Archive for September, 2009
« Previous Entries |Dog Nail Grooming
Dog nail grooming requires the use of clippers, grinders and files, which are normally used for nail trimming. Clippers are available in many sizes and models, it is all about choosing the model that best suits your dog’s needs. Medium-sized clippers usually work on all breeds except for very large dogs. Grinders offer an alternative to clippers that lots of groomers prefer, and which should definitely prove suitable for a wide range of dog nail grooming applications.
Clippers cut and grinders smooth off edges.Both tools can be used in parallel or in support of each other because dog nail grooming is complex and sometimes risky. Certain clippers have a guard attached that prevents cutting too much nail, nevertheless, this feature partly blocks vision and you could cut tissues close to the nail without realizing it. This kind of injury is very possible if the groomer is inexperienced or uses improper tools.
There are very professional items for dog nail grooming that allow for the stemming of the bleeding by the cauterization of the vein that gets touched with the clippers. The problem with dog nail grooming is that you have to be very careful and maximize the dog’s comfort, or you risk to make the animal nervous and agitated, thus reducing the chances of trimming the nails properly.
Why is dog nail grooming so important? Well, long nails can be very painful for animals, particularly when they live indoors and have few opportunities to smooth the nails against the ground. Ingrown nails are another risk and threat which affect dogs with improperly trimmed nails. Listen to your dog walking on hard floors, and if they click, then, dog nail grooming is a must right away.
When the dog has too brittle nails to cut by normal dog grooming nail grinder methods, filing or grinding is the alternative that avoids the formation of splinters. The dog’s disposition and tolerance are very important for nail trimming. Don’t attempt at cutting them all at once; you can allow for breaks and slow work so that the animal is not forced to keep the toes firm for more than 30 seconds at once. Because of the discomfort, it is very likely for a dog to bit his master during dog nail grooming.
With many pets it takes a lot of time to get used to nail trimming. Tolerance can be helped with careful handling, but this doesn’t always work. You can use the reward system to help the animal adapt: cut one nail then reward the pet with a tiny treat. This may help you complete the task more rapidly and without incidents.
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