Dane toenails are extremely thick and tough to cut, and I've been using a scissor style Miller's Forge "Large Dog Nail Clip" on Savage for years. He's always been a little uncomfortable with getting his manicures, but lately he's gotten a lot more sensitive about it. I have to assume it's because after a couple years, the blades have just gotten dull. When I first started seeing television ads for something called the Peticure, a rotary nail-clipping tool, I was interested, and did some research online to figure out if it would possibly work for Savvy's big toenails. What I heard from some dog owners is that the actual Peticure tool tends to have a somewhat wimpy motor that won't stand up to clipping all the nails at one sitting, but I also found that the company sells a product called the Peticure Safe Guard, which simply threads on to a Dremel rotary tool and gives you the control of the Peticure and the speed and power of the Dremel.
I ordered the Safe Guard, then went out and bought my own Dremel kit, excited about an easier nail-trimming alternative but apprehensive about my dog's willingness to let this thing near his feet. Well, as predicted, Savvy hated the tool from the very beginning. It took both Randy and I to hold him down so he wouldn't bolt, and that was before it even got near his nails. After the near impossible task of filing two toenails, I gave up, concerned that I was causing my puppy too much anxiety for no good reason.
Around the same time I also ordered Savage new booties from DogBooties.com, a local manufacturer that features booties and harnesses designed for sled dogs. I decided on the fleece booties because I thought they would provide traction; I wanted to avoid the disappointment I experienced with the Muttluks I bought him last winter. However, as soon as I ripped open the package I was disappointed again. The largest size made by DogBooties.com, XL, is made to fit a dog paw 3 1/2" across the widest part, but doesn't even begin to fit onto Savage's giant feet.
Therefore, the Peticure Safe Guard and his new fleece booties now join the list of products I've bought for my dog (with the intention of making our lives together easier) that he either refuses to use, or that don't work for him specifically. Ironically, now that I have my own Dremel, I can easily sharpen the blades on my Miller's Forge trimmer, and it's making nail cutting quite a bit more efficient. I guess that's the best I can ask for.