How to Cut Dachshund Nails – What Worked for Me

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Dachshunds are infamous fighters with regards to reducing their nails. It’s crucial to maintain them trimmed to a correct size although. 

Leaving a canine’s nails too lengthy could cause ache, joint points, and is likely one of the greatest errors with regards to reducing your canine’s nails.

I’m going to share my private tales of how I “received” – how I received my cussed Dachshunds to let me trim their nails with out preventing or appearing like I used to be making an attempt to kill them. 

Dachshund who just had her nails trimmed with a Dremel showing her paw to the camera

However first, some common suggestions. 

Disclosure: A number of the hyperlinks on this article are affiliate hyperlinks (Amazon Affiliate or different packages we take part in). As an affiliate, I earn a small fee from qualifying purchases.

Why Is It Vital to Preserve Your Dachshund’s Nails Brief

The subject of canine nail size is a brand new one. Or slightly, it’s change into a extra essential matter in recent times.

As veterinarians and scientists have discovered extra about canine well being, they’ve discovered that maintaining your canine’s nails a correct size is extra essential than as soon as thought.

When you let your canine’s nails get too lengthy, it will probably trigger an entire myriad of significant orthopedic, postural and mobility points.

Since Dachshunds are already vulnerable to again points, and nails which can be too lengthy may trigger them to negatively modify their posture till it places strain on their joints and backbone, it’s particularly essential to maintain your Dachshund’s nails brief.

Tips on how to Inform Your Dachshund’s Nails Are Too Lengthy

There are a number of methods to inform in case your Dachshund’s nails are too lengthy.

  • Your Dachshund’s nails shouldn’t contact the bottom when they’re standing on stage floor
  • Your Dachshund’s nails shouldn’t click on loudly on the bottom after they stroll (with some canine, a lightweight tapping is usually unavoidable)
  • In case your Dachshund is biting their nails, it’s a probable indicator that they’re too lengthy and inflicting some foot discomfort
  • Put up an image to a Dachshund Fb group and get instructed by the canine nail police

To the final level, one one hand, I respect that there are folks making an attempt to coach others in regards to the concern of nail size and canine well being.

Nevertheless, loads of these persons are very passionate and lack any bedside method.

You have to have a thick pores and skin to place an image of your canine’s nails on social media and ask in regards to the size.

Don’t say you weren’t warned!

A Dachshund's toenails trimmed very short
Picture Courtesy of @DachshundNola

Why You Must Trim Your Dachshund’s Nails

Some folks surprise why they should trim their Dachshund’s nails. They assume that strolling their canine will put on their nails down and hold them brief.

Whereas strolling your canine to “trim their nails” may go for a small fraction of Dachshunds, strolling frequently received’t hold the nails brief sufficient for many.

These Dachshunds both don’t stroll typically sufficient, don’t stroll on surfaces onerous sufficient, their nails are too powerful to put on down quick, or their nails develop too quick.

Most Dachshunds will want their nails manually trimmed by you or a groomer to maintain them on the correct size.

How Usually Ought to You Trim Your Dachshund’s Nails?

This may actually fluctuate and relies on issues like how briskly your Dachshund’s nails develop and whether or not you stroll your canine totally on onerous surfaces or comfortable.

The minimal frequency your Dachshund’s nails needs to be maintained is as soon as a month.

In case your Dachshund’s nails really develop at a snail’s tempo, or they put on down sufficient from strolling on onerous surfaces, this once-a-month “upkeep” could be an inspection.

Nevertheless, for many Dachshunds, wherever from 1-5 millimeters needs to be trimmed off as soon as a month.

Dachshunds had been bred to burrow and dig. Nails are an essential device for doing that. Due to this fact, loads of Dachshund’s nails develop quick.

In case your Dachshund’s nails develop quick, they could want their nails trimmed as often as as soon as every week.

Close up shot of a veterinarian trimming a dog's nails with clippers
Picture Credit score: Depositphotos/Remiansnrecognizable

Grinding Dachshund Nails vs Clipping Dachshund Nails

In the case of trimming Dachshund nails, there are two methods to do it:

It’s possible you’ll surprise which technique – grinding or trimming and which model of every – is finest on your Dachshund.

