posted 02-19-2004 05:52 AM         

Take a tiny bit off of the nail at a time. After each cut, look into the nail. Before you hit the quick you will see a tiny dot. It may look pink, white or black.

posted 02-19-2004 05:06 PM         

If you're really concerned about clipping and don't mind paying a bit more for the equipment and spending a bit mroe time doing the nails, you might try dremeling her nails. I heard that they make a dremel now especially for doing dogs' nails, cheaper than the regular one (which I got for around $50, but I've seen them cheaper) as well. I do all our dogs' nails with it (I will clip Casey the cocker's when the fur on her feet growns out, because it's a pain to have to keep the fur out of the way of the spinning sander thingy).

I'm a bit of a fanatic about keeping the dogs' nails short, so we do nails about once a week (sometimes longer for casey and Joey, their nails dont grown out as fast), but most only do them every two weeks or so, and you can even do less often if the dog doesn't has fast growing nails. For Annie (also a Dachsie), it takes about 10 minutes every week to do her nails, 15 tops if I skip a week or two. For bigger dogs, it takes longer, but even for Goo (hard as rock, big, thick nails) it only takes 15 mins or so a week.

It's easy enough to do, and you can see what you're doing as far as the nail goes, so know when you're getting close to the quick. it also makes them nice and smooth, no razor edges like you get from clipping. Annie and Goo both took to it right away, the others took one or two times before they settled in and realized it was no big deal (I think Hale though I was coming in to cut off her other leg the first time I went to do hers, by the expression on her face ).

A good site for dremeling nails (for you if your're interested, or anyone else) is: http://doberdawn.com and go down the menu on the left to where it says "Dremeling your dog's nails" or some such.

Also, a good way to keep a dog's nails short between clipping, and that will even help work the quicks/nails back is to have them walk/run on concrete or other paved surfaces once a week or so. The friction of the nail on the rough concrete will keep them nice and short, but make sure to check them frequently, because they'll wear right into the quick if you have a tough dog who doesn't know when to stop and allow them to keep going until they're tired of playing.

On clipping, I prefer the scissor type (2 blade) ones to the guillotine ones, as they cut from both sides rather than mashign the nail against the bar as one side cuts. As Maisey said, make sure they're sharp, dull clippers will crush the inner part of the nail and hurt. Once you've done the nails a couple times and gotten an idea for how far back you can go and where the quick is, it's easier to do.

Here's another picture of what the quicks look like, they're the dark gray in the center of each nail, picture courtesy of Annie http://img2.photobucket.com/albums/v11/gooeydog/january/anniequicks.jpg

posted 02-19-2004 11:58 PM         

Nern, I will check out that site. Thanks!
Maisey I will take my time. Thanks!
Karma, thanks for the info!
Honeybear, I'm like you! a little afaid, but it must be done..
Goob, i've never heard of a dremeling, I'll have to look into that...Thanks!

If I left anyone out, I'm sorry! I appreciate ALL the advise very much!!