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 When was the last time that you trimmed your dog's nails?  If you can't remember then his nails are probably too long by now...

The elements can naturally wear down a dog's nails, but the truth is that many dogs (like me) spend most of their time indoors, so their nails tend to grow too long. Overgrown nails curl around and can catch in carpets, furniture and clothing.  You should see my mom holler when I snag her panty hose!!

When I first got rescued from the puppy mill, my nails were so long they were penetrating my foot pads and I didn't even like to walk around much due to the pain that caused!! 

So... I recommend that you add a doggie manicure to your routine list of pet care responsibilities!

Cutting dog nails can be a bit tricky. The two biggest issues are learning how to handle your dog so he will be "still" long enough to cut his nails and making sure that you do not hurt him by cutting the "quick" inside the nail. The "quick" is within the center of each toenail and it is the blood and nerve supply. In the example below if you cut where "A" is indicated you will be cutting into the quick and your dog will experience pain and begin bleeding immediately.

Many of you may be wondering about products that make this process easier and minimize the risk of hurting your precious dog. Well, there are a couple of new products in the market that do NOT cut but rather "file" the nail down a bit at a time. One of the products you will see advertised on TV is called PediPaws .

My mom wanted to try PediPaws herself because sometimes it is difficult to tell the product quality and actual results you get from this type of product. So she asked my favorite veterinarian, to try it on his dog. Well, he reports that it did a good job on his dog's nails; it wasn't too noisy and it didn't get hot in his hand!

I like my vet but I was still skeptical.  I don't like my mom bringing any 'motorized' object near me!  Hair dryers are scary and the clipping shears?  No way!!  I become a champion wiggle butt and escape artist.  I asked mom to run one more test.  I said, "Go try it on Mikey!"  Mikey is my neighbor.  He's 20 pounds of energy and the biggest scaredy cat I know!  If Mikey didn't like it, then I just knew I didn't want it near me! Also, Mikey has black nails, like mine and that makes the "quick" MUCH harder to find.

So what happened? Well I am happy to report that Mikey got his nails trimmed (and mom made our neighbor very happy when she volunteered to do it!) so now I let her use it on me.  It was scary at first but when I realized there was no 'cracking' sound and saw how fast it worked, I settled right down to watch.  The yummy treat at the end helped too!

I give PediPaws a big PAW UP for trimming your dog's nails. Now for some even better news; if we all order them at once, we can get a nice discounted price - less than $20 dollars a piece! Do you want to see how it works?  I encourage you to watch a video so you can learn more about PediPaws - go to: pedipawsvideo.com. 

What have you got to lose?  If it saves you a trip to the groomer or the vet it will pay for itself many times. Your dog will thank you for it. 

P.S. - PediPaws is offering a special bonus of a Pet Shedder tool, so you get a great tool for taking care of your dog's nails and for dealing with unwanted hair. To take advantages of this offer go to: pedipawsspecialoffer.com.

Don't forget to help with our fundraising efforts.  Ask yourself what you can do to help.  Can you sew?  Can you find new members sympathetic to our cause?  Can you foster a rescued dog that needs time to adjust before being placed in a forever home?  Can you convince other people to foster a dog?  Can you make phone calls to help check references for adoptive homes?  Can you help to transport an animal?  Can you make a 'home visit' for the group?  Can you donate some money towards our cause? There are plenty of things you can do to help.  Please volunteer your time, talents and treasures!  Thank you.