Having a dobermann which is black and tan means his claws are black. I can't see the quick, does anyone have a rule for how far to clip them back without causing pain? Many thanks

aldousjohn@hotmail.com

I have a schnauzer with black nails and all i do is clip them very often, well once a week but only a very small amount each time.  plenty of road walking usually keeps them pretty short anyway. 

Just do a small amount, if road walked the dogs claws shouldnt grow too long

My dogs claws are black, I just take a small slither of claw of at a time and keep checking the claw, you can see when you are getting close to the quick by looking at the end you've cut  (you obviously can't see through the claw, but you can see a change in the 'substance' of the inner part of the claw by looking at it from the cut end - if you get what I mean??).

That makes perfect sense mastifflover. I wanted to say that but i couldnt think of a wy to explain myself :-)  With experience you learn what to look for and also the best way to hole the dogs foot so you've got most control

>That makes perfect sense mastifflover.

:) Phew, I wasn't sure weather it sounded like complete gobbledegook or not!!

Thats the way I trim black nails also.

If the dog is going to be shown then you need to train his claws very short.  this is done by clipping weekly so the quick retracts.

If you look at show photos of Dobermans their claws come nowhere near touching the ground.

This may seem excessive to get that desired cat foot, btu with such a big dog having nive short nails can be very beneficial, saves your floors and also your arms/face if they jump up, Dobes ahve usually ahd their front dewclaws removed.

This is an excellent article about keeping black nails short.

Agree with all the above.  I too have Dobes.

Little and often whether they're in the ring or not.  I prefer to use a dremal and then quickly file the sides.  If you have a white residue left on the end then you can use baby oil to darken them down.  However not all dogs like the dremal because of the noise, mine have been trained from puppies to accept it. 

Have found normally that if you cut to where the nail starts to curl, you are usually ok, but each dog is different with this.  My min pin if I take off more than the tip I will get the quick, but my old ESS nails that quick didnot grow so i could cut them right back.

If you do get the quick as bad as the bleeding seams, as so as the dog calms down the bleeding will stop.  If I do accidently get a quick I will put my dogs to bed for a few minutes and the bleeding stops, (it is the fretting that keeps it going).  Here we have a product called Quik Stop that we can use so that the fur does not get stained, but having dark dogs I next to never use it.  (my ESS was not shown and was a pet so I didnt worry about the little things, like a stain, with her)

Thanks for the info everyone, looks like little and often is the best way to go. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it most of "Freds" exercise is done off of hard abrasive surfaces. Thanks again for all your feedback, J

aldousjohn@hotmail.com

Where the nail starts to curve downward, I usually cut there.  Havent hit the quick in a long time.  (Groom dobes all the time, as well as min pins - both breeds have black nails). 

There nails are cut very short when there puppies, and dont seem to grow so much, my Rottie and Danes have never had there nails cut, there keep them short, and makes the foot much neater.

from poppity,can anyone please tell me how to overcome my 11 months old lab's aversion to having her nails clipped.she has been like this since we got her at six weeks and has never had any experience that would make her so wary.i've tried to desensitize her by stroking her feet while she's relaxed or asleep and holding her claws but she always jumps up and looks as though i'm going to do something awful to her!as a result i've not managed to do all her nails at once,only the odd one now and again and i feel bad about it-it can't go on like this.are there any doggy relaxing tablets that i can use to help the situation.i've had dogs before but never with this problem.i'd be thankful for any advice-and so will my poppyx

sounds like your pup knows if he carries on, screams, etc, his nails wont be done.  I have heard (and used) the method of no matter how much they scream and holler, you still do all the nails.  If they dont scream and holler for one, then you give a treat.  But it could take a while for him to learn thats what you want because he has gotten away with it for so long.  Just hold the paw tight and do the nails.  All of them, no matter what. 

> i've tried to desensitize her by stroking her feet while she's relaxed or asleep and holding her claws but she always jumps up and looks as though i'm going to do something awful to her!

You're on the right track :) Now you need to add some positave association, ie, gently stroke her paw and then give her a treat (something really tasty like cheese/liver). Keep this up until she associates her paws being touched with treats (and therefore thinks it's good), then hold her paw & give a treat, when shes happy with that hold her claw & treat etc... When she's fully happy with her feet being handled, introduce the clippers, but don't cut her claws yet. Start by just having them in sight when you touch her paws, then move on to stoking her paws with the clippers (remembering to give a treat if she accepts it), then when you feel she is happy enough clip a claw :) Remeber lots of praise & a treat for every time she accepts her feet being handled.
When you can clip a claw, just do the one. Then a little while later (maybe a couple of hours), try the next one.

The idea is to very gradually get her used to having her feet/toes handled and used to having her claws cut, but also for there to be a positive association. Keep all sessions short, don't be tempted to push her to far as you'll end up finishing the seesion on a bad note, it's much better if you end each session soon, but with a happy dog waiting to earn her next treat.
I hope that's given you some pointers :)

thankyou mastifflover,i feel as though i have the confidence now to do things properly.hopefully she will soon be comfy with the clippers,i'll let you know how we go on.poppyx

> i feel as though i have the confidence now to do things properly

Great :)

With Buster I would wait untill he was relaxed, but not quite ready for a sleep, I would then finish the session with stoking him untill he went to sleep (LOL, he's a big baby), so it had an extra association of calmness. I would do this a couple of times a day. He really wasn't happy about his feet being touched to start with and when I introduced the clippers he wanted to take them of me and chew them up, but taking things very slowly, keeping patient, calm and remebering to praise & reward it worked. Now when he sees the clippers he knows it's time to lay down on his side calmly (I didn't get him to lay on his side at first as that can make them feel insecure), be fed little chunks of cheese for keeping still and then be be pampered :-D

to crespin,  i couldn't do that to her.i don't want to make her afraid of me.i know some things have to take time and it will come right in the end and we will still be friends,i'm certainly not going to fight with her when i can make it happen through positive association.