# Mac has never had his nails trimmed.



## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Hello

I have never trimmed Mac's nails. Am I being neglectful??? His nails seem long but not cray long.


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Not neglect, if they're not super long without cutting no worries.

I suppose every dog is different, ours gets his trimmed once every two weeks or so not set in stone though.
He still has his dew claws so these get trimmed at the same time.
He still hates us doing it though but that's our fault I suppose from not getting him used to it from an early age ???
He gets a treat after they've all been cut. (only drawn blood twice!! down to him 'Twitching')
We often walk with a weimaraner and her owner has never had to cut her nails and does't have dew claws either :-\
We know when his are long when he walks on the concrete/tarmac and you can hear the nails making a clicking sound on the floor 
If he's not biting/chewing at them I guess he's not bothered by them either

If it ain't broke....... 

Hobbsy


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

If you walk him enough, it shouldn't matter.

Kobi doesn't get his trimmed anymore. Now, he just runs. They definitely look a bit long, not like a show cut, but they are extremely dull. They could only hurt you if he really pushed hard against your body.

He still slides around a lot on my hardwood floors, but he doesn't scratch them since his nails are so thick.


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## DougAndKate (Sep 16, 2011)

Our Sunday routine is to take Elroy to a fenced in tennis court first thing in the morning. Those surfaces are usually painted with an anti skid/sand added to the paint for grip. After about a half hour of fetch, his nails are nicely polished down! You just really have to monitor his paws because too much stopping and starting can cause blisters as well. Elroy just hit a year old, and we've never cut them. Tried the dremel, but he couldn't get used to it.

That routine also gives us a break, he gets his exercise, and we get to sip coffee and slowly wake up


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

The only problem with long nails is theres a greater chance of them getting an injury. Its just easier for them to get cracked or broken.


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## kristen (Oct 18, 2011)

Odin was under anesthetic for some surgery last week and while he was sleeping away the vet dremmeled his nails down. She made them soooo short! It's great! I wouldn't have the balls to do them that short on my own, but will try to keep them like that for the future. 
I find that walks on asphalt and cement do great for his middle nails, but the outside ones still stay a bit longer than I'd like, and they get trimmed (then we promptly go for a walk so that they can get sanded down!)


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

born36 said:


> Hello
> 
> I have never trimmed Mac's nails. *Am I being neglectful?*?? His nails seem long but not cray long.


 :-[ YES (sorry). Could handicap the dog, risk bone structure problems, not to mention long nails alter the gait.

In my area there is a guy running his dog on asphalt, tied to the bike. Just to wear the nails down. This is the same guy that complained about my
dog running circles around his dog in the woods. 

-
Need suggestions on nail trimming?


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

kristen said:


> Odin was under anesthetic for some surgery last week and while he was sleeping away the vet dremmeled his nails down. She made them soooo short! It's great! I wouldn't have the balls to do them that short on my own, but will try to keep them like that for the future.
> I find that walks on asphalt and cement do great for his middle nails, but the outside ones still stay a bit longer than I'd like, and they get trimmed (then we promptly go for a walk so that they can get sanded down!)


They all must run a little different. Mischa's hind nails never need trimming, nut her front middle nails need it constantly. The front outer ones don't grow as fast as the middle's for some reason??? 
She runs in the woods a lot more than walking on sidewalks, so I suppose that has a lot to do with it.


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## Hbomb (Jan 24, 2012)

Datacan suggestions on nail trimming would be good! H had his nails done at the vets but they are getting long again. He's quite happy with me touching his feet but I'm still a bit nervous :-\


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

HI, I found this on the forum
http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,2545.msg16640.html#msg16640

Takes courage, though. If you are not OK or hesitant you can try the local pet shop (if there is such a thing)

I place Sam in my lap and have access to his paws that way. He is heavy but I am man so a little workout is in order. I use a heatless stone mounted on a dremmel and strong light to see where the quick (inside nail) is.


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## Hbomb (Jan 24, 2012)

Thanks for the reply! 

It does look a little tricky...may be a job for my husband who is braver than me


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

^if you guys work together it'll be a piece of cake.
One feeds, the other clips.

I do it alone no problem now. I get her to lay on her side and clip away.


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

We clip Axel's nails about every 3 weeks, my wife does it when he is pretty much sleeping, she also files them down so they are not sharp. (we have to file them down or he will totally wreck our hardwood floors) We also brush his teeth a couple times a week as well. We started both when he was very young so he does not mind at all, I think he actually feels like he is at a doggy spa getting pampered...


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## GinjaNinja (Dec 27, 2010)

I use a Dremel now - my V found even sharp clippers pinced her nails once she was adult. I was very patient in getting her used to it & they are now much shorter. The problem is that if you leave them a bit long, the quick grows longer. With the Dremel you can get it to recede without causing pain by Dremeling the nail a bit thinner on the sides.

I also brush her teeth even though she is fed raw. I use a baby toothbrush - I found the canine ones were too harsh. I like to brush the margin of the gum too as this is where gum disease starts. If the gum bleeds a bit as you brush - then there is gum disease present. You just need to do it more - little and often.


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## Katja (Mar 9, 2012)

+1.

With our previous dog we were pretty good at nails, but it was always a fight, and we were terrible at teeth. We had her teeth cleaned under anesthesia a couple of times, but her gums were awful in her old age.

We are dremeling Keke's nails once a week - I still have to restrain him, but he is calm, doesn't fight the Dremel, and knows there will be beaucoup treats after each foot.

I brush his teeth 2-3 per week and he LOVES it. I do it when he is in a nippy mood anyway - I think it makes endorphins or something.


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## SweetCaroline (Jul 26, 2011)

Good article about why you should trim your dog's nails:
http://www.pedigreedpups.com/Trimming-Your-Dogs-Nails.html - In a nutshell: it can interfere with their gait and cause misalignment.

I've tried to do Magnus' a few times and he always kicks up a fuss so I simply take him to one of the Pet shops that offers clipping about every 2 weeks and he stands there calmly letting the technician clip away. 

As a side note: My instructor had mentioned that they prefer to stand to have them done and person clipping should hold the legs like one would do to tend to horses hooves (bending natural at the 'ankle/knee" (Google it  ) - it's apparently more comfortable.


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

I brought Whistler to get his nails trimmed this morning and the pet shop owner didn't think he needed them done because she couldn't hear them hitting the floor when he walked.. She had never seen thick pads like Whistler's! I'm guessing this is a stealthy Vizsla trait for hunting!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Ruby is coming up 14 months now and I've never done hers although I did try using my fein (one of my worktools) and she didn't like that one bit. The vet nurse that's one of our best friends has since said that they're fine and don't need filing/clipping. Rubes gets a helluva lot of exercise but not that much roadwork tbh. I've heard tell that nails can be clipped in such a way as they don't grow anymore, anyone else heard this or is it an old wives tale?


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