# how much do you pay/charge for a nail trim?



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I do mine myself, but probably not as often as I should. It is one of those things I have to remember to do before I put my contact lenses in, as otherwise the middle aged overlap between short sight and long sight means I can't see what I'm doing. Poppy is very good, as long as I take great care not to hurt (and she squeals at the first hint of pain!). Sophy really does not like having her feet handled, so with her I keep playing the tap tap game (couple of taps on the toes with the nail clippers = one treat, building up to cipping several nails = a treat). I too am terrified of cutting into the quick, (especially on Poppy's little black nails) so I only take off a tiny bit, and try to remember to do it at least weekly.


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## K-ris (Jan 11, 2011)

Around my area about $8-$12 is average depending on where you go/whether they clip or dremel.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

My salon charges $10 for all nail clippings for any size, $15 for dremel, $14 for nail clip and ears, then $20 for nails, ears, teeth, and brushout


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## cavon (Aug 10, 2010)

I just paid $30 at my vet about an hour ago. :-(


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## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

*I charge...*

I charge $8 for small, $10 for large. If on a 1x monthly schedule then $5. $5 for cats, rabbits, guinea pigs. The vet across the street charges $23. I dremel for free if asked and if the dog let's me dremel the nails.


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

thanks. it was just a shock to go from $26 to $40 suddenly.


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## CelticKitti (Jul 1, 2010)

So for that $40 you can get a nice small dremel. I find it much less scary! Mia lets me know when I've gone far enough as she pulls her paw back and starts to squirm. After quicking Mia twice I switched to the dremel and LOVE it!


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I charge $8 for well behaved NORMAL dogs and $11 for biters, poopers, peers and spastic freekazoids. I only have to charge $11 about 3-4 times a years. Only the worst dogs get the additional fee. I do poodle feet for $12. 

I just did a PUGGLE (and those are all spastic with their feet) for $11 and they were charged $26 at Petsmart and not ONE nail was clipped. It was $26 to get a muzzle on and call in another employee as an assistant and both of them couldnt get it done.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

How do you avoid getting fur caught in the dremel? (I'm thinking of Sophy, who has hairy papillon feet!)


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## Birdie (Jun 28, 2009)

I think it's $5 for little/med dogs, $10 for big dogs where I work. It may just be $5 for any, though, I'm not too sure. You can get their nails dremeled for an extra $7, too.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

We charge $14 at our clinic for well behaved dogs. If we need to do an "assisted" (ie - nasty dog that needs to be held down) it's about double. 

At home, I dremel Vinnie's nails about every four days - I am a total nail freak - I like them short and nice looking. If I can hear them on the wood floor, they are too long!! He has dewclaws that I trim with nail trimmers (because of the long leg hair) when I groom him (about every other week).


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## Cornishbecky (Nov 21, 2009)

Where I work we charge £5.
My own clients are free,,,,, takes seconds and I hate long nails so I do them for free, not many clients come in just for nails so its problem.
I recently started dremeling my own dogs nails and the results are brilliant.
Bec


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## apoodleaday (Feb 22, 2010)

The salon where I work charges $7 for small medium dogs/cats and $10 for large or naughty dogs. Includes nail trim and dremmel.


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

Buy a dremel. I got a pretty hard core one at the hardware store. I use a fine-grained paper to do the nails. 

I don't have an issue with the hair on the feet because I keep my feet shaved, but I imagine that you just push the hair to the side. Really the hair should not be longer than the nails anyway.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

cbrand said:


> I don't have an issue with the hair on the feet because I keep my feet shaved, but I imagine that you just push the hair to the side. Really the hair should not be longer than the nails anyway.


I can see how it works for poodles, as long as you can keep the ears out of the way!

Papillons have long, hare feet, and the hair is deliberately allowed to grow to accentuate this shape, so I'm not sure how it would work with Sophy. Anyone any experience of using a dremel-type tool with a long coated dog?


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

I have heard of folks with longer haired dogs using a panty hose or netting type material. Push the nail through the material so the hair is held back and then dremmel. I have never tried this (naked feet here :rofl, but it sounds like a good concept.


