Nail Dremeling

Nail Trimming Tutorial
(Using a Dremel)

As you might have seen on our "Dog Stuff We Can't Live Without" page, we love our Dremel. It is our preferred method of trimming both puppy and adult nails. The use of a cordless Dremel rotary tool over a traditional nail clipper allows us to keep the nail as short as possible (even helping to work back the quick if they nails have become overgrown) without the risk of pain or bleeding. The other advantage is that the nail is left smooth and rounded; no more scratches from sharp, freshly-cut nails.

Many dogs show concern about the noise of a Dremel the first several uses. You can help desensitize your dog to the sound of the Dremel by:
- turning on the tool and placing it near the food dish while your dog eats
- turning on the tool and placing it near your dog while you play with their feet, toes and nails
- turning on the tool and massaging your dog with the NON-ROTARY end (especially in more sensitive areas such as the neck, legs and underbelly)

To begin, keep nail trimming sessions short; you don't have to do all the nails the first try. It is best to end each session on a positive note, if you can successfully trim one or two nails and your dog still seems comfortable or even intrigued, stop, give a treat and come back to do a couple more nails later. To positively reinforce this style of nail trimming, be sure to give your dog treats only when they are NOT struggling and while the Dremel is still running.

Once your dog gets accustom to this type of nail trimming technique, you will find it can be a much more pleasant experience for both you and your dog!

Untrimmed Nail

Goal!

Hover over each image below for a detailed description.

Untrimmed Nail

Trim the top (sometimes called the "hood" or the overhang) of the nail. This should be done until the small, soft oval or sometimes horseshoe-shaped structure in the center of the nail can be seen (this is the kwick or quick).

Trim the top (sometimes called the "hood" or the overhang) of the nail. This should initially be done at a parallel angle to the end of the toe/front edge of the toe's pad.

Work back each side of the nail to expose more of the kwick (the soft tissue in the center).

Blend the sides up the nail to make a smooth transition between trimmed and non-trimmed nail material.

Once both sides are worked back and blended smoothly, gently trim the underside of the nail. (Note: There will be less of this material to take off than any of the other sides.) After gently trimming the bottom, the top (hood) can be worked back further to expose more of the kwick.

Here you can see the underside has been trimmed and now the hood can be worked back to expose more of the kwick.

The finished product. Nails that have been Dremeled will not scratch skin or snag fabric like nails that have been trimmed with traditional side-cutting or guillotine-style nail trimmers. Dremeling nails also allows the nail to be trimmed to its fullest without causing the dog pain or the risk of cutting into the kwick.

Exposing the kwick on all sides allows it to recede and with regular trimming (and kwick exposure), the nail will become shorter. Weekly trimming is recommended for nails that are overgrown, every other week trimming is great for dogs who don't get regular exercise on rough surfaces (such as sidewalks/pavement), and once-a-month trimming is recommended for dogs who have slow nail growth or keep their nails short through daily exercise.

Examples of Restraint Positions for Nail Trimming

Helpful Hints:

~ Hold the Dremel securely and comfortably
~ Always support each toe as your trim it
~ Keep the dog's foot close to the dog's body, never pull on toes, feet or limbs
~ Demel outdoors when possible (Dremeling produces a fair amount of debris/dust)
~ Avoid prolonged contact of the Dremel and the nail; more than a few seconds and the nail can become uncomfortably hot
~Ladies, do NOT Dremel your dog's nails after having a manicure done... it is inevitable you will knick your own nails
~ Stay positive and use lots of treats!