[sparklebacon]

My puppy has apparently gotten used to her nails being done with the dremel (at the breeder's). Can anyone recommend a good groomer in Northern Virginia that uses this instead of clipping nails?

Bonus points if the groomer has a clue how to care for a rough collie. When I've owned collies in the past, it always took a ton of tries before the poor dog would stop coming home looking like a German shepherd! Not that I care, but these are vain dogs and they get embarrassed, lol.

Thanks!

 

[NRB]

Why don't you buy a dremel and do them yourself at home? I do my dogs every week, if I forget and it;s right around grooming I'll ask the groomer to do the nails. But most of the time I do them the day before and tell the groomer not to worry about the nails.

 

[dagwall]

All the petsmart/petco groomers I've been too can do dremmel or clip as you want. Though I agree with NRB get a dremmel for about $30 and do it yourself. Can't speak for the quality of any groomer in the area for anything but nail care and I do that myself now.

 

[GottaLuvMutts]

Yup, learn to do it yourself. Really not that hard.

 

[deege39]

Being a groomer myself, I only clip the nails unless the customer asks for me to use the dremel. So this is a stupid question on my part, but have you just tried asking the groomers if they'll use the dremel instead?

I always recommend, when I can, that people become more proactive in basic care for their dogs. Nails, teeth, ears, brushing. You can get a good dremel from Wal-Mart even, for about $30-$40. I dremel my dogs' nails every two days; we're working on getting their nails short again.

As for grooming your Collie, are you asking for just a bath and a good brush-out, or a particular cut?

 

[sparklebacon]

I'm just not comfortable doing nails. I remember my parents doing their dogs' nails and the inevitable awful bloody incidents. I don't even like doing my daughter's nails; I've nicked her once or twice and you feel awful about it but you've got a tiny, moving target so it's inevitable. I figure that the money is well spent on a groomer with a dog like a collie; why bother with nails and ears myself?

I didn't know a dremel was a normal tool I could expect a groomer to have and therefore to ask for it. I'd never heard of it until the breeder mentioned it. I won't be going to one of the big chains for grooming.

I don't think there's ever a reason to trim (or gasp, shave) a collie's coat, but with my first collie I must have gone to a half dozen different groomers before I was able to pick my dog up without being dismayed at something they had done (trimming, shaving, etc). The one that worked for me was a breeder who also did grooming on the side, and if I still lived in that state I'd be back to her in a heartbeat.

 

[Kayota]

First of all: Why didn't/don't you specifically ask them not to shave/trim your dog...?

Second: Why bother? Because it's much cheaper and much easier on the dog, and there is no reason not to do it yourself. I RARELY quick my dog... She's six and I've quicked her maybe three times. This is a dog that has drawn blood biting and fighting me about nail clipping. And a dremel usually won't quick a dog at all... But if you're worried you can get a styptic pencil. I have one on hand.

 

[kafkabeetle]

By all means go to the groomer if you're uncomfortable. But you should know that it is MUCH more difficult to quick your dog with a dremel than with clippers. You don't have to keep them as still or be as precise. Even if you go a little too short it usually won't draw blood...in order to do that you'd have to hold the dremel down on the nail WAY too long. Your dog would be yelping at you before you ever reached the point of drawing blood. I would at least give it a try before you pay someone else to do it, especially since she's already acclimated. It's super easy. Way easier than with clippers and even that isn't so bad once you get the hang of it.

 

[sparklebacon]

Thanks kafkabeetle. I suppose I could give it a try, since it does sound easier than clippers. But, am I understanding everyone correctly that people don't think a groomer is worth the visit? I have always assumed that they can do a much better job than I can of cleaning ears and lord knows what else (I don't even want to think about anal glands). And especially since I'm talking about a collie...I can probably deal with her now that she's a puppy, but once she's grown it's a real task to get a collie dried and combed so it has always seemed worth every penny to me...and that means getting her used to it as a pup. The trick is finding someone good.

Kayota, I never went back to groomers who shaved/trimmed because no one should be routinely trimming/shaving a dog and doing so tells me they don't really have a clue what they are doing. It's a bit like going for my own haircut...I don't tell them not to bleach my hair because it's a reasonable assumption that a qualified professional won't just toss that in with the haircut.

 

[Tankstar]

Id think almost every groomer has a dremel for the most part.
What kind of trimming did they do?

I always trim collies and such. but its just small things, feet, ears, tail, tuck up, bum ect. never full body. Id be very surprised that so many groomers just trim a whole body.

You can always tell a groomer what not to do. If you dont communicate with them , then how will they know.

 

[NRB]

when my female was a puppy and horrible about nail trims I'd take her to a groomer x a week to have the nails trimmed. That helped me since I was buffaloed about how to trim a shrieking banshee. She hated any type of restraint. Problem was solved after a while and now I dremel her 1x a week. I could go to 2x a week. Her nails are black and very looong. I am trying to get the quick to recede by frequent dremeling. So I certainly understand the desire to use a groomer. It takes more time to take the nail down with a dremel, so you are less likely to quick them. And if you have a stoic dog, you can quick them with a dremel and never know it til you see the blood on the nail. BUT it won't be as bad as if you quicked them with a nail clipper. It will be just a tiny little spot since you have not progressed far down the nail as if you had a nail clipper. ANd truely most dogs will let you know that you are getting close to the quick.