How do you trim really, really long dog nails?

I have been trimming my own cat's claws since they were kittens, but I have no experience cutting dog nails. My roommate's dogs are older and very rarely go on walks, so they do not grind their nails down on the cement. Their nails are very long, but my roommate does not want to hurt his dogs by cutting the nails and is too cheap to take them to get them trimmed by a professional. On one of the dogs, the dewclaws have curled so bad, they are starting to cut back into the dog's skin. What is the best way to trim them back down to size once the nails are long and quick has grown out?

you should get an exprt or vet to show you how to do it

Clip just a tiny amount off then wait a day or two and clip some more. That way the quick will gradually pull back.

Go to http://www.youtube.com and type it in there are videos there showing you how.

slowly and very little at a time. The dog is going to be resistant if this is new. Try holding their paws frequently to get them used to it. If they don't resist and don't jerk away, try clipping just the very tip. Wait a while and clip just a little more. You can also try a nail file. They make special animal nail files that are shaped differently than human ones.
Don't ever trim more than 1/4 inch at a time. Wait a few days and then trim that much more. Really work on those dew claws as this is probably painful and can cause the animal to hold his legs differently when walking and this can actually cause some joint pain.

If they are that long then i would advise you to take them to the Vet at lest this time and have the Vet show you because you don't know how to look for the quick of the nail and if you cut to deep then the Nails can get infected.Let the Vet show you so you can do it yourself the next time. Tell your room mate if he can't offort something this simple as to get his Dogs nails trimmed he dos not need a Dog.He needs to be turned in for animal neglect.

That is negligence, especially concerning the fact that the nails on one of the dog are cutting into its flesh. Eventually the nails will just curl and grow right through the dogs' feet if this is not taken care of quickly, and if your roommate is not consistent with keeping their nails trimmed.

You'd have to buy a pair of dog nail clippers, sold at most stores in the pet section, unless you have a Dremmel tool, which is much more efficient for you to use, but also a lot safer for the dog's sake. If the nails are white (or clear), you will most likely be able to see the "quick", which is a vein you want to avoid hitting as it can cause pain and bleeding. Just clip of the very tips every couple of days, after a few weeks or so, the nails should be at a reasonable length. Since your roommate has neglected the dogs' grooming for so long, they may not be cooperative while you trim their nails. If you are hesitant about doing this, the dogs do need to go to the veterinarian to have their nails trimmed, or you could look for a groomer. Having a dog's nails clipped at a vet's or a groomer's is pretty cheap - my vet charges $8, and I know a grooming place that only charges $5, for example.

google an instruction video. That's your best bet. It's easiest to learn by sight in this case. I could instruct you, but you wouldn't get it as well.

Tell your cheep friend to take the dog to a groomer or a vet to have them done, this is part of being a responsible pet owner.. If the nails are that long they need to be professionally done...

Hint a groomer will be a bit less if your friend is that cheep, no office fee.. Get the dog in to have them done when the nails are that long it's pain full for the dog, if the nails are ingrown into the pad they may be infected this is what happens when the nails are neglected.

Try a nail grinder a little at a time if you really don't have any money. However, stand up to your friend. They probably don't want to take the dog to a groomers to get the nails trimmed because they think it's going to be the same price as a human manicure probably. You can get one dogs nail trimmed cheaper than a large pizza at pizza hut! It usually runs between 8 and 12 dollars depending on where you are located. It's worth it. Then just buy a nail grinder to trim them up so you don't have to worry about the pinching of the nails and possibly clipping the nail too deep to keep up.

sounds as it should be done by vet on the dew claws. then nails should be trimmed every couple of days till they are down to what they should be. maybe he should try grinding them.