Nail cutting/quick

I was wondering about nail cutting with regards to the quick.  My dogs nails have grown quite long and the quicks as well so we have been told be our groomer.  How can we get the quicks to recede?  Also, how can we tell when we are getting close to the quick?  I have heard that once you see white your have to stop but my dogs nails are black and as soon as they are cut even a little we can see white.  Does anybody have any advice on this matter?

[mary607]

i went to grooming school...cutting the nails more often very close to the quick... takes a while to do... you will actually start to see this little grayish white dot in the middle of the nail before you hit the quick.
hope this helped!

[Ghilly]

The easiest way to see the quick in black nails is to soak your dog's feet in warm water for a few minutes before cutting the nails.  The water will cause the nails to develop a translucence and you will be ale to see the vein in the nail.  That way you can cut the nails and avoid hitting the vein because you'll be able to see it.  

Ghilly

[tonyb286]

Another good tip there Ghilly, thanks. My dog has black nails, so I have always used extreme caution when trimming his nails. I will give the warm water tip a try.

On top of what others have said above, the key here (particularly with dogs with black nails) is to trim a little but often. I do my dog's nails once every other weekend, just taking the smallest amount off and no more. The quick then retracts back slightly during the two weeks so another bit of nails can be taken off, and so on. This regular and cautious approach seems to work well with my best friend.

I would also add that the Pedipaws Nail Filer is excellent for owners that are cautious about trimming their dog's nails - and it is equally good for dogs with sharp claws, as it files off the sharpness easily and safely. Tony

[specialmom]

Oh, I'm going to look for the nail filer. I had a bad experience with the quick and am really gun shy to ever do that again.  But I'd like to do something about my dogs nails without having to take her to the groomer every time.  (expensive) thanks for the tips!

[tonyb286]

I bought mine in the UK, but I think it also sells in the USA - try Amazon.com as a good starting point. It takes a little getting used to (more for the dog than for humans perhaps), as the nail needs to be placed into a slot on the Pedipaws unit and it is then filed down gently by small movements to and fro. This can be used every day, as it is quite gentle, and that's what I did to get my dog used to it. After a while, he just sat quite happily having his pedicure, ha. Tony

[mary607]

it has really bad battery life... in my experience. and dogs that aren't patient go nuts. the dremel for dog nails is a good way to go.  but hey if you have a little extra money and time give both a try! :)