Groomer Answers: Are Some Quicks Just Naturally Long?

[@marhlfld1]

As a professional horse woman and dog groomer, in both animals, the quick and length of nail has to do with activity of the animal and surfaces they are exposed to. You may have active dogs on a backyard of grass with no abrasive surfaces to help the nail wear down. The quicks will always be shorter because of the activity, but the nails will gain length. So you can have very long nails, but very short quicks. Dogs that live on a farm, who are usually active out on the fields and pastures, will have very short quicks and short nails especially if they dig a lot. The act of digging wears down the nails. You might just have to "nip the tips" because they get sharp from the abrasion of digging. Dogs with a grass backyard, who are inactive, just meander around will always have longer quicks and nails because of lack of activity and abrasive surfaces. You cannot shorten quicks by maintenance trims. They have to get more activity and exposure to abrasive surfaces, like walking on sidewalks, paved or even graveled roads. Nails that want to curl downward around the pads are simply not getting enough excercise. The pads are weak from lack of substantial activity, therefore are not "pulling" the nail upward. Those are the worst to trim, because it is nearly wrapped around the shape of the pad, little space to get the nippers in between the nail and pad. Once the dog gets the activity it needs, the pads will get stronger and "pull" or lift the nail up and away from pad which in turn causes the quick to recede further back in the nail. It all has to do with activity and abrasive surfaces.

[@nothanksmate]

So glad I found your videos. Best ever.

[@hellehansen8477]

Great video and very importen topic 🤘😃 I've had my 5 year old dog for almost 2,5 years and when I got her she had very long nails 🤔 I've been clipping and dremeling them, and they are much better for sure, but not as short as I would like them to be 😅 It's tempting to say her quicks are naturally long, but if I'm REALLY honest with myself, then the truth is that she doesn't like her nails done, I don't like to do them because she doesn't like it and therefor I have an unconscious tendency to "forget" to do them regularly enough 🙈🙈🙈

[@GoodDogGrooming]

Perfect example! Thanks for sharing!!

[@Depressed_Dinosaur]

I've used them all, but a large wood file works best. Thanks for this video! 😊

[@twowhippys]

I feel this person's pain😅