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## Feathersprings (Jul 15, 2010)

I used one on some of my Pekingese feet, and they have similar hair on the foot as a Papillon, I would just slip the hair back with the hand I was holding the foot with and make sure there were no long scraggly hairs loose and trim the same as you do a dog with short hair in the feet.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

We have a sliding scale at my clinic!  6$ if it takes one person to do with the owner and the dog is good. 8$ for a two person nail trim, which is most of them. 12$ if it takes 3 people, or if Any bodily fluids are expelled!! 20$ flat fee for dremel. I HATE dremeling dogs nails!!! I will only use the dremel on Riley though, go figure.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

BPP you crack me up... I love the sliding scale. We have a few that come in that we need to "diaper" prior to doing the NT. Ugh!! There should be an extra charge for "bodily fluid expulsion"!!! :rofl:


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I also do walk-in anal gland expression for $8 so nails and butt together are $16. I spray the area with waterless shampoo and then spritz with Plush Puppy Odor Muncher.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

AIG, i agree!!! Any fluids should up the price!! A/G we charge again, flat fee of 20$. I think our prices are all very fair (would like to see the dremel price go up just because i hate doing them...).


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## Cameo (Feb 5, 2010)

I just recently increased my nail prices, but it includes dremmeling if tolerated. I charge $10 for most dogs up to 50lbs (some are $12 if difficult) and $15 for large dogs.

Honestly, I've found that dogs accept grinding much more than they do clipping and several of my nail trim monsters are much better than before I tried grinding them. 

Faerie, you might want to try it! I got my dremmels at wally world in the tool department for 19.99 (rechargeable type) and they are great for what I need them for. It's much easier and safer (hard to quick them) and yes, the dog will let you know when you are getting to short.

As for hairy feets, just do it right after the bath when the nails are soft and the hair is wet and sticking together. If you want to do it every few days and don't want to bath, just spritz the hair on the foot with a little water and brush or comb it back away from the nails and hold it back with your fingers as you hold the foot. 

One thing you'll want to remember when grinding, the nail will/can become heated up if you hold it in one area to long, so keep the dremmel moving and go for a rounded look to the nail.


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## FunkyPuppy (Jan 27, 2011)

AgilityIG said:


> I have heard of folks with longer haired dogs using a panty hose or netting type material. Push the nail through the material so the hair is held back and then dremmel. I have never tried this (naked feet here :rofl, but it sounds like a good concept.


Genius! I'm gonna start doing this at my salon for the hairy footed dogs.

For the op, make sure you put your hair in a ponytail if you have long hair at all. I've seen ?many a long-haired dremel accident and it's not pretty.:2in1:


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

I charged 10 regardless of size when I worked with the general public, dremel was free with the nail clip. Now that I don't work that way it's all free. Aside from being included with your groom if you bring in the cat or your other dog that doesn't need grooming I just do it for you. I don't mind b/c the cost of a groom from me is a bit higher than the average but still within the norm and frankly if you're getting appointments with me it means I LIKE you and/or your dog lol. It just takes a minute to do the clip clip and viola, you can take your other pet home and I'll groom the one you've dropped off.


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## tintlet (Nov 24, 2009)

small dogs $10, med 15, and large are $20. I trim and grind smooth with dremel. owner holds 

One client has 6 rescue ChiChi's, and I charge her $5 each


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

I charge $7 small $10 large including tax, for drop in nails(not regulars), but i lower it for regulars who come monthly or under i have a nail card(purchased all at one for $50-has 10 punches) i keep the card at the shop so that they can just drop by or not have to lose it. I also give the $5 fee to other regulars and good dogs, for my clients who are really trying to get the quick shortened and come every 2 weeks i will periodically charge nothing, I strongly feel that things that are for the health and benefit of dog shouldnt be so high that it discourages the owner from doing it. I include a nail trim and file/dremmel, and use only positive handling, no hold em down and get it down stuff.


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## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

Just remember though a dremel is great BUT if dealing with long nails it is much easier IMO to clip the nails & then Dremel. I use a dremel from the construction stores not the whimpy doggy ones.

Ps. I 2nd the water spritzer on the long hairs. That is the method I use to use nail polish on my Crested & it works great.


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