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I would think so! I know the show folk like short nails for a compact-looking foot, but I would think nails chopped off at the base would look unnatural to the judge - and that is nothing anyways to the pain caused to the dog! Wouldn't cutting the nails like that cause abnormal growth after a while, too? I know of a dog that broke a nail that short accidently and it never grew back properly - it was twisted and extra thick. Anyway, the collie show folk I know use the same method I wrote about for getting short nails (but not stubs!) without the pain.
Well, Quail's post got me side-tracked and I never wrote what I meant to in answer to the original poster: Yes, follow the advice here and use a Dremel and get her used to it slowly by letting her sniff it and see it while it is on, then just barely sanding on the tips at first. And lots of treats and praise. I have collies fostering here now and then and I had one that obviously had been quicked too many times by ham-fisted owners with clippers. With the same sort of work recommended by other posters here, she tolerated the Dremel, though she always had her head hanging and her tail tucked but at least she didn't fight and squirm.
If your dog is getting blind because of age, then perhaps her hearing isn't too good either and she'll not be bothered by the sound of a Dremel. If she is old enough to be getting arthritic, that could also be why her nails are getting sensitive to the clippers squeezing. Also, if you are going to use clippers, make sure they are SHARP! Otherwise they do pinch the quick inside even if you are careful not to quick them.
I would think so! I know the show folk like short nails for a compact-looking foot, but I would think nails chopped off at the base would look unnatural to the judge - and that is nothing anyways to the pain caused to the dog! Wouldn't cutting the nails like that cause abnormal growth after a while, too? I know of a dog that broke a nail that short accidently and it never grew back properly - it was twisted and extra thick. Anyway, the collie show folk I know use the same method I wrote about for getting short nails (but not stubs!) without the pain.
Well, Quail's post got me side-tracked and I never wrote what I meant to in answer to the original poster: Yes, follow the advice here and use a Dremel and get her used to it slowly by letting her sniff it and see it while it is on, then just barely sanding on the tips at first. And lots of treats and praise. I have collies fostering here now and then and I had one that obviously had been quicked too many times by ham-fisted owners with clippers. With the same sort of work recommended by other posters here, she tolerated the Dremel, though she always had her head hanging and her tail tucked but at least she didn't fight and squirm.
If your dog is getting blind because of age, then perhaps her hearing isn't too good either and she'll not be bothered by the sound of a Dremel. If she is old enough to be getting arthritic, that could also be why her nails are getting sensitive to the clippers squeezing. Also, if you are going to use clippers, make sure they are SHARP! Otherwise they do pinch the quick inside even if you are careful not to quick them.
