Nail Trimming

Most dogs wear down their nails through activities such as daily walks on pavement or sidewalks. However dogs that spend most of their time indoors their nails can become extremely long.  They can snag and damage carpets and upholstery. Excessively long nails can interfere with traction by preventing the foot pads from making contact with the ground and can actually interfere with movement resulting in changes to their posture alter the gait which causes pain.  Overly long nails are also more susceptible to being torn off. Nails should be inspected regularly (I check weekly) and trimmed when needed (once or twice a month).  My rule of thumb is “if I hear it click its time to nip”.  Giant breed dogs will require a sharp, heavy duty nipper to clip through the thickness without pinching.  They are normally not sold in stores but can be ordered from Amazon or other online pet supply companies.  I bought my nippers from Amazon and have had amazingly good luck with them so far.

Another alternative (or in my case in addition) to nippers is a Dremel handheld rotary tool. When using a Dremel, make sure you are using the sanding drum attachment and carefully pull or trim any hair away from the nail you are working on. Carefully hold the tool against the nail with slight pressure, removing just a small amount if you cannot see the quick.  Hold it lightly against the surface of the nail in 5-10 second increments to make sure the friction from the Dremel is not getting too warm and heating your dog’s toe, this is extremely painful (ladies that have had acrylic nails put on can attest to the pain when they hold it on your nail for too long.  It may take a few sessions to acclimate your dog to the sound of a Dremel and some dogs may never tolerate it.  I have had good success with a smaller, battery powered Dremel.  It is quieter and does not heat up as quickly as the more powerful ones.  The first few times I introduced the Dremel I touched their paws and nails with it NOT turned on.  The next few times it was turned on but I touched the nails and pads with the body of the Dremel to acclimate them to the noise.

This graphic has been making the rounds on Facebook and other social media. I’ve seen it several times, but I’m not sure where it originated, sorry. It’s a great illustrated reference on cutting dog’s nails though.

Some people use a pen light up under the nail to illuminate where the quick ends.  This works great on light nails but trimming dark nails can pose a bit of a challenge.  It is obviously more difficult to trim a dark nails than light nails and there is a greater chance of nicking the quick.  If you accidentally cut into the quick, the dog will feel a brief moment of pain and the nail will begin to bleed. Hold pressure over the end of the nail and the blood should clot in a few minutes. If bleeding persists, pack with styptic powder or use a styptic pencil. If you don’t have any on hand, flour or cornstarch will do as well.

When checking out the condition of your dogs nails, dont forget to check between their toes and at the pads on the bottoms of their paws.  Red itchy and wet spots between the toes can alert you to allergies (both food and environmental) and injury.  Grass seed seems to dig in between the toes and can be quite painful.  Rough pad can be treated softened by using Musher’s Secret or Bag Balm.  Originally developed for sledding dogs, Musher’s Secret is a dense barrier wax that is non-greasy and does not stain carpets or upholstry.  It protects paws from even the most extreme elements from hot pavement and sand to snow.  I use it on Brutus and Rufus’s paw pads when they get dry and flaky.

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NC Cop Who Was Caught on Video Kicking and Brutally Yanking Dog May Get Job Back

An image from the video of Jones teaching Ricoh a lesson

Remember back in 2007 when footage came out showing a North Carolina cop yanking and kicking the crap out of his Belgian Malinois patrol and narcotics detector dog? It was very disturbing to watch, although I’m sure much more disturbing to be the dog, Ricoh.

State Highway Patrol trooper Charles L. Jones was fired after public outcry. But a three-judge panel has just ruled that Jones should get his job back. Oh, and he should receive more than $200,000 in back pay.

I’m not including the video here because it will completely sicken most of my regular readers. (If you really want to find it online, you can.) But in case you don’t know the details of what Jones did, here’s a recap, via the Los Angeles Times.

“The video shows Jones wrapping Ricoh’s leash over a railing, then yanking and raising the dog by its neck so that only its back feet touched the ground. Jones then kicked Ricoh five times, causing the dog’s legs to swing out from under it. Jones was disciplining the dog after it refused to release a piece of fire hose given as a reward for alerting officers to the presence of narcotics.”

(Update: OK for those of you brave enough to watch, or who need more inspiration to contact the people listed in the comments, you can find a 15-second version of the video here. Even YouTube has it as a video for 18+ years old only. I won’t embed it in this post.)

Okay, I need to take a deep breath and count to 10. I’ve spent a good part of the last year devoted to the research and writing of my upcoming book (it’s being published in about a month!) on military working dogs, and have spoken with dozens of military dog handlers and trainers, and witnessed countless hours of intensive training. There is no way anyone I dealt with would condone this kind of treatment of a dog because he didn’t want to give up his “paycheck.” What Jones did to Ricoh — who had been his dog for six years before the incident — is nowhere on the scale of “okay” in the military. I may get back to you later with the words of a highly regarded trainer who’s been in the military dog program for years, but that’s my two cents for now.

