For the most part grooming your Weimaraner is pretty simple. An occasional bath and brushing, regular ear cleaning, and nail care. Of these the nail care is the biggest challenge. As with just about everything Weim related, it is best to get the process started early. It is also important to keep trimming or nail grooming frequent. This sets a routine and makes it easier if there is such a thing. Secondly, and equally important, it keeps the nails from getting too long. The longer the nail grows the further the quick extends in the nail. Long nails make close trimming difficult if not impossible without extra effort or expense.

You can of course take your Weimaraner to your Vet or a local groomer for nail care, but in checking on the costs locally this is what I learned:

• Our Vet Office charges $14 if you come in for a nail trim without an office call
• Our Vet charges $7 if the nail trim is part of a visit with a billed office call
• Other offices and groomers range in cost from $10 to $18 for a nail trim.

As mentioned above, if the nail gets long there are other considerations. It takes frequent trimming to shorten the nail. As you carefully shorten the nail the quick will recede too. In speaking with groomers and Vet Techs about this problem we were advised that to get the nails back into shape takes several sessions. They tell clients to expect to come in every two weeks for at least two months.

During these sessions your Vet Tech or Groomer would reduce the nail as close as possible to quick. Quicking a dog’s nail causes Hemorrhaging and is very painful. Most of us have cut our own nail too short and experienced throbbing sudden pain even without the bleeding. The Hemorrhaging nail is even more painful.

If you quick their nail by accident there are several styptic products to help stop the bleeding. We prefer to use a good styptic powder but there are gels too. Some of the gels include pain relief medication. In a pinch you can use flour to help stop the bleeding.

Here are several links that have references to nail trimming. Some are about the nail structure. There are videos as well as websites:

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/dog_nails.aspx

http://www.ehow.com/how_2453_trim-dogs-nails.html

http://tinyurl.com/ybnkz34 (Great Diagrams for reference)

http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/06/how_to_trim_dog_nails.php

http://tinyurl.com/yah2oag

http://tinyurl.com/ybvav6m

http://tinyurl.com/ybb7aau

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx0t4JVmAkI&feature=fvw (video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjCSXj24vt8&feature=channel (video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WBGm27hg-Q&feature=channel (video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JasDmwqHXfc&feature=channel (video)

There are two styles of nail trimmers.  There is the guillotine style cutter or the scissors style. The scissor style cutters are sometimes referred to as Pliers-style. Any nail trimmer should be high quality, sharp, and the right size. A smaller pup’s nail can be trimmed with a fingernail clipper too. Many times during the first 6 weeks of a pup’s life we will use finger nail clippers to trim their nails. As they grow, these no longer work well. Here are some links that talk about nail cutter styles and how to chose a nail cutter:

http://www.pet-supplies-review.com/dog-nail-clippers.html

http://tinyurl.com/ydkk6so

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/toenail-trimmers-for-dogs/page1.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o02KjGXLvQ8&feature=related (video)

http://www.ehow.com/about_5375579_types-dog-nail-clippers.html

Another method of nail trimming is to use a nail grinder. Some folks use a regular Dremel tool. We often use our Dremel. We have purchased an attachment (for grooming the dog’s nail) that fits right on the Dremel. Since someone else has done a very long tutorial on how to use a Dremel there is no need for us to repeat that information. Here is the link to that article as well as a link to the attachment we have found useful. Lastly, there is a link showing a groomer using a Dremel on her client’s nails. Since most of us are not as skilled as the groomer, nor are clients as compliant we like the attachment.

http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html

http://www.peticure-grooming.com/Peticure-Safe-Guard_p_0-14.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uku8avuUVuA&feature=related (video)

Your choice of tools needs to fit your comfort zone. It still requires getting your Weimaraner acclimated to the fact that nail trimming is going to happen. We own nearly every style of nail trimmer and find most of them get dull quickly. We do not own the razor style cutters that actually shave off a bit of the nail. Honestly, we have no experience with them but we have heard about this method. We do, however, have three various nail grinders.

All three nail grinders work well. We tend to use the nail grinders more often than regular nail cutters. We have shied away from the less expensive Pedipaws brand nail grinders due to varied reviews. Reviews seemed to highly favor the more expensive Peticure nail grinder who makes the attachment for our Dremel. Even then the reviews indicated that the elite or more professional models were superior.

In thinking we needed to replace our nail grinder we instead opted for the attachment for our Dremel. One reason we purchased the attachment was the main complaint even about the more expensive Pedicure models was battery longevity. Since our main reason for needing another nail grinder was due to our battery not holding a charge we felt avoiding the charging situation was the best scenario. In addition to the Dremel attachment, we purchased an Oster nail grinder that plugs in rather than uses a rechargeable battery. The cord is very long and the grinder has worked well for us.

Here is a link that will allow you to do your own research:

http://www.zootoo.com/dogs_nailtrimmers/electricnailgrinderkit

Now, if we have not given you enough options here is yet another nail grooming option. The latest trend in nail trimmers have a built in quick sensor. We have not had the opportunity to use one of the clippers yet. We hope to purchase one in the future so we can speak from first hand experience, however, for now we want to alert you to this option. Pet Guys offers three nail trimmers with the quick sensor:

http://www.petguys.com/dog-stuff-grooming-nail-trimmers.html

Pet Guys Sept Coupon has expired but watch for future coupons to be posted. The great price is good, and with a coupon the nail trimmer with quick sensor is even more affordable. We have seen these at the local pet store, however, the price was higher. Since we have not used one of these quick sensor clippers, we would love to hear about your experience.

wishing you success in trimming your Weim’s toenails…

~Shela and Cliff

Note: If you are part of the extended OwyheeStar family or on our waiting list, then please feel free to share your questions, comments, pointers, insights, experiences, and valued tips. Please keep in mind that all of our information is based from our experience and is our personal opinion.  Information found within this blog and on our website is not meant to replace that of your personal Veterinary. We are not licensed Veterinarians or licensed Vet Techs. We do not give treatment advice, diagnose illness, or consider ourselves the final authority on Veterinary medicine.