On Monday, July 5th, I celebrated my 26th Birthday! Wow, I can't believe how old I'm getting, and that I've been out of college for over three years! That feels like just yesterday! Time sure does fly!
For a long time you know that I've been simply dying for a Dremel. One of my first posts was about grinding dog nails vs. clipping nails, and all of the benefits to grinding (I highly recommend you read it if you're interested in grinding). For my birthday, I received a very special gift, a Dremel Tool Kit!!! I know, most girls probably wouldn't be quite as ecstatic to get a power tool, but for me this is better than Tiffany's! I can now cross the Dremel off of my Ultimate Grooming Wish List!!!
I debated for a long time if I wanted to simply buy the Oster or Dremel nail grinder, but decided in the end, I wanted the real Dremel. A Dremel has varying speeds, and makes trimming nails very easy - many dogs that won't tolerate nail trimming, will tolerate nail grinding, if the groomer is patient and has a pocket full of treats. One of the main reasons I opted for the Dremel over other nail grinders on the market is quality, and the ability to use it for other things, say, like what it's made for! I have absolutely no experience, what-so-ever, with woodworking, but now that I have a Dremel, I'm going to give it a shot. The tool kit came with numerous attachments that will be handy for woodworking, and also included a sanding attachment and a sanding belt, which I will use for the nail grinding.
I find the DoberDawn.com website very handy for learning how to safely Dremel a dog's nails. She really breaks it down into steps, and by providing the reader with lots of pictures, you're able to learn how to safely grind your dog's nails.
Now that I’m committed to researching the right products and stopping impulse spending, I’m busy saving for the better products I should have bought in the beginning. Here are the tools and products I am pinching pennies and saving for.
I’m simply dying to purchase the Chris Christensen Kool-Dry dryer (in pink!). This is the crème de la crème of dryers! Known as the professionals’ choice, especially if you have more than one dog to groom, it’s sure to be a favorite once you use it. The Kool Dry features a variable output blower from whisper to blast, and dries quickly without added heat to damage the coat. This dryer is powerful yet quiet, it’s compact and comes with an extra long (nine foot) hose and two styles of nozzles! As you know I gave up professional groomings for Milly last summer and put aside the money saved to make this purchase, the money is ready, but it’s hard to convince myself to fork over $350 for a dog dryer!
I love to bargain on EVERYTHING! I’m planning on seeing if Chris Christensen can throw in a free brush with the dryer purchase whenever I get myself mentally prepared for such a big spend. The brush of choice is the Chris Christensen 20mm Fusion Brass Oval Pin Brush! At $50 normally this is one I’m really hoping to be able to bargain in as the freebie! This is a brush that will last me a lifetime of grooming!
Another Chris Christensen brush I’d love to get is the new wooden pin brush– ¾” pin length, 8 ½” body, in oval. This is great for detangling the coat without damaging it! The Carpino Wood pins work to delicately separate out the area of the tangle from the rest of the hair, then work gently to loosen by drawing individual hairs upward and out to the side yet away from the knot. The wooden pins eliminate painful pulling on individual hair follicles that can possible damage or break the hair under the strain. This will also eliminate tightening any knots which are already present. The wooden pins utilize the natural oils to polish the hair by distributing sebum and/or applied oils. It’s also 100% static free! At a cost of $35 it’s not cheap, but well worth it!
With all these brushes there are also times I need a good comb. Metal combs are optimum, and the best comb available is the Belgian Greyhound metal comb. The prices I’ve seen vary on these, but I’ve found one for $28 (plus shipping) and I’m ready to splurge!
Before I can groom I need to be able to give a great bath, while I’m really hoping to one day have a grooming table and a grooming tub, those are on hold for now – along with the Isle of Dog Royal Jelly Shampoo! For now I'll stick with my Cowboy Magic Rosewater Shampoo (diluted, of course).
I’d like to purchase some shammie towels (the generic ShamWow) which are only a few dollars. I’d also like a good microfiber mitt for Milly’s face (she’s very sensitive and a little head shy), and these work great - you can get them for less than $5 at your local auto parts store and they are soooooo soft!
And of course, I really need a Dremel! This is on the top of the list for ideal nail grinding (this reduces the risk of the nail splitting, and it’s harder to hit the quick if you grind the nail as opposed to clipping them). I'm debating between getting a regular Dremel, or buying the Oster nail grinder (I've heard this is good). If you are thinking about getting a nail grinder I'll warn you to stay away from PediPaws (unless you have a toy breed), as it really is not capable of grinding larger nails. A Dremel would be useful for non-dog projects, but is more expensive than the Oster Nail Grinder. The Oster would save me money, but is really only useful for nail grinding. Oh the choices!
I hope you enjoyed reading about the items I hope to one day purchase! They're very expensive, especially when you add them all up, but a girl has got to dream!
Trimming a dogs nails can be stressful for both the owner and dog. With the risk of trimming too short and cutting the quick, and the problem of the nail splitting or chipping when cut, many dog owners turn to a professional groomer or vet for routine nail trimmings.
But here’s a secret that can make this task easy and safe: A Dremel Tool!
You’ve seen those infomercials for Pedi Paws, saying how this tool grinds the nail, avoid the quick, is easy, safe, etc. In my experience Pedi Paws does not work very well, especially on larger claws like a Golden Retriever’s. I think the product would be fine for small dogs (no bigger than a Jack Russell Terrier, but most appropriate for toy breeds), but it simply does not have the power and/or durability for larger dogs.
Did you know the idea behindPedi Paws is aDremel tool? You can find this tool at any hardware store. For those who are unfamiliar with the Dremel tool, it is a tool that rotates a bit a high speeds and holds the bit in a collet. The Dremel tool makes use of speed rather than torque to get the job done. That is why Dremel tools have varying speeds ranging from 3,000 to 37,000 RPM.
Many different types of bits can be attached to the Dremel tool but for dog nail trimming purposes use the grinding or sanding bit. Many dog fanciers, top breeders, AKC show dog groomers and handlers swear by their Dremel as it allows them to quickly and safely trim dogs’ nails, and have used the Dremel for this purpose for years. The Dremel tool is available in both battery powered and cordless models.
If you decide to use the Dremel with your dog have plenty of treats handy and take your time. Let your dog adjust to the sound, the handling of his paws and finally the feeling and noise of the Dremel on the nail. Talk softly to your pet, and feed him treats throughout the process. For a skittish or shy dog it may take a few sessions to even be able to apply the Dremel to the nail, but in the end it is much better to have this be a positive experience.
