Important: this DOES NOT replace training. It will not fix a dog that struggles with its nails being done. Consult with a trainer if you’re having trouble. However, we own 8 dogs and run a dog business. We have labradors and one of ours is particularly sensitive. I own a heavy duty, plug-in style dremel which works great when you’re handling a lot of dogs. Tip: INVEST in a quality grooming table if you have a lot of dogs (whatever that means for you) it will save your back. Look into simple groom or table works for a quality table. It is expensive but it won’t shake.Onto this product: one of our dogs doesn’t love a louder dremel (which our other one is but it’s FAST). For dogs that value a quick dremel and getting it over with I would stick with Dremel brand. However, for our dog who has been trained and conditioned to accept grooming he will come up on the couch, flip on his belly, and hand me his paw to get his manicure. This Dremel is much more quiet, however, it does take longer to file the nail down. For him that doesn’t matter. I will also say I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the light on this and I wish my dremel had that feature. This is also the dremel I start my puppies in training on because it is so gentle (IN COMPARISON). I don’t see much difference in the speeds and I wish that could be changed. If you have a lot of dogs (2-3+) I would buy two of these so if one heats up you can switch. I own 3-4 of these so if one runs out of juice I can switch but I can do 5-11 sets of nails in one sitting so it’s a unique situation. I find it’s a great introductory tool for you to learn how to position your hand and for your dog to get accustomed to the sound and feel. There are all kinds of tricks to teach a dog to accept getting nails done and the biggest factor is time and consistency. Do this regularly (set up Sunday Spa Day) and do nails every Sunday ( or whichever day of the week) to keep the dog’s nails short. It affects mobility and joints — read more on this. It’s very important. In any case, our dog that I mentioned who loves his manicure time? He HATED HATED getting his nails done as a puppy. He screamed, fought, etc and with repeated exposure below his threshold (I mean one nail, or even just accepting having his paw held as a puppy and rewarding him with his kibble or a treat) we eventually built up to having all of his toe nails done in one session and accepting all of it. He’s come a long way and that didn’t happen overnight. Be patient; meet the dog where they are at, keep practicing, consult a trainer, find the right tool for your dog to start on (even if it’s nail clippers) and the right reward (toy, affection, food, etc). Don’t blame this tool if it doesn’t work for your dog when you start. Start slow. We even did plenty of sessions of just turning the dremel on and off without touching his paws. That simple. Start small. Train don’t complain!
