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The Nail Files, or Does Peti-Paws Really Work?

Posted 10-06-2008 at 04:20 PM by Nancy1999
Updated 10-15-2008 at 10:33 AM by Nancy1999
This is day two of an attempt to learn how to clip or file Joeys nails myself. Yesterday, I bought the Peti-Paws pet nail trimmer, and was hoping this would put an end to our once a month trips to Petsmart, even though they trim the nails, I am a nervous wreck while they are doing it, and last time, they cut one too short, and he cried out. It was a much bigger production last time, with two girls trying to trim his nails, and him on the table with what looked like a noose around his neck. I hate for him to start dreading out trips to Petsmart, so I got the nail filer.

After installing batteries, it recommends you see the website for an instructional video, so it's not going to be as easy as it looks on TV. The commercial shows you putting the nail in the groove and moving the trimmer back and forth, so simple a child could do it. Ha, maybe with a Golden Retriever, but I notice they don't show a Yorkie, in the commercial. I go to the website to see the video, and it says,

Quote:
Sorry for the inconvenience! The video is not available at this time.
I wish they hadn't made it seem so important to see the video. Well apparently, I can't actually use the tool right away anyway, you have to acclimate them to the file, and noise, so day one, was holding him with the nail trimmer on, but not touching his paw, and giving him treats. He was actually pretty nervous at the beginning, and didn't want to eat his treat; this is something serious for Joey. After a minute, he gave in and ate the treat. I then switched to his right paw, which he is very guarded with. He ate 3 or 4 treats while I praised him, and told him what a good boy he was. After we were finished, he wouldn't come when I called him, and he won't sit for me to pick him up. He runs to daddy.

Today was not much better, and he wouldn't come when I called, I even got the treats, but no Joey. How does he know I want to turn on the file again? He ran to daddy, but daddy was a traitor, and gave him to me. I got some more treats or actually his dinner, and got out the trimmer. This time he was a little better, and I held his left paw, turned on the trimmer and actually placed the plastic part near the nail. Not the side that files, but the other side, and I suppose he could feel a slight vibration. He let me hold each nail, and got a "treat" in-between. I then proceeded to his "sensitive" paw. I was again able to hold each nail next to the Peti-Paws, without him seeming too upset. Lots of praise was used and of course the treats.

The instructions say that you are to continue to do this until they no longer seem nervous while you are holding them, so this is what we will do tomorrow. I'm going to do this as slow as possible, and give this a fair chance, but I hate him not coming when I call, and he acts like he's afraid of me now.

Captains Log, Tuesday October 7, 2008 -Day 3

Joey was still hesitant when I called him today, but I used the food trick and he came, no running to daddy this time. I got part of his dinner food and held him in my lap, with the Peti-Paws on the table. The praise really seems to be helping as much as the food, he really seem to relax when I tell him he's a good boy, and "yes, that's good". I'm trying not to use a baby type voice, but my "matter of fact voice" but this is difficult. He looks so cute. I hold his left paw and he's doing much better, I press the Peti-paws against his paw, and he can clearly feel the vibration, but seems fairly relaxed. I only hold it for a few seconds, and than set it on the table and give him some food. We go through all his nails on this paw. I'm still not actually using the grinder, but the back side of it, but he is so much more comfortable than yesterday, and the day before, I am really tempted to try it on one little nail, but I decide to wait, and do just what the instructions say to do. I reach for his right paw, the sensitive paw, and he get a little nervous, but a few words and he seems to settle down, no squirming all over the place like on Sunday, and again, I hold it to each nail, and set it down, and reward him with a treat. So, I'm beginning to think this thing might work, he seemed much less traumatized when I set him down tonight, than he was yesterday. I think tomorrow we will just repeat this again, I think the more experience he has with this and nothing bad happening, the better it will go the first time the file actually touches the nail. I wish the video, was working on the site, that the instructions recommend I watch, I would feel better knowing as much as possible before I try this. I can't believe some people actually can use clippers.

Captains Log, Wednesday, October 8, 2008 - Day 4

Today, Joey wouldn't come at all when I called him for dinner. Usually, he starts hinting about an hour before dinnertime, but tonight nothing. I made his dinner and set with the bowl and the nail trimmer at the table, he sat under one of the chairs, and didn't budge. I went back into the office, and about 15 minutes later he started barking, so I sat at the table again and with a piece of food in my hand and attempted to make him to sit. We played this game for about 5 minutes and I finally won, and scooped him up. He sat in my lap, and I repeated yesterday's steps, again he seemed more scared with his right paw, but there was no real squirming that had been seen on previous days. I was tempted to try it on one nail, but it was so hard to even get him in the chair with me, I thought I'd put it off for a few days. I did stick one nail in the actual hole of the Peti-Paws with the devise turned off, and he was cool with that.