I can say from expertise, it actually relies upon.

Nevertheless, you should have one of the best luck with no matter you begin utilizing from the time your Dachshund is a pet.

For some finicky puppies, and most grownup Dachshunds, you or your groomer could need to strive a number of strategies to see what works finest on your canine’s nails and that doesn’t trigger them to battle it an excessive amount of.

What do I exploit to trim Summit and Gretel’s nails?

If you wish to know what I exploit with out studying the detailed tales beneath, right here it’s:

Ought to You Reduce Your Dachshund’s Nails Your self?

Whether or not you need to trim your Dachshund’s nails your self, or take your canine to a groomer or veterinarian to have it completed, is a private resolution.

It relies on loads of issues, together with:

  • Does your Dachshund battle you? – It’s possible you’ll discover it onerous to restrain your Dachshund your self whereas your canine could also be extra calm if another person does it
  • Comfort – Do you discover it faster and simpler to spend 10 minutes doing it at house or would you slightly drop your canine off and simply have another person handle it?
  • Your consolation – are you snug clipping your Dachshund’s nails with out reducing the short and hurting them?
  • Price – Giving your canine a pawdicure at house is all the time cheaper
  • The colour of your canine’s nails – In case your Dachshund’s nails are black, will probably be tougher to see the short so it’s possible you’ll need to go away nail filing to the consultants

How I Obtained My Dachshund’s to Let Me Trim Their Nails

Gretel’s story

One in all my Dachshunds – Gretel – got here from a rescue at one yr outdated and was very set in her methods.

She hadn’t been socialized nicely, she was so anxious she was on Prozac and, primarily based on her response once I tried to trim her nails, her earlier experiences weren’t good ones.

Close up of the Dremel Pet Nail Grinder with a Dachshund sitting in the background

She is sort of 11 years outdated now and solely two weeks in the past was I in a position to clip her nails and not using a battle or a lot fuss.

That’s a really very long time to be engaged on getting your canine snug with nail trims, proper?

Actually, I might need been in a position to make it occur just a few years earlier however I had given up. Not on reducing her nails all collectively however I had given up on me ever doing it.

You see, she has IVDD – the illness chargeable for inflicting again issues in Dachshunds (nearly all of them anyway) – and he or she would battle me so onerous once I tried to chop her nails I used to be terribly afraid of wounding her again. 

So I made a decision I used to be not going to battle her and threat paralysis or surgical procedure only for brief nails.

Nevertheless, I knew her nails wanted to be saved at an affordable size. 

I attempted taking her to totally different groomers and finally found she fought lots much less when another person was doing it and I wasn’t within the room.

So, each 2-3 weeks I took her to PetSmart to first get her nails clipped and later to get them floor with a dremel. 

I accepted that her nails would all the time be a bit too lengthy as a result of her nails develop quick and her quicks by no means moved again considerably between trims. 

She most likely may have gone to the groomer for a nail trim weekly however my pockets and schedule wouldn’t accommodate that.

In all of this although, I did notice that the actual fact she stood upright on a desk when her nails had been being completed was most likely a part of the success. 

Some Dachshund’s are freaked out by being held very tight or the other way up like a child, which doesn’t make the job any simpler.

As soon as we moved out of the large metropolis, and particularly as soon as COVID hit, getting her nails completed by a groomer frequently turned additionally unimaginable. 

I renewed my effort to trim her nails at house and, once more, we tried every thing – counter-conditioning (desensitization),swaddling her in a blanket, utilizing a sling with arm holes to droop her, peanut butter and treats (she was too pressured to have any curiosity regardless that she is extremely meals motivated), and many others.

Doggy Daddy and I continued to battle along with her, and battle her unbelievable power, as a result of her nails completely needed to be trimmed.

Typically it barely labored and generally it didn’t work in any respect.

Both manner, I used to be so fearful she would damage her again once more. She was positively sore after one of many occasions we did it.

As a last-ditch effort, I made a decision to attempt to do her nails the identical manner it’s completed on the groomer – standing on a grooming desk and grinding her nails with a dremel. 

