Relax there is no need for guess work when trimming nails. On all nails-no quick can grow around a corner so feel free to cut into any curve that grows downward on your dog! That is for those of you who have those dagger pointed nails. :o)

Now to find that elusive quick on the black nail. Make a cut into that black nail, then look at the flat surface you have just cut. You will see a flat black surface, clip again and you will see a flat black surface with a small grey line that resembles a ring inside a cut tree trunk, clip again and you will see a small white dot in the middle, that is the very tip of the quick, clip one more time and you will see that tiny white dot turn into a small grey circle-that is where you want to be if you don't want your nail to bleed, one more little sliver will expose that quick and the nail should still not bleed. Bleeding nails- they are not bad, they are our friends,for each time your dogs nail bleeds when you cut it the quick has no alternative but to move back a little further. This DOES NOT hurt the dog, the dog only feels a pinch and the pain is gone, unless you have just whacked off a sizeable chunk, and even then many dogs just ignore it. Our babies have an extensive pain tolerance.

In order to stop a bleeding nail you can use quick stop, or you can use a styptic pencil (the one those sadist men use when they shave :o) or you can use flour, baking soda, or any powdery substance. A bar of soap from your tub works well too, you know the gummy wet side of the bar, just stick the nail into the bar and hold for a second or two. An ice cube works well, as does standing in snow also.

And if you have a dog that is super sensitive and seems to feel every single cut you make try standing him in a tub of ice cold water and clip, that deadens the nerve endings and allows you cut into the quick with relative ease. When cutting nails you should always aim your nail clipper up towards the head of the dog and cut the nail at such an angle that the bottom part, or underside of the nail is a little longer than the rest of the nail. Or in other words the very top of the nail should have the angled edge showing, the quick is always at the underside if the nail so if you cut at this angle you are forcing the dog to walk on the quick thus wearing it down.

On white nails the quick can be seen when viewing the nail from the side, it is the pink that grows inside the nail. Nail Trimmers-the only nail clipper that should be used on an Akita is the Millers Forge Large Animal Clipper-it runs about 15.00 and has orange handles (Do not accept cheap imitations they last a life time and if you use an imitation your dog will know the difference the others can dull and do hurt)-a guillotine or rescoe clipper will not work on an Akitas nails and can be painful for the dog.

Have one of those dogs who HATES having their nails clipped?

Here are some steps you can take to perhaps make is easier on both of you.

(These steps work very well on (other) breeds, we all know there are some Akitas that just are very tickelish for reasons known only to them. There are many reasons that dogs do not like their nails clipped, for some dogs the answer can be as simple as switching to a grinding tool or dremmel. Some dog simply do not like the pressure that is applied with the nail clippers, others really shy from the sound.

Here are some methods that work on some dogs.

While clipping have someone whisper in the dogs ear.

While clipping have someone pat the dog on the head with a very heavy hand, it must make a noise and you must pat the dog with a continual rhythem. (this usually works very well-it takes the dogs mind completly off what you are doing) many dogs just stand there with this stupid look and you can just read their mind-"Why is this jerk banging me on the head" LOL

Put the dog on the grooming table, do not attempt nail clips on the floor. Have an assistant raise the opposite leg forcing the dog to stand on two legs. If you are clipping right front have someone lift left rear. Many times you can clip the nail while the dog is standing on that foot, if the nail is not too long.

Have your assistant do a leg lock, put your assistant behind you or on the opposite side of the dog and firmly grasp the leg from behind the elbow the leg will be locked in an outstrected postion in front of the dog, then you simply grasp the leg in the middle and clip away-the dog can not bend the leg.

For the hind legs the assistant should stand on the opposite side of the dog and hold the rear leg in a bent postion locking the front of the hind leg up into the body while you stand behind the dog much in the same way a farrier works on a horse. NEVER stretch the hind leg out to the side or behind the dog, always clip the rear legs while bent. This will totally avoid injury to the dog. If you attempt to clip an extended rear leg, the dog can dislocate its hip, knee or worse.

The gentle method-

Most dogs that dont like nail clips have those feelings because of unpleasent associations, so if we want to retrain the dog we have to make him associate those nail clippers with a something he likes-FOOD. To do this takes a lot of time and patience-but I have had many clients who have been very succesful when using this method-I honestly dont know if it will work on the intelligent Akita :o)

First and foremost you need to remove all treats. The only time the dog is to get any treats is when he comes to you when you have the clippers in your hand. Take all of these steps very very slow and be sure the dog is making the proper associations. Show him the clippers call him to you and treat him. Repeat Repeat Repeat.

The dog will soon come running when he sees you with the clippers, much in the same way that he responds when your car keys jingle or he sees you with his leash. When you have this down gradually increase what you want, hold the clippers near his face, let him sniff them treat treat treat. Move on to a higher criteria, make him sit in front of you when you hold the clippers treat, move them down his legs, treat, make him lay on the floor, treat, put it near his foot, treat, continue until you can get the clipper near his front foot and perhaps hook it over a nail-but do not cut!, treat, continue in the manner with several toes, once the dog is completely comfortable with the clippers around his feet and if you feel the dog is ready clip one nail and quit. then go back to calling the dog to you with the clippers and repeat all of the above steps again. When the dog allows you to do one nail again, do one nail only a day. If you practice this over a period of many months and continue to be satisfied with one nail a day, over a period of time the dog should become so accustomed that he will allow you to do more nails.

Make that dog associate those nail clippers with "good" treats!

Kathy