As many of us know, the common household tool, the Dremel, can also be utilized to help wear down our beloved pets' toenails. It is particularly helpful for dogs who dislike the sound of the regular clippers but aren't overly concerned about motor noises. My sister, a PetsMart groomer, stopped by my house yesterday on her way to our parents', and she offered to dremel my dogs' toenails if they needed a trim. I declined on Akane's part because her nails get worn down running behind my bicycle three mornings a week, but I jumped on it for the rest of the pack. We quickly learned that dremeling is really a two person job. Akane also had to be banished to my bedroom to avoid attacking either the Dremel or the dog getting the manicure.

Miki:

Miki doesn't mind having his feet handled, and he's my easiest dog to do toenails on. Needless to say we started with him. He obligingly climbed up onto some crates, so we had a make-shift grooming table. The rest was as followed:

1. Miki begins to wiggle when he hears the noise from the Dremel, and I grab his collar.
2. Miki jumps off the crates and knocks several books down trying to escape from the noisy thing touching his feet.
3. Miki is unceremoniously lifted back onto a crate, so the remainder of his toenails can be ground down.
4. Miki fusses and acts hurt until he receives a spoonful of peanut butter for his trauma.
5. Miki volunteers for more dremeling (and more peanut butter).

Suzuka:

Suzuka is awful to do toenails on by yourself because I quicked her ONCE when she was young, and she's never forgotten. I usually pay the nice staff at Taurus to do her toenails since they have more then one person doing grooming work at a time.

1. Place Suzuka on the crate and apply super-ninja grip.
2. Try not to curse as Suzuka wiggles against bruised arm while sister dremels front feet.
3. Just turn Suzuka around, so sister can get back feet from angle Suzu can't easily see from.
4. Release Suzuka to flee.
5. Apply peanut butter.
6. Get Miki out of Suzuka's peanut butter while keeping Atlas happy with a tiny bit.

Krista:

I knew that Krista would be scared of the Dremel since she's not used to most grooming tools. We opted to just leave her on the floor to reduce her stress.

1. Grab Krista around the chest and try to begin dremeling.
2. Reposition with Krista in between my legs, so she can't back up.
3. Get one front paw done and fight with Krista as she tries to draw back other front paw.
4. Finish second front paw and concede defeat.
5. Apply peanut butter by chasing Krista to her crate and putting it into her mouth (she's weird about getting human food as treats).

Perdita:

Perdy is the absolute WORST about getting her toenails trimmed. She used to be okay, but as she's gotten older, she's crankier about the noise and foot handling by anyone other than me. She even is temperamental when I try to trim toenails.

1. Put Suzuka, Krista, and Atlas in crates. Toss Miki outside.
2. Let Perdy say hi to her favourite aunty then coax her back onto the bed in her room.
3. Attempt to Dremel one nail.
4. Muzzle Perdy as she begins vocalizing and snapping when she hears the motor.
5. Dremel second toenail as Perdy attempts to attack the Dremel through her basket muzzle.
6. Be happy that two toenails were worn down.
7. Remove muzzle and apply peanut butter. Wish for alcoholic beverages.
8. Watch Perdy romp like she just hadn't thrown the biggest temper tantrum in history.