I ordered THIS small canine grooming desk off Amazon, together with THIS dremel for pets (advisable by my canine groomer pal).

It labored! Gretel didn’t prefer it however I used to be in a position to do it. She resisted a bit of however didn’t battle me or attempt to soar of the desk.

Fingers crossed this can proceed to work along with her.

Dachshund standing on a grooming table waiting for her nails to be ground down with a Dremel

Summit’s story

My different Dachshund – Summit – got here to me as a pet.

The breeder had frequently dealt with her paws and trimmed her child nails so I figured she could be snug with me doing it.

Fallacious.

Summit may be very vocal and would yank her paw again from me and scream (it actually gave the impression of a scream) once I tried to chop her nails.

I couldn’t get her to carry nonetheless and it was harmful. Primarily, I couldn’t safely reduce her black nails with out threat of reducing them too brief and making her bleed.

So I made a decision what would work for considered one of my Dachshunds would most likely work for the opposite so off to the groomer we went.

Fallacious once more. Largely.

I took her to at least one one who was in a position to trim her nails a little or no bit with out an excessive amount of fuss.

They plied her with loads of treats, whispered candy nothings in her ear, and he or she fussed however didn’t downright scream.

I had taken Gretel to a brand new groomer as a result of we moved and the girl was in a position to efficiently trim her nails. I didn’t need to go to 2 totally different locations so I attempted taking Summit there too.

Let’s simply say it went horribly. I don’t blame the girl per-se however Summit was NOT having it.

She went again to screaming, howling, preventing to get out, and, once I stepped in to assist, she “put her enamel on me”. (She didn’t chew however would generally use an open mouth and enamel to speak that she was afraid or uncomfortable.)

I instructed the girl a number of occasions as much as that time that she didn’t need to do Summit’s nails if she fought her an excessive amount of.

The girl saved assuring me she may do it and that she had handled tough canine earlier than.

After her 4th try, and the enamel on my hand concern, I instructed her once more she didn’t need to do it and he or she instantly took her arms off of Summit and mentioned, “Yeah, okay. I’m not going to do that.”

The clincher although was that she groomer requested me if Summit has all the time been this fashion and I mentioned sure, roughly. The groomer instructed me, “nicely, you’ll by no means get her to alter now.”

Problem accepted!

A Lesson in not giving up on trimming my Dachshund’s nails

I used to be so mad. Who was this woman to inform me that I might by no means be capable to get Summit to calmly have her nails completed?

A canine can nonetheless be taught after a yr outdated and he or she didn’t even know me!

If there’s one solution to get me to do one thing, it’s to inform me that I can’t. So I recommitted myself to instructing Summit to let me trim her nails.

I’m pleased to say that, after solely a pair months, I used to be in a position to reduce her nails.

Steps I Took to Get My Dachshund to Let Me Reduce Her Nails with Clippers

I received a refresher on trimming canine nails

A veterinarian I do know – Dr. Buzby – who gave me a sneak-peek of her Canine Nail Care Masterclass: Nail Trimming With out Concern.

Though I didn’t apply all of her suggestions and ideas, it actually gave me extra confidence that I may do that.

I purchased actually good nail clippers

I began utilizing some actually good, sharp nail clippers that reduce nails like butter.

The better a pair of nail clippers reduce, the much less they’re more likely to squeeze the nail and fast, which could be uncomfortable.

Additionally, the scissor kind clippers are higher than the guillotine kind (a loop of steel with a blade that rises as much as “lop off” the top of the nail). 

The latter restricts the angle you’ll be able to reduce the nail at and have been identified to crush the tail as an alternative of reduce it.

Notice: Additionally hold this styptic powder available in case I do by chance make considered one of her nails bleed. I’ve used a number of totally different ones and this one has labored one of the best.

We performed the clipper “contact” sport

I did brief coaching classes a number of occasions every week aimed toward getting her used to me touching the clippers to her nails.

Actually, this was the straightforward step.

So, for this sport, she received a small coaching deal with each time she let me contact the clippers to her paw and he or she didn’t draw back.

If she pulled away, I hid the clippers behind my again and he or she didn’t get a deal with.

If I may contact her paw with the clippers and he or she didn’t transfer it, she received a reward and reward.

