Pedi Paws - Product Review

We purchased the Pedi Paw Pet Nail Trimmer about a week ago, and I have to say that I was very skeptical at first. Most large breed dog owners know all to well about the hassles of keeping their dogs nails trimmed enough so that they are not lethal weapons of pain, destruction, and misery. Axle and Clover are no different. A simple greeting from them can turn into a major medical emergency (I'm exaggerating of course, but those claws hurt!). And don't even ask me about the pain I've endured when one of their 60lb+ frames has stepped on my bare toes. (OUCH!). But thats part of being a dog owner, no matter how well trained/behaved (ours are pretty good ;)) a dog is, there are going to be incidents. Especially involving their razor sharp tallons.

We trim our dogs nails with a generic clipper about every two weeks or so. And their nails do wear down naturally when we go for walks or go to the park. But they are mostly inside dogs. Neither Paul nor I have a large enough fenced in yard for both of them to be out much durring the day. And we also prefer them inside with us when we are home. (Both dogs are crate trained when we need to go to work). So their nails do not get as much wear and tear as an outside dogs would. 

In the past, when trimming their nails with the clipper, they would end up getting cut into a sharp angle. But there was really nothing else we could do about the edges of their nails becoming sharp. Even if we angle the clippers straight up and down, the edges were still really sharp. I had seen commercials on TV for the Pedi Paw, and I figured it was much like all "As Seen On TV" products. I imagined it would be flimsy, hard to use, or wouldn't work at all. So I never bothered to look into it.

But one afternoon when Paul went to restock our supply dog food/treats/etc. he happened upon a display for the Pedi Paw in Petsmart. I am usually the one who clips the dogs nails (Paul helps me hold them still) and he remembered me always complaining about how sharp the dog's nails get after a trim. So being the thoughtfully sweet guy that he is, he picked one up and brought it home.

After presenting me with the Pedi Paw I was still a little skeptical, but now we had one, and I had no excuse not to at least try it out. So I did, and I must tell you dear readers, that I was pleasantly surprised! After putting in the C batteries and reading the rest of the instructions I decided I'd give it a try. I started with Axle, since he is the least fussy when it comes to nail trimming. He sat nicely for me as I first let him listen to the sound that the rotary grinder made. Its a quiet humming sound, that Axle didn't display too much intrest in. So I asked him for his paw and set out filing down one of his nails. ( I had clipped their nails a few days prior, so they were already a little short.) Here are Axle's nails afterwards!

 I was surprised at how well this thing worked. As long as you use a curling motion when using the grinder, it works perfectly. (don't press your dogs nail firmly on the grinder, you have to sweep it across.) The guard was really nice too, it helps you not to trim the nail too short by accident, and catches all the nail dust. Dogs have quicks in their nails just like we do, so trimming them too short can hurt. After I finished with Axle's front paws it was Clover's turn. I don't think that she particularly dislikes having her nails trimmed, I think its more that she doesn't want to sit still that long for it to be done. (She's a very impatient pooch, haha).

Clover's nails were a little more difficult to file down. She is only 11 months old, so she is still a squirmy puppy. It was a little difficult to keep her nail placed in the guard, but after a few minutes of coaxing, she was finally able to sit still long enough for me to trim her front paws. This is a great tool, but may not be best of you have a squirmy puppy. Its much easier to use if your dog will sit still long enough for you to do it. 

The only downside is the smell. The rotary grinder spins really quickly, and when you place that against your dogs nail (mostly made of protein) it will cause a lot of friction. This friction is what grinds the nail down, and causes heat. So the result is a burning smell. This is normal, but also a litte unpleasant  If you are really bothered by the smell I recommend that you do this outside or in a well ventilated area. The smell goes away a few seconds after you stop grinding the nail down, so its not really that off-putting.

I'm really glad that Paul picked this little tool up for us, its easy to use and I am happy with how well it works. Plus the replacement grinders are really inexpensive (about $3.99 for 12 on Amazon). Now that we have the Pedi Paw I no longer have to worry abut getting scratched or stepped on. Its a great little tool to have.

Have you used this tool before? Or do you have another grooming tool you'd like to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments below!