While working from home, some of the services I used to think were essential have become ones I’ve started attempting to do myself. One of these was having my partner cut my hair, which quickly became a disaster. But another was grooming my dog. I can bathe her and all that, but one of the biggest issues I ran into was nail trimming. I’m simply too afraid to go at her paws with one of those clippers that look more like industrial-strength pliers. But recently, I found out I don’t have to.

I spoke with Flint Beamon, the co-founder of Barkin Creek Dog Kitchen & Bath in Austin, Texas about how to best deal with long dog nails at home. “We actually recommend a dremel, like this one,” he said. “This grinds the nail away instead of cutting, which is much safer.” He went on to note that “this one also has little guards that’ll detect when you’re getting close to the quick (the vein of the nail) and need to stop.”

Casifor Dog Nail Grinder

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While even he, an expert for over 5 years sometimes, has an accident, “it’s easier to solve than you might think. Just put some flour on their paw and they should be good as new.”

If you’re wondering why frequent nail trimming is important, Beamon said there are a few reasons. “First is discomfort. It’s like having an ingrown toenail. It also helps normalize their gait so they’re not slipping around all the time. But also if you have hardwood floors, you know the click clack sound their nails make, and probably are willing to do anything to avoid it.”That I was. I purchased the grinder Beamon recommended and tested it on my dog. It worked really well and ground down her nails in no time. The loud, weird noise coming from the grinder did make my dog squirm, but I don’t blame her.

To help relax your dog for their mani-pedi, Beamon recommended an easy fix—”hold an electric toothbrush (not yours) against her paws for maybe a minute once a day for a week.”

I took his advice and in no time, she even began to look forward to having her nails cut. Well, maybe she just enjoys the treats afterwards.

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