As soon as I used to be in a position to contact all of her paws with the clippers with out her transferring, I began holding the clippers there for a few seconds and ready.

If she moved her foot away, no deal with.

Solely reward your Dachshund in the event that they don’t draw back once you contact the clippers to their paw.

We continued this fashion till I may maintain the clippers on every foot for about 10 seconds.

I received a lick mat and located a deal with she couldn’t refuse

Subsequent, I purchased a lick mat to occupy her throughout nail trims.

I attempted all types of creamy stuff to placed on it like peanut butter and cheese however nothing appeared to distract her sufficient from what I used to be doing to her ft.

Ultimately, what labored was both the combo of goat cheese with a dab of honey (sugar isn’t one of the best for canine however it was just a bit bit and leaving her nails lengthy was extra dangerous than a tsp of honey as soon as every week) or cat meals (once more, not dangerous in small quantities and fewer dangerous than nails which can be too lengthy)

I then performed the contact sport along with her ft once more utilizing the lick mat.

If she moved her foot, I picked up the lick mat. If she stayed, she received to proceed licking the mat.

I positioned her to organize for nail clipping

Have you ever ever seen a horse getting their ft trimmed and shod? That’s type of what I did with Summit.

I saved her standing up and bent every foot backwards to work on it.

I discovered that I received one of the best view of every foot and nail if my eyes had been proper over it.

I sat on my knees on the bottom, barely parted, and put the lick mat between my legs. That induced Summit to type of stroll right into a “chute” with a barrier on each side of her.

She may again up however not transfer an excessive amount of back and forth or flip round to see what I used to be doing.

I might then sit up on my knees as wanted to place my line of sight proper over her foot.

I made it tougher for her to get traction to tug away

This one is a bit onerous to clarify however you’ll be able to see it a bit within the video above.

Principally, I wrap my arm that’s holding her foot underneath her physique and I barely raise her.

That manner she has a tougher time utilizing her foot to push off of the bottom or transfer away from me.

I made certain I had actually good lighting

I made certain that I may see her small, darkish brown nails clearly. I didn’t by chance reduce an excessive amount of and make the short bleed.

Actually good lighting that means that you can see the nail and fast clearly is essential to a secure nail trim.

I began my renewed effort to trim Summit’s nails in the summertime so I’d do it outdoors in pure daylight.

Later, when the climate received worse, we would have liked to maneuver inside. Attempting to clip her nails underneath family lights wasn’t very straightforward. It casts shadows and isn’t very brilliant.

My pal talked about she used a headlamp and I believed, “Why didn’t I consider that??”. I’ve round 3 headlamps for tenting however by no means thought to make use of one for nail trims.

I began utilizing this headlamp indoors and it’s been a complete sport changer.

I went at her tempo

I needed nail filing classes to be as optimistic of an expertise as potential.

At first, I simply began trimming one nail at a time. I used to be shortly in a position to transfer to 2-3 on one foot.

As soon as she was snug with that, I began doing an entire foot, then two ft, then all 4. Actually, I used to be in a position to progress to doing all 4 without delay.

It helped once I received extra snug reducing her nails and will do it quicker. She would get pissed off once I did an excessive amount of fussing round with a nail.

Nonetheless although, all of us have our good and unhealthy days. Most occasions I can trim all of her nails without delay. Typically I can solely do one nail at a time.

I contemplate our session completed if she pulls away greater than as soon as, if she makes a “yip” sound once I clip a nail, or she backs out of the “chute”.

I made certain to maintain the lick mat as her particular deal with

She doesn’t get the lick mat, goat cheese, or honey at every other time. She solely will get this particular deal with when she lets me trim her nails.

When the session is completed – even when I solely clipped just a few nails – the lick mat goes away.

The keys to with the ability to trim my Dachshund’s nails was to work along with her, not towards her, strive a bunch of various issues to see what labored finest, and to not surrender.

Regardless of which device you select, the keys to trimming your Dachshund’s nails and not using a battle is coaching (your canine) and confidence constructed with follow (you).

Good luck!

I've been fighting with my Dachshunds to cut their nails for years. This is what finally worked for me.



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