Hair on paws

[pomchilover]

How do you manage to cut the hairs in between the pads of the paws? My pomchi is slipping all over because of this. I have to put a bell collar on him so I can cut his nails he is so jumpy... any thoughts on trimming this hair?

[MyDogShelby]

How much of the hair in between the paws do you want to trim away?

I trim Shelby's paw hair and when I do the underside of them near the pads, I make the hair pretty much level with her pads...you could do the same. You don't have to get right in between the pads...

If he easily squirms around when his paws are being handled...it may not be a great idea to attempt to cut the hair in between with scissors...he may squirm so much that you could accidentally cut/poke his pads.

If he doesn't squirm around, or you have someone that can hold him still while you do this it would be better. Just take a pair of scissors, maybe you can find a nice small pair with rounded tips, so there's less room for an accident...and just start trimming in between the pads very carefully. You can kind of spread them a little to make it easier to get in between.

If your pup is squirmish, it would probably be best to do the trimming after she has had a long session of exercise...she will be more relaxed and it will make it easier on you to handle a dog that isn't squirming all around :)

Let me know how it goes :D

[pomchilover]

I will try that...he is squirmy but that bell collar keeps him stiller than still lol
I had tried it on him at xmas and he wouldnt even move with it on so i thought Hey I can use this to our advantage
So anywhoo he keeps slippin on the hairs so I thought how am i gonna do this........

[MyDogShelby]

:) I hope my advice/suggestions will work out for you...do let me know how it goes :D

[KatzNK9]

You might want to ask skunkstripe about technique as she just posted this thread about trimming her golden's paws:
http://www.dogforum.org/showthread.php?p=52627#post52627

[lassie]

The sooner this is started the better it is for when they get older. I tend to start my puppies at around 5-6 weeks and do it weekly whether it actually needs doing or not,so by the times they are 10 weeks they are used to it.

Then we they get to 2 they start disliking it again LOL

[skunkstripe]

KatznK9s, thanks for fielding me that one! Except that both of my pups hold very still when I do anything with their paws. I don't have any good advice for dealing with a squirmy doggy! :p

[pomchilover]

KatznK9s, thanks for fielding me that one! Except that both of my pups hold very still when I do anything with their paws. I don't have any good advice for dealing with a squirmy doggy! :p
Thanks for all the tips folks....I'm resorting to the bell collar to help me out...it doesn't hurt him he just doesn't like it nor the sound so he stays very very still.

[KatzNK9]

KatznK9s, thanks for fielding me that one! Except that both of my pups hold very still when I do anything with their paws. I don't have any good advice for dealing with a squirmy doggy! :p

LOL ... oh well, durn it;) ... I thought you'd have some good advice for that part too. Your pics were very descriptive and might come in handy for the rest of the procedure.

[skunkstripe]

I used small sewing scissors (not nail scissors with the very sharp points) and made small snips. I did not want to open the jaws too wide so as not to accidentally snip the flesh. But as I said, both of my dogs hold very still so it is easy. I usually reward them after I fiddle with their nails or otherwise groom them in a way that they do not like.

[COUNTRYSIDE]

oh your dog is just adorable it reminds me of my dog , she is a papillon /chi cross, she is same color black mask. i used to be a dog groomer when i did the paws pads i used clippers but i was experienced but they sell special scisors that are rounded on the ends for grooming so htey wont cut the pads ,i however am a dog groomer and my little pistol hates her nails and pads fur cut so i know how difficult some dogs can be. some times it takes two people to do it . my dog my other one is peek/chi cross and she has what i call grinch feet i love teh cute long fur that sticks out , but like yousay tehy slip some times and when in the mud time comes it is worse lolo any how try the small scissors with a rounded end . even soem child scissors will work becaue they are rounded. Countryside. lisa

[The Muttlies]

I do Mufasa's with tiny mustache scissors. Takes forever and only works if you have a patient pup!

[borzoimom]

When they are asleep- I trim across the bottom with one pair of scissors, then I have a round tip scissors I use on the hair inbetween. It works out well.