Can you tell me how often you have to have your dogs nails clipped, ive noticed Tess's nail seem to be a touch long, hubby says they are fine, ive never had to have then cut before she is 2, she has lots of walks  which keep them down but they seemed to have grown fast over the past few weeks, also would you take her to the groomers or vets to get them done? thanks all.

I do my staff's quite regularly.  It is currently one way I am monitoring how much weight she is putting on the leg she had the patella op on. 

I have found that with lots of lead walks in the winter (when the park is too dark to go in), she doesn't need them done, and in the summer if it is quite dry and the ground is hard they don't need done but in the wet weather they just don't wear down at all.  I use a pair of human nail clippers and just do them when she is lying or sitting on the sofa.  No fuss or bother but I have always done it when  necessary so she is used to it.  The vet stresses my dog out and she would not thank me for taking her there when she could be lying on her back with her legs in the air getting them done :)

My girl has her's done every 2 weeks... it means that they get really used to it and that it's a small job each time.

I do my two myself.. Alf is really good and just stands there whilst I do it.. Tess...bit more difficult, not at all keen on her feet being touched, so it's a bit iffy to say the least..I'd say I do them maybe once a month or perhaps a bit longer..
Definitely a difference in Winter time though, as we road walk as opposed to park / field walk.

i do my boys myself, usually every 2-3 weeks to keep them trim, his tend to grow slightly outwards before downwards so they wouldnt be kept trim by walking on roads etc. try get her used to you touching her feet, do it each night when shes relaxed, and give her a reward, gradually build up to the nail clippers and just take off a small bit to start with.

so its safe to do it yourself then, i think i would be scared.

so its safe to do it yourself then, i think i would be scared.

If you are scared, dont do it.  Have someone show you how its done, but if you are scared, the dog will read the tension and act out.  You are more likely as well to hit the quick if you are nervous. 

If your dog has white nails, you can actually see a pink line in the nail.  Cut just before you hit the line.  You dont want to hit it. 
If you do get the quick, once the dog settles down then it will stop bleeding.  Quick stop will stop the bleeding quicker, but it does sting.  So you only want to use this if you really get the quick (like deep) or if they arent stopping bleeding. 
If you have darker nailed dogs, then its usually to the curl in the nail. 

But again, if you cant stay calm, ie not get nervous, it is better off if you get someone who knows what they are doing (either a friend or the vet). 

thanks crespi, think i will take her to the vets, im not confident enough to do it myself.

When my friend did them for me (she has dobes and they keep them ultra short for the Ring) it was about once a month now I have to admit I am naughty and only do them about every three months.

Most dogs I see out have overlong nails.

I have a question to add, but its still about nails. :)
I have always cut my own dogs nails (had dogs for over 20yrs now) and have never had a problem. (also cut rabbits nails)
Now my problem is, Charlies quick seems to be right up to the tip of the nail. His nails look like they need to be cut, but when looking up-close there is only about 1mm before the quick!
I have filed this down as much as I safely can, but from a distance they still look a little longer than I would like.
Has anyone else had this problem?
Paula

im taking tess to the vets tonight to have her nails trimmed its only £5, im not confident enought to do it myself, but i may watch,