# Dermal tool, dogs claws, how to **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 7, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dermal-tool-dogs-claws-how-to/462480 "2008-09-07T13:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dermal-tool-dogs-claws-how-to/462480/1 "2008-09-07T13:55:09Z")
I’ve been told that it’s better to use a dermal tool to grind my dogs claws then it is to cut them. Is this true? Also, how do I do this? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dermal-tool-dogs-claws-how-to/462480/2 "2008-09-07T14:26:04Z")
> [@Aceospades](#): > > I’ve been told that it’s better to use a dermal tool to grind my dogs claws then it is to cut them. Is this true? Also, how do I do this? Are you sure you don’t mean [“Dremel tool”](http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dermal-tool-dogs-claws-how-to/462480/3 "2008-09-07T15:02:52Z")
I can’t address its effectiveness, as I’ve never tried one, but recently they’ve begun advertising a product called [Peticure](http://www.peticure.com/) (warning: annoying video w/sound on page) which does just that. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dermal-tool-dogs-claws-how-to/462480/4 "2008-09-07T15:31:56Z")
Here’s a site that I found a wile back all about using a Dremmel Tool for nail trimming. [University of Dayton : University of Dayton, Ohio](http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html) ---
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dermal-tool-dogs-claws-how-to/462480/5 "2008-09-08T01:08:30Z")
thanks everyone. good stuff to start. i actually ment to post this in IMHO. if a mod would be so kind. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dermal-tool-dogs-claws-how-to/462480/6 "2008-09-08T02:02:33Z")
There are some things to consider, such as: Does your dog have longer fur on the feet? If so, you need to get something to hold that fur back. Poke the nails through a pair of nylons or some sort of mesh. If that hair gets caught around the spinning tool, you’ll never get the dremel near the dog again for a second attempt. It is a good idea to get the dog used to the sound of the dremel first - set it up to run and give the dog lots of tasty treats. If you have a corded dremel, it may be a good idea to get the flex-shaft attachment so that the motor is farther away from the dog, and thus less scary, and also say you have less filling your hands. I’ve found that when teaching a dog to tolerate a new experience like having its toes sanded off by a high-speed machine, it is a good idea to have somebody (Read **JustThinkin’** ) nearby stuffing something yummy in the dog’s face. Smoked trout is working nicely for the dremel experience!