A cat's sharp claws are easily tamed with a simple clipping. Only the sharp tip is removed so that the quick - the sensitive, living flesh inside the nail - is never pinched or cut. The claws are not so thick and heavy that the clipper causes undue pulling or pressure on the toe, so most cats feel no discomfort at all during the process- other than perhaps a bit of indignity.

Clipping is also the traditional approach to keeping a dog's nails trimmed. It is not quite as easy a task to perform on dogs as on cats. Especially in the case of large dogs, cutting through the hard shell of the nail can cause considerable pressure and discomfort. The two most common types of clipper are the guillotine and the scissors-style. With a guillotine style clipper, the nail is pushed against the immovable blunt metal while the blade cuts in from one side. In the case of scissors-style clippers, two blades squeeze in from either side of the nail. Even though there is less squeezing, scissors-style clippers can still cause pinching or pain to the quick. The harder the nail, the more pressure must be applied to cut through it. This can be very uncomfortable for the dog. If the quick is nicked, as it can easily be when cutting blind on dark nails, everyone gets upset. Many people just give up on trimming their dog's nails - or rely upon a groomer or veterinarian to perform this service.

There is another way to keep a dog's nails trimmed that is gaining in popularity. It involves the use of a Dremel. The Dremel is a small power-grinding tool that comes in several different sizes. I paid $19.95 for my cordless rechargeable Mini-mite and am very happy with it.

With the Dremel, you grind your dogs nails instead of clip them. Dremeling has several advantages over clipping. It is more comfortable for the dog and there is less risk of hurting the quick. Nails can be trimmed shorter and smoother and edges can be easily rounded and smoothed for a nice finishing touch. A major advantage of Dremeling is that you can grind the nail off all around the quick without nicking it. This causes the quick to recede a bit with each successive grinding so that you can get shorter and shorter nails.

A Dremel can be introduced to a dog of any age. My young puppy is not at all bothered by the hum of the Dremel because she knows she gets treats whenever I turn it on! The vibration of the grinding seems to tickle her a bit so I am learning to apply a bit more pressure when I grind. As with acquiring any new skill, good clear instructions and a lot of practice makes perfect. Excellent, clear instructions on how to use a Dremel to trim a dog's nails are available online at http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merenski/doberdawn. These are the best instructions I've seen - complete with photos and detailed information about what sanding attachments to use and how to hold the Dremel for best results. Doberdawn also provides excellent advice on how to introduce the Dremel to your dog so that he can be relaxed and enjoy the pedicure!