# Cut down to the quicks- Still clacks



## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

I cut Watson's nails right down to the quicks. I could see the tiny little quick spot showing through the tips of his nails (no blood though). And he still click clacks on my hard wood floors. I use a dremel, because nail cutters freak him out. And I try to go straight across, and then at an angle on the top, to try to move the quick back. I've been doing very tiny little dremel sessions every day for the past two weeks or so (mostly to get him to stop freaking out when I handle his nails). But I cannot get his nails short enough to get him to stop clacking. Am I doing something wrong, or do I just need to have patience for his quicks to recede? He trips over his feet sometimes, and I'm not sure if it's because his nails are too long.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Honestly, I think some dogs' nails still clack even when they are at an appropriate length. If they are not touching the floor when he is standing square, they're ok. If they are touching the floor, then yes you just need to give the quicks time to recede and trim very frequently.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

My guys nails are done every week and they're still (what I consider) long, and certainly long enough that he clicks on the floors. Some dogs just click.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

Alright. Good. He only clacks is he's trotting. His nails don't touch when he's standing. Maybe it just because of his short legs? I dounno. 

I watched this video on it earlier this week: How Important is Cutting Your Dog's Nails Really?, and it kinda made me feel like a failure for having a dog that clacks. It made it sound like I was gonna ruin my dog. 

I won't fret too much about it now. I'll just work at getting them slowly shorter. For some reason all four of his outside pinky nails are super long.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

My girls nails still clack even though they are cut to the quick every 2 weeks. They are not long at all or anything, and don't touch when she is just standing. Don't feel bad. 

Very cute pup, by the way.


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

Ya, Gyp's nails are just perpetually "too long" according to many standards, i swear a day does not go by that i don't get growled at to "cut my dogs claws"...Gypsy is 3 and i have cut her nails every.single.week. since she was 6 months old!


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## Hector4 (Sep 16, 2013)

I think some dog nails are positioned differently. Some point parallel to the ground and some like my dog points kind of downward. No matter how much I've tried to cut his nails, I can hear him clicking again 1 week later. I just did an EM's nails that were very overgrown and the length after I was done was probably 3x the length of my dog's and to my surprise there was no clicking! I did see that his nails were pointed more parallel to the ground rather than down. That's the only difference I can think of.


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## chimunga (Aug 29, 2014)

Hector4 said:


> I think some dog nails are positioned differently. Some point parallel to the ground and some like my dog points kind of downward. No matter how much I've tried to cut his nails, I can hear him clicking again 1 week later. I just did an EM's nails that were very overgrown and the length after I was done was probably 3x the length of my dog's and to my surprise there was no clicking! I did see that his nails were pointed more parallel to the ground than down. That's the only difference I can really saw.


Yep. Watson's nails all point downward. LAME.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I always think Watson's are too long and they click on the floor, but don't touch when he's standing. He's a giant baby if I cut too close, so I've taken him to a groomer to get them really short, and every time they tell me his nails are basically fine but they'll take off what they can. 

I haven't tried a dremel yet. I hear that's the secret to getting them very short. But I do think a lot just depends on the dog's nails.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

I also agree with the general shape of the nail being a factor in clipping. Toby's rear nails, for example, are super short and flush - but don't touch when he's standing. His front nails though have more of a curve to them and are the culprit of the clicking. His paws are in no way showing signs of the nails causing discomfort or anything, and his pads all touch the ground.. his nails are just longer and I've been doing them weekly forever...


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

I let Sam go over the summer (I quicked him a couple times and it took a loooot of extra desensitizing to work him back up to being manageable for nail cutting again - he's a drama queen, but it was totally my fault). These past couple weeks I've been cutting tiny slivers off every other _day_ and he still clacks a little, though his nails finally don't touch ground when he's standing up! It's his front feet that are the problem for us. They could stand to be shorter, but working the quicks back is a looong process. And his outside nails on each foot are positioned so they're super close to the ground - I think he'll clack no matter how short we get them.

In short, not a reason to panic! Sounds like you're on top of things.


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## deege39 (Dec 29, 2008)

Position of the nails, shape of the toes, size of the paw _and_ the dog has to be kept in mind; Some dogs genetics are just designed for them to have longer quicks; I have two chihuahua mixes and I dremel their nails every other day, basically buzzing the very tips off for a second or two... I have been doing this for 4 years, and their nails are still long enough to click on the floor... There's only so much you can do, and only so short you can go; Dremeling is the best way to get right up to the quick, and yes it's the safest way, and easiest way to maintain shorter nails, but if you're not using it weekly or bi-weekly at the latest you won't be doing much in the way of helping it recede.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Ginger's nails stick straight out and never click even when they are as sharp as a cat's claw. Sassy's nails always clicked whether I had been dremeling around the quick faithfully or not. Max's nails never clicked. 

Even though it didn't seem to matter to my floor if I didn't trim Sassy's nails you could see her foot spread and she would be standing on the back of her feet rather than the toes when they were too long. That is why one trims nails! I don't see a huge difference in Buzz's stance before/after nail trimming but Susan does. http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2013/08/cutting-your-dogs-nails-how-important-is-it-really/


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