Is it okay for me to cut my Tiffy's nails myself?

Yeah, you can do it yourself, but make sure she can be still, or have someone hold her while you do it. Another thing to remember is the "quick" in her nails. If her nails are black it will be immpossible to see. And since it has been about two months since they were last cut, that means the "quick" has grown out longer too. If you decide to do it yourself, just cut the very tips, that way you don't go too short. If you do go too short, you risk making her nail bleed.
On the other had, I don't think it's that expensive to have the groomer do it for you. It's about $10 in my area. And they should be experienced enough to handle her if she doesn't like having her nails cut.
Good luck!

Guest 634205 answered on 4/8/08. Helpful? / 2

I cut Sadie and Bella's myself all the time! Just be carful and don't cut to far down or your Tiffy could bleed to death...Bella and Sadie don't seem to care when i cut them i set them on my lap 1 at a time and clip a little off. Then i paint there nails lol pink! They love it. Bella would not let anyone cut her nails but me...Because she is mean! LOL oh well she only like me, i cut Sadie's because it is easy and does not cost me anything to do it myself other then a few dollars to buy some pupy clipers...Good Luck and be careful! =)

Guest 788406 answered on 4/8/08. Helpful? / 1

Some of the above dogs have offered some good advice, but I'd like to go a step further and share a video with you because it makes the process so much easier:

www.youtube.com

In this video, they mention using an board to help make the edges smoother, but I think once the nail trimming process is done the dog really just wants a break. So, afterwards I like to take my dogs on a walk across pavement/cement so they not only can enjoy time with me somewhere else, (because we have to go outside the house anyway for trims), and they get naturally shaved down so they're not sharp.

If you can afford it, a dremel grinder is a good investment, I've paid people to use them on my dogs and have REALLY wanted to get one, but haven't gotten one yet, (here's how to use one):
homepages.udayton.edu

$8 is a common price, it's more for grinding; it's also $10 here & there.It took me a while to find a groomer I liked to do them.

Chloe answered on 4/8/08. Helpful? / 1

If you feel more comfortable having someone else trimming her nails, then definitely just have it done at the groomer's or the vets. Most places charge anywhere between $5-10 for nail clipping, and some include it in the price of a wash/cut.

There is a nerve in the nail which is close to the end, so if you want to cut them yourself without risking injury to her, you should definitely have your vet show you how to clip her nails first before you make an attempt. Also, make sure you purchase a sturdy, safe nail clipper meant for dogs.

The only advice that is wrong on here is from Sadie!, who said your dog could bleed to death.

If you were to cut the nerve, it would cause her pain, that's true. Obviously, you don't want that. And, there most likely would be a small amount of blood. But, unless your dog has some kind of anti-clotting disorder, there's virtually no risk of a dog bleeding to death any more than a person who accidentally cuts their finger with a nail clipper.

Jack answered on 4/8/08. Helpful? / 1