I bought this for my 2 dogs an Australian Shepherd and a Chihuahua. I got tired of taking my dogs to get their nails clipped at the groomers and paying a fortune and having them tell me that they accidentally cut the quick. At first both of them were afraid of the machine because of the noise it made. They ran away and it was difficult to keep them in one spot so I could work on their nails. It was difficult to chase after them with the cord and having to find an outlet. I did enjoy that with the cord I didn't have to bother charging and recharging the machine. After a while, I was able to groom their nails and they got used to the sound. I thought it was better than the traditional clippers and there were no jagged edges like clippers and I didn't have to worry about cutting into the quick. I would recommend this product as long as you have the patience to use it and let your pets get used to it. Oster Pet Nail Grinder
I have a German Shepherd who hates to have his nails cut. In fact he does not even like me touching his feet. I kept buying various nail clippers. Nothing worked. He would jerk his leg a split second before I was going to clip the nail. I had to start taking him to the vet to have his nails clipped which was starting to get expensive. It took two techs to hold him down and cut the nails. Each nail was a different length and the ends were very ragged which scratched my wood floors. To be honest he was not thrilled about me using the grinder on his nails - but he let me trim all of his nails. I had no fear about hurting him and I think he picked up on my new self confidence. I was able to keep going until each nail was the same length and the ends were nice and rounded. I wish I had purchased this product before I bought 6 different types of clippers over the years.
I bought this for one of my dogs who just has a weird quick and thick, thick nails (hard to clip through, clipping puts pressure on the quick, and the thick claw hides the very end of the quick). Trimming with clippers is not an option at all with her.
Pros:
*no pressure on or clipping of the quick
*more confidence in me=more confident, less fearful dog
*doesn't require batteries=good for many and/or large dogs, having lower operation cost and greater convenience
*also much more powerful than the battery operated kind
*comes with a set of durable bands and carrying case
*adjustable speed so your dog can get used to the sound and feel gradually
*no nail guide means greater control over the product and possibly less risk of injury to the dog
*much safer and more pleasant than clippers
Cons:
*The noise can be a problem for dogs that are frightened by sounds.
*The lower settings are less frightening and good to begin with, but lower speeds also allow the dremel to stop easily with even light pressure to the nail, which can damage the equipment
*causes nail bits and dust to fly about. You'll need protection both for your eyes and the dog's.
*The power supply is very heavy. Best to use it with a floor outlet or surge protector strip-something that goes on the floor. Otherwise the power supply has a tendency to fall out of the wall, which causes unwanted interruption when already trying to trim down the claws of a dog frightened by the noise or new procedure. You stop for a second and the dog jumps out of your lap and dashes out of the room.
I give this five stars anyway because using a clipper was a miserable experience for the dogs and me, and this dremel kit has spared us a *lot*.
Bottom line: the best solution to use instead of clippers. Makes the process much safer and more enjoyable, but may still require training to get some dogs used to the noise. Dogs that have had a bad experience with clippers will require patience and training for this new solution as well.
Tips for a successful experience:
I started by petting my dogs with the dremel and allowing them to smell and touch it. Then I turned it on to the lowest setting so they could hear the noise, and I began petting them with my hand as soon as the dremel was on, then I would turn it off and stop petting them. I repeated this procedure at length so the dogs would associate the sound of the dremel with something pleasant. Then I applied the dremel at the lowest setting to get the dogs used to the feel of having their nails trimmed using the new product. I gradually increased the speed until I had a powerful enough setting to do the job without the dremel stopping on me. After a successful nail-trimming experience, I slathered on the attention and affection. We still have a couple of dogs that do not like having their nails touched under any circumstances. We will be reinforcing the new learned behaviors with treats. I never force the dog to stay to have the nails trimmed. If the dog wants to walk away, I allow that so they don't become more fearful because they have no control over their circumstances. I coax them with treats and affection, and the minute they've had enough, we're done for the day.
PS-for extremely fearful dogs, you can begin by having someone else turn on the dremel in the next room, and as soon as it is on, give the dog a treat. Repeat until dog is comfortable with the noise. Gradually bring the dog closer each time and give a treat as soon as the dremel is on, never progressing faster than the dog's comfort level allows.
I have two beagles. 1 let me clip his nails and he was always an angel. The other put up a subtle, but persistant fight from day 1. She squirmed and wiggled and showed distress, but never bit or cried. All of that and I never once clipped a nail to show blood. I saw this product and decided I had to do something to ease my female beagles stress.
So far so good!!!! It takes some work to get them used to it. It is a power tool. But it has an adjustable speed which afects the sound level as well. I started them both out at the lowest and just touched the tool to their bodies and then their feet to feel the vibration. It did't take any time to get the male to let me work all four paws. The female has been slower going because I don't want to push her or stress her, but she is already better than she was with toe nail clippers. She sits still and lets me do both of her back paws. I started out doing a little work(about 5 mins) each of my days off (3)and they are getting very desensitized to it. I also always give them treats after. They are now excited when they see me sit down with the drill.
The instructions for the drill were not extensinsive for "dog training", but neither were they overly limited. I thought they gave the bare minimum to get started. Everyone should try this if their dogs don't like clippers. Just realize it is definitly a regular maintanence. The drill isn't made to drill monster nails down in a snap. If they are really long, do it in a few days. And never hold a drill on a nail too long as it will heat it up their nail. Move from nail to nail and then back again. Enjoy!!!! I do so far. - Dogs - Pet Grooming Tool - Nail Trimmer - Nail Grinder'
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