Okay, I’m sold on the Dremmel. 
My dogs are already pretty good.. most of them, anyway. And so we are leaps and bounds above just starting a new dog on a Dremmel, or a puppy. And after I wrapped Christmas presents today, including volcom clothing, I decided that it was Dremmel time!
Okay so here is how it went today with each dog. Last night I exposed them all to it, today I thought what the heck, we’ll just dive right in.
Chase was first. He did great. His front feet are more sensitive than his back. I put squeeze cheese on his front legs and while he licked it off I Dremmeled. I actually clipped his nails first because they were a bit long. Then I used the Dremmel. He was very calm and licked his cheese, and I did all his nails. He was great! I suspected he would be, as he’s good for his nail trimming anyway.
Lucy was next. I figured she’d be good because she is a very resilient dog. She is tough and can handle a lot. So I put some squeeze cheese on her legs too, and Dremmeled. I clipped her a bit first to get them down, but I hope to not clip anymore after I get into Dremmel Maintenance. She did well. When food is involved, she always does well.
Levi was after Lucy. He also did good. He doesn’t like his toenails clipped but he usually lays stock still, then goes barking and yapping and running around after we are done. With the cheese, though, he was great. He also licked it off his legs and after we were done he got extra, and he didn’t do his nervous after-clip runs.
Angel I need help with and the Husband came to help. He didn’t like my putting the cheese on their legs, as it is kinda oily. But it occupies them. He put it on a DVD cover.. now I better hide that or the dogs will be all over it. And Angel was amazing. Usually the husband has to feed her dog food constantly while I clip. She didn’t mind the noise or feel of the Dremmel either, and she loved the cheese so much she didn’t hardly pull away. And with the squeeze cheese I can do most if it myself, which is nice.
Tony was after Angel, and he didn’t like me touching his feet much, so I gave him cheese on the DVD cover with the Dremmel running, and touched his feet. Gently bringing the Dremmel to his toes too. But I haven’t done this much with Tony so we didn’t do it long, and his toenails are not too long anyway.
Tatum was last. She hates hates hates her feet touched. She didn’t even want me to hold her feet to put squeeze cheese on them, and fought me about it. Until she realized that I was putting cheese on her feet. And then she was better. And with her, I just have to be a firm leader. Just like when my obedience instructor tells me when I walk her on a leash and we go say hi to someone, I have to walk with purpose and be firm. Instead of babying her. And the difference in her is pretty amazing when I walk with firm purpose. So with her feet, I just told her she’s going to have to deal with it and I was firm, and she was better. I put the cheese on her foot and held her foot while she licked it off. She stopped struggling then and was better. But still we have a ways to go with the foot handling with her. But I have to remember to be a firm leader with her. I want to baby her because she is so cute and puppy like, but she doesn’t need that from me. She needs a benevolent leader.
So I think that was a lot of success with the Dremmel! I will continue to use it and keep all 108 toenails nice and trimmed! (Man that’s a lot of toenails!)
