Nails

[Harkush]

i have a Female Mongrel 3.5 yrs old...and now she have real long nails...i bought a nail cutter but she doesnt allow me to cut them...is there anyway out?..her nail are tearing all my bedsheets... :(

[Harkush]

yeah ryt...even i m thinking for a groomer...i but still needs to win her confidence...i will try myself again...

can u also help me with her eating habbits visit the post below : )

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Nutrition-Management-For-Pets/Food/show/1154790

thanks a lot...

[ginger899]

I wouldn't give her any drugs or anything to make her sleep. Or any kind of sedative.
Try getting her confidence first. When you and she are relaxed and sitting together, gently take hold of her foot, and stroke it, then another foot, and so on. She might flinch it away but keep trying. Do that as often as you can until she gets used to you handling her feet when she is lying down. Touch her claws, one after the other, till she gets used to that too. You might have to do this for a few days.
Then one day (in a good light) hold her foot in one hand, and using your clippers, clip the claw with the other hand. This will only be safe if she keeps still. Otherwise get someone else to hold her still.

I keep thinking that for you, the best answer might be a dog groomer, or the vet. They don't charge a lot for this job.

[Harkush]

thanks for ur help guyz....i tried doing this after reading today morning....but she is very stubborn...is tr any other way...like making her sleep....n over the top i somehow may cut her nails for the first time but after tht i have to cut it every week...which is very hard... :(

[ginger899]

She does need her nails cutting. If not it could start to affect her feet, or even cause her to limp. They aren't going to stop growing. They need regular trimming.
If you're at all unsure about what to do, then take her either to your vet or to a groomer, who can do them for you.

I do my own dog's nails, about once a week, but it can vary for different breeds. I have a mixed-breed dog but she has Hungarian Viszla in her, and they need very regular trimming.

Dogs hate their feet to be handled. Their feet are very sensitive. So she won't like it at first until she gets used to the routine, and also starts to trust that it won't hurt.
It is so important to NEVER cut to the "quick" (the pink bit inside the nail) That would be extremely painful for her, and I can guarantee you would never get near her feet again if you inadvertently did that! Plus cutting too deep could cause bleeding or even infection in the nail. If that were to happen she would need to see a vet as it can be quite serious. I always leave about 2 millimeters of nail past the "quick" to be on the safe side. It's better to trim 'little and often' rather than cutting too deep all at once.

So....get someone to hold her gently but firmly, and VERY still, in a good light, and you must be able to see what you are doing properly. If you're not good at seeing small things close up wear reading glasses. I use human large toenail nail clippers for my dog, but you can buy special clippers for dogs.

[lindapalm]

I watched an episode of Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer, where he showed an owner how to cut dogs nails.  He stayed very calm, laid the dog down on its side, and started snipping.  Every time the dog would try to bite or get up, he'd lay it down again, and firmly hold it down with a hand till it relaxed, then snip again.  I tried it on my dog, who bites when you cut her nails, and it worked pretty good.  Basically your letting them know your boss without hurting them, but you have to stay calm but be firm