How To Use Electric Nail Files?

GUIDES FOR YOU

• Benefits of trimming your dog's nails at home
• What tool is best for at-home trimming
• Accustom your dog to having her paws handled
• Trim carefully to avoid cutting into the quick
• How to stop quick bleeding

TRIMMING AT HOME

If you are a pet owner with an aversion to trimming nails, you are not alone! Many people are so reluctant that they outsource to a groomer or vet. It is fine as long as you make appointments regularly to get your dog’s nails trimmed.

However, what regularly occurs is that too much time passes among appointments and nails get uncomfortably long. This can cause harm to the paw. Moreover, now the world is in a particular time of which we should keep social distance or even lockdowns, making vet visits much difficult and home trimming so necessarily important.

There are numerous advantages to learning to trim your dog's nails at home:

• Consistently keep the nails at a safe length.
• Avoid your dog's "car ride stress" and/or "vet or groomer visit stress."
• Easily comfort her if you see signs of stress and take it slow when necessary, even doing a nail a day if that works best.

Keeping your dog's nails trimmed can be EASY, even if you've got had a bad experience in the past!

With patience and a pup-friendly tool, most dogs can become accustomed to regular nail trims.

ELECTRIC NAIL FILES VS NAIL CLIPPERS

Although nail clippers can be effective, there is a risk of cutting the quick if your dog makes sudden movements. Nail clippers generate direct cuts, hard to control, and clipped nails may have sharp edges that tend to make damages. If this is something you are concerned about, you probably want to look into getting an electric nail file.

Electric nail files are drill nail machines with adjustable grind speed, give you more control over trimming nails and reduce the risk of cutting the quick.

They also allow you to trim nails round and smooth.

It has a silent motor, which is great for anxious dogs as the low noise will not scare them. 

GETTING YOUR DOG COMFORTABLE WITH NAIL TRIMS

Many dogs are uncomfortable with their human "holding hands" with them, which is also the reason they object to having their paws held during nail trims.

Dogs' paw pads are loaded with nerve receptors, which make their paws more sensitive to handling than other parts of their body.

The last thing you want to do is hold your pet down or with an overly firm grip, this can increase their stress and fear, which lead to a stronger struggle.

Petting for easing their nerves. Do this by stroking the head and body, then working your way to the paws.

Another thing to keep in mind is being patient. If you get rushed and create a painful trimming experience, your dog may forever associate nail trims with pain.

Trim one nail a day, slow down the pace, reward with treats. 

TRIM ENOUGH — BUT NOT TOO MUCH

Regular nail trims are very important! Unlike human nails, the longer dog nails are the longer the quick will grow, making it hard to cut nails short. To avoid the situation from happening, it is recommended to trim nails every couple of weeks.

Always keep in mind: Avoid the quick. Don't even get close to it. You only want to trim the white or dark ends of each nail.

• Take off the lid and choose an appropriate port based on your dog’s size
• Start with the lowest speed, and carefully place the grinder onto the tip
• Slowly move the nail filers right and left to make a round edge
• Pay attention to the cuts, stop when get close to the quick

Do very small trims — even if it is a half dozen or more each nail — until you can see the quick inside the nail.

If the quick (blood supply to the nail) is long, filling rather than clipping once a week will help the quick recede faster.

STOP THE BLEEDING QUICK

If you hit the quick of your dog's nail, the amount of blood that tiny wound produces can be impressive. You might panic, and so might your dog!

What you can do

• Calm down and take actions
• Press firmly on the bleeding nail tip for as long as your dog will let you.
• Apply Styptic powder.

If you do not have styptic powder on hand, apply corn starch instead. If you are really in a pinch, flour or baking soda may also do the trick.

• Apply a Bandage for further protection

 Step by step, you can make trimming a relatively pleasant daily routine for both of you.

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