Instead of slinking away with his tail between his legs, Jones sued the state. Another state trooper backed him up, saying that dog handlers were trained to “use any means necessary to discipline” a dog to control him. Whoa, it’s not like this dog just ate a trooper’s face for lunch and got a swift punch or kick in the heat of the moment. The dog just didn’t want to give up his reward. There are plenty of other ways of dealing with this.

Oddly, the panel of judges in the latest development were simply upholding earlier decisions by a state Superior Court judge, an administrative law judge, and a N.C. personnel commission. (It was the state’s then-governor Mike Easley who fired Jones in 2007.)

The state Supreme Court may be asked to review the latest decision. But it looks like there’s a good chance Jones will really clean up. He has been working as a police officer in Apex, N.C., so he has been getting a paycheck. The extra $200,000 and getting his old job back could make him feel pretty invincible. If I were a law-enforcement dog for the N.C. Highway Patrol, I’d start sending out my resume right about now.

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Dogster’s Style Picks of the Week: For the Four-Pawed Loves of Your Life

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited. It happens to be one of my favorite holidays all year! How could you not love a holiday about love?

Whether you head out for a romantic dinner or stay in for a cozy night, Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to put a little more effort into looking extra pretty, and letting everyone you love know just how much they mean to you. Of course, that includes your favorite four-legged companions. Get out there, look amazing, spread the love, and hug your dog. Happy Valentine’s Day!

1. Scribble Heart Dog Hoodie — Keep your favorite Valentine warm and cozy in this adorable hoodie.

2. The Bone Bowl — This bubble-bone-shaped dual feeder features removable stainless steel bowls and nonslip rubber feet. And it’s available in this sweet shade of pink.

3. Humunga Lips Durable Dog Toy — Humunga designs some of the most clever toys around. Your dog will appear to have big cartoon lips while he chews on the cherry scented ball-shaped end.

4. Dogswell Chicken Strips — I like to keep my dog’s heart happy with these treats. They’re his absolute favorite!

5. Heavenly Pink Dog Bed — This soft water-resistant bed features a sweet pink heart for the love of your life.

6. Zip-a-Dee Collar — This red and pink leather collar with a zipper detail is the perfect gift for the endearing dog with a little edge.

7. Carnation Bracelet — Keep Valentine’s Day flowers alive forever by wearing them around your wrist in the form of this stunning statement bracelet.

8. Suede Point Court Shoes — Nothing is hotter than a pair of pink suede pumps. Wear them for this romantic holiday and beyond.

9. Lace Dress — Get on trend by strutting your stuff in a lace dress. The peephole on this one takes it from sweet to seductive.

10. Ban.do Signature Scarf — I love a product with multiple uses! Impress your loved ones with how many ways you can wear this heartprint scarf.

Follow Dogster’s Picks of the Week on Pinterest!

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Dawggie Go Pak

February 6, 2012 at 11:23 pm

I don’t know how many times I’ve taken the dog out for a walk, only to discover about two blocks away that I forgot the pickup bags. So I search my jacket pockets, my pants pockets (when I have any), and my clothes. (Oh, come on, I’m not the only one who tucks my mobile phone into my bra and hooks my keys into my waistband.)

The answer is the Dawggie Go Pak, a surprisingly compact organizer for your keys, phone, MP3 player and earbuds, debit card, license, money, pickup bags, treats, and even business cards (because you never know). There’s a place for everything, from the carabiner and key ring to the  front pocket with a grommeted hole, just perfect for dispensing baggies. In this streamlined 7? x  4.5? package are no less than four compartments, sized for a variety for accoutrements that will take you around the block or out for the day. Velcro closures keep everything secure enough that you can dangle the pouch from the handle of your leash without worry that your important items will fall out.

What a great idea! Now you can bring the essentials along instead of leaving them in the car. No more bulging pockets or unwieldy fanny packs while running. Now you can bring your phone, knowing that if you or your dog gets hurt, you can call for help. Bills go in flat or folded. Credit/debit cards are perfectly secure. Pickup bags are easily dispensed with one-handed ease. You can even put the loaded pickup bag into the Pak – or snap the carabiner around it – if you don’t want to hold it all the way home, and you’re hands-free again.

Fabric wipes clean and comes in seven fashion colors with complementary ribbon accent. Made in USA, too. What’s not to love? Available for $14.95 plush tax and shipping at www.DawggieGoPak.com.

Entry filed under: Dog Product Reviews. Tags: accessories, accessory, bag, carrier, dog walk, leash, pickup bags, pouch, wristlet.