Captains Log, Thursday October 9, 2008 - Day 5

Tonight, I made him dinner and he came this time, I scooped him up, and I got the filer, he didn't act traumatized. We went through each nail with the Pet-Paws still using the backside of the filler, not the actual filer. The website video isn't up yet, and I really wanted to see it before I attempted to actually use it because I'm still not exactly sure how to use the thing, but he seemed relaxed enough for me to give it a try. On the commercial it shows them moving the filer up and down, and the motion seems important,but I don't really know how to it, and when I put his nail in it kind of clicked, but didn't seem to be doing anything. I keep thinking I'm over-thinking this. It says to only do one nail the first day, but he was pretty mellow, and I wanted to try another nail. I know the instructions make a big deal about holding the nail and paw firmly, you don't want the nail to wiggle due to vibrations, as this could cause discomfort. So we did two nails, for the three seconds it suggests, but I'm not sure it really took anything off. The good news is he wasn't wiggly, and although he was happy to get down, he didn't act like he hated me.

Captains Log, Friday October 10, 2008 - Day 6

Well tonight, I actually tried to file the nails, Joey was relaxed as he was ever going to be, and I just keep getting more nervous. This file is a one size fits all, and I don't know if Joey's nails are short, but it does seem like you have to "try" to actually get the nail to touch the wheel. It says, not to go over three seconds at a time, and come back to that nail. Only a few of Joey's nails actually touch the wheel when I put his nail in the hole. I held the nail firmly between my thumb and forefinger, so it wouldn't vibrate, and stuck in the hole. There was some clicking, but it didn't seem like much filing, I'm really not sure. Maybe I'll have more confidence tomorrow, he seems to be doing great. Maybe I should give myself a little treat after each nail.

UPDATE

After a week of using this, I have decided it works very well. Saturday he seemed fine while I filed two of his nails. Sunday, I used a nylon footie on his paw, and stuck his nails through it to keep the hair out of the way, and help me see better, and this too made things go better.

I've noticed Joey's nails grow at different rates, or more likely through walking he files his own nails at different rates, and there were just a couple of nails on each front paw, that looked like they could be filed. He was due for another nail clipping and I think maybe sometimes, they just clip a couple nails, not all of them, but they have never mentioned this. He's due for a vet check up soon, and I will continue to use this, and ask the vet what he thinks about the length I'm keeping them. He kind of cried out a little Sunday when filing his sensitive right paw, but settled right down, when I did the "pretend" filing, and soon I was able to finish the nail. I don't know why he cried out. I know you are suppose to hold the paw and nail firmly when you file, maybe I held it too tight, or not tight enough, or it could just be, he's a little weenie. I think I will continue to do this each night before dinner, even though his nails look fine. I think the more I use it with no pain associated with it the easier it will be when I actually need to file again. Also taking a tiny bit off each time, seems to be a good way to avoid trauma to the nail.

By the way Peti-Paws is the product advertised on TV, and is sold at Bed Bath and Beyond, and Walgreens, as well as other places. It sells for $19.99 and needs 4 C batteries. For a battery-operated product, it seems plenty strong enough, and although I have an electric filing dremel for nails, because of the safety hood, this is easier to use. If the nail doesn't fit in the hole, I guess it's too short for filing.

Total Comments 6

Comments

Old Comment
ajprez73's Avatar
You have to keep me updated! I was thinking of getting one because I'm so afraid of cutting Bailey's nails too short and hurting her. Good luck!!!
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Posted 10-07-2008 at 10:13 AM by ajprez73 ajprez73 is offline
Old Comment
Nancy1999's Avatar
Thank you, ajprez73, I really hope it works too. He wasn't a squirming maniac today, so that's progress!
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Posted 10-07-2008 at 08:48 PM by Nancy1999 Nancy1999 is offline
Old Comment
ajprez73's Avatar
It sounds like you're making progress. Keep up the good work!
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Posted 10-10-2008 at 05:28 PM by ajprez73 ajprez73 is offline
Old Comment
Hi Nancy.......
Thanks for sharing your log and experiences. We just got PediPaws about a week ago and Maggie is still getting used to the sound and vibration. I love your idea of the footie. That's a great hint!!! Hopefully we'll get to the part where we can actually file the nails, soon. Thanks again for sharing. Tina & Maggie
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Posted 10-19-2008 at 02:51 AM by Maggie2008 Maggie2008 is offline
Old Comment
sunshineincorp's Avatar
Nancy,
Thanks for the footie hint. That is a great idea. I am a new Yorkie owner and Daisy is only barely over 4 months old. But, VERY much her own person.........
I bought the Pedi Paws and my husband told me that today they advertised a smaller version of it for smaller dogs. I am watching the tv trying to find it. I cannot use the original one at all on Daisy. If I see the smaller one I will let everyone know about where to find it.
Lynn (Sunshine)
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Posted 11-27-2008 at 05:22 PM by sunshineincorp sunshineincorp is offline
Old Comment
LorraineW22's Avatar

Footie

What is a footie? I've learned so much on Yorkie Talk!!! I'd love to get instructions for the moving avatar. Thanks Lorraine - mommy to Brady
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Posted 04-04-2009 at 06:18 PM by LorraineW22 LorraineW22 is offline
 


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