooth little sections off, while never putting enough friction on the nail to generate any rut. That is why using a Dremel that has variable speeds is very handy for the condom and comfort of the canis familiaris, because the slower the speed, the longer it takes to build friction, and the more command you have over ensuring the procedure never creates whatever heat, or sands the boom down also fast. As long as you never put pressure, and y'all gently and briefly smooth the sander along the smash, and never remain in one spot more than a second or two, y'all will do just fine. The all-time way to Dremel nails is to focus on one hand at a fourth dimension, rotating between all of its toes.

Goals While Dremeling

Aim to smooth the nails, and focus on creating nicely flattened rounded ends. Afterwards creating a nice smooth flat surface at the stop of the nail, I suggest that yous besides gently have abroad the sparse flaky layer that runs along the lesser of each nail. You can exercise this by chop-chop rotating the Dremel around the nail in one or two swipes. Doing so will foreclose any flaking or groovy of the nails.

When to Terminate Dremeling

Over fourth dimension you will larn exactly when to stop sanding. A sure indicator of when to stop is when you begin to see a little white dot in the heart of the tip of the nail. Likewise, the tip of the nail will get-go seeming a fleck softer and moister – and less dry and flaky. That is because you lot are entering the "living" function of the nail. That little white dot is the outset of the quick. The first time, don't exercise as well much. You can always try again in a few days. If you don't see a fiddling white dot, but you get too close to the quick, your dog volition lightly flinch. Stop sanding if your dog shows sensitivity, as this is an even clearer indication that the boom is finished.

Finishing The NailsWhen you are finished Dremeling all of your canis familiaris's nails (bottom left), the final step is to rub a sparse layer of olive oil over each nail. Doing this moisturizes, and most chiefly,seals the smash. Applying a little bit of olive oil prevents the nails from absorbing nasty stuff outside, and from drying out and chipping as it grows back before your next Dremeling session.

Advantages of Dremeling Dog Nails,

& How Often to You Should Dremel

One great reward of Dremeling your dog'southward nails is that if yous introduce the procedure slowly and positively, the likelihood that your dog won't mind it is much greater than the alternative of blast clipping. Being able to trim your dog's nails yourself doesn't simply save fourth dimension and money, it also can ensure that your dog will get his nails trimmed often enough.

Over time, non trimming dog nails oft enough can lead to all sorts of health problems. Every unmarried part of your domestic dog'southward body depends on, and is affected past his anxiety. Nails that aren't clipped ofttimes enough volition to grow longer quicks over time. This means, if your dog goes for periods where his nails are on the medium/longer side, the alive function of the nail will as well longer, and that is the part that y'all cannot cut. Therefore, every time a domestic dog whose nails aren't trimmed oftentimes enough are trimmed, they will exist longer than they were the previous trimming.

For nigh dogs, Dremeling one time a calendar week is a good schedule of how often to trim. With that said, how often you Dremel actually depends on how fast your canis familiaris's nails grow, and how oft she is running around on rough surfaces, which also can assist in wearing down the nails. For this reason, avert Dremeling your dog's nails correct earlier strenuous activity. The soft part of the nail can be a fleck frail for the first few hours later Dremeling.

Additionally, say yous've just discovered Dremeling, and your dog has a longer quick surface area than he should. I take found that if you Dremel on a schedule of effectually every 3-iv days, you can actually trick the quick into retreating over time. With this sort of frequent trimming, you will need to be diligent, careful not to ever trim too far (but to make sure to trim close plenty), and to trim every 3-iv days on a strict schedule. Once the nails have reached the desired length, you can go back to regular maintenance (weekly) trimming.

Article Overview

  • Do positioning your dog for Dremeling in short sessions, treating often, before ever introducing the Dremel. So, practice having your dog in position, and having the Dremel on, without actually Dremeling. Practise several of these sessions until your domestic dog is relaxed before introducing bodily Dremeling.
  • Use a fine dust (120) of sanding band, buy avariable speed Dremel, and when using, set it on slow or boring/medium.
  • Touch the Dremel to the nail to sand for a second, retreat, bear upon once more, repeat.
  • Never put pressure level on the nail when sanding
  • Never go out the sander on the nail for more than a second at a time
  • Dremel on a schedule to maintain good for you nails (typically, once a week is recommended).
  • Rub nails with a thin layer of olive oil subsequently each Dremeling session to seal them.