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Dogster HQ Drops by the Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show

Ever been to a dog show hungover? I don’t recommend it. But such was my fate after my fellow Dogster staffers and I decided to turn our date with the Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show into a wine and margaritas girls’ night/slumber party.

It’s amazing how you can work with people five days a week and yet have enough to chat about into the wee hours of the morn. I was impressed that we were able to peel ourselves out of bed at 8:30 a.m. and make it to the aforementioned dog show by 10 sharp. I must also say I’m impressed with the way my colleagues look like they actually got some sleep in the photos below.

Our day began with a solid dose of caffeine, and then we were off to the Cow Palace for the last leg of the two-day affair. My dog was mad he wasn’t invited to the pooch party, but they were limiting canine presence to the show entrants.

A few months ago, Dogster’s Community Manager, Lori, lost her beloved Basset Hound, Lucy, and we made a beeline for the Basset booth as soon as we arrived to make sure she got a healthy dose of droopy-eyed love.

Note: The show Bassets are wearing snoods in the above photo to keep their ears from dragging on the ground.

We’d never met English Setters before, but are pleased to report that their sweet faces are matched by equally sweet personalities.

At these shows, “breed benches,” or the display/rest areas the breeds hang out at between showings are a competition in themselves. And we were shocked and appalled that the Chihuahua bench didn’t get first place when their owners went all-out, turning the Chi crates into a series of miniature home scenes. Here’s a clip so you can better see what we mean:

See? They were robbed!

We consoled ourselves by hugging as many adorable dogs as we could get our mitts on. Starting with this Rottie.

And this Saint. (Pictured next to Anna, our social media whizkid.)

Then we headed backstage to see the grooming area.

We watched one handler wrestling with the endless fluff of his Pekingese. My cohorts laughed a bit too loudly at this little dog’s face, but can you blame them?

We noticed that every pet product you could imagine was available for purchase in the face of a last-minute grooming emergency.

You would not believe how much hairspray it took to get this Pom‘s tail to stay put.

Another look at the snood phenomenon.

The Weims looked surprisingly happy to have a dogpile going on at their booth (though we thought they looked a little cramped).

Of course, I forced everybody to watch the Italian Greyhounds when they had their turn in the ring. A gorgeous fawn IG won a ribbon. I wanted to take every last one home.

We found that there are breed-specific editions to a good number of board games. (Is this odd to anybody else?)

The Irish Wolfhounds traveled through the halls like a troop of gentle giants.

Here’s another look at Lori in Basset Hound heaven.

Many, many, many cars in the lot had breed stickers and/or decals on them.

And many breed-specific collectables made walking the halls a visual overload.

We left a few hours later bone tired and ready for a good long nap (or some hair of the dog that bit us the night before). We’ll leave you with this parting shot — that’s a St. Bernard paw.

So, how was your weekend?

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Rosie’s Barkery Valentine’s Basket Winner

Rosie, or Rosie's Barkery fame

Dogsters, you sure love your dogs! We had 92 entries for the giveaway of the delectable Rosie’s Barkery Valentine’s Basket we described last week. I’m so glad I didn’t have to play judge, because there were some great comments about your favorite FAQ on Rosie’s site.

We let Random.org do the selecting for us, and the winner is Beverly Alexander, who wrote:

My dog’s favorite flavor is “anything that hits the floor”! When we are cooking or eating, I can pick a dog hair off of me and drop it, he will go after it. My husband accidentally dropped three strips of bacon he was peeling off — it disappeared before he could even bend over to get it! Needless to say no constipation problems for him for a while! I have never seen such a chowhound. It would be fun to win this wonderful basket and actually drop something good for him to snatch!

Congratulations, Beverly! We hope your dog enjoys it when you drop these treats for him to nab. I’m quite sure they won’t have the same effect as bacon!

We want to thank everyone else who entered, too. You left some terrific comments. Keep in mind that Rosie’s treats are quite affordable and very wholesome, and Jake will testify that they’re also really yummy. You might think about heading over there and ordering your furry Valentine a little something to show your affection in the form of a cookie. (Remember: Rosie’s gives a portion of every sale to nonprofit animal organizations!)

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Photo: The Paw of a Gentle Giant, the Boot of the Handler Who Loved Him

(Photo courtesy of Army Sgt. Amanda Ingraham, via SoldierDogs.com)

A dog’s paw, a sergeant’s boot. “He had huge feet, a huge heart,” Army Sgt. Amanda Ingraham told me of her former military working dog, Rex.

I’m posting this photo because Anna Zeman, Dogster’s social media guru, is looking for anything big-dog-oriented for Big Dogs Week on Dogster. And this paw belonged to one big dog — Ingraham’s noble, gentle giant of a German Shepherd.

(Photo courtesy of Army Sgt. Amanda Ingraham. You can learn Rex’s story in my upcoming book, Soldier Dogs.)

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