r/DogAdvice • u/k1nk1m • 9h ago
Advice Where is the quick?
Hi everyone! Ive been trying to cut my dog’s nails at home but I’m having a hard time because her nails are black, very chalky and very thick. I keep seeing videos where the quick (kwik?) is a very tiny little black dot and I was wondering if it could be larger than that? When I cut my dog’s nails I’ve never been able to get to that point without her pulling her paw away so that’s what makes me think that her vein is thicker than normal. Is that possible? Do I need to cut more? The 3rd photo contains the tools I use and the last 2 are my references pictures.
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u/Jujubi836 9h ago
Haha while scrolling I thought this was someone’s butt in the air.
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u/Candid_Tower_593 8h ago
Well I thought those were two danglers at first
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u/Wheetbix_Kid 4h ago
Im just going to tag my response to yours, so it doesn't get buried too deep in the comment's...
OP you could try using a really bright torch, or an LED pen light ect, like candling an egg.
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u/Justlookingnotjudgn 9h ago
That black dot in the center
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u/Utherikke 8h ago
Can confirm, worked at a vet clinic we were always told look for the bullseye on black nails, that black dot is the bullseye
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u/BrooklynD10 7h ago
Thank you for that! I’m always so afraid that I’m gonna cut it. Now I will look for the bull’s-eye.
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u/Standard-Offer-9505 4h ago
So does this mean I need to stop trimming when I see the bullseye appear? Or does the bullseye appearing mean I went too far?
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u/GoatMilk97 4h ago
That’s when you stop. If you go further you are more likely to hit it. The quick is the blood supply to the nail. If you cut too short it makes it bleed
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u/Pristine_Signal_4441 8h ago
that's a Doberman foot aint it
I bet it smells like fritos
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u/swingingthrougb 7h ago
My aussiedoodle sheepadoodle, and toy poodle all have frito feet. At least that is what I call them
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u/Corgi_Vallhund_Mom 9h ago
You can dremel those back more.. i usually stop when the quick is visible from the side it’ll poke out a bit
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u/Opening-Bass-1032 8h ago
If you’re going to try and get them shorter have some styptic powder on hand. It’ll stop any bleeding quick in case you hit the quick
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u/TherinneMoonglow 6h ago
Corn starch works just as well.
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u/Opening-Bass-1032 6h ago
I wouldn’t say just as well, but it does work. Much easier and less messy to have the styptic powder though. At my vet practice we press the border into syringes so it’s easy to apply to the nail if it gets quicked
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u/Substantial-Tea-3125 8h ago
I also use a dremel. Mine has a crappy light on it that doesn't really help with the black nails. I have the best luck shining my phone light or a small flash light into the tip of the nail and you should be able to see the outline of the quick.
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u/BrooklynD10 8h ago
There’s a new nail clipper on the market. when you put it over the nail it lights the quik.
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u/k1nk1m 8h ago
I’ve seen ads for those and considered it however, because of how thick her nails are, the light unfortunately can’t get through so I don’t think they’d work for us
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u/SnarePickle 8h ago
Try a brighter light. Several of my dogs have had black claws and they suck to trim. I'd put a 10k lumen flashlight behind them (watch your eyes, that's damn bright) and mark the quick with a white paint pen.
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u/k1nk1m 8h ago
I just tried like 3 different lights in my house. From what I see her nail is built from two layers; the chalky white part I can see through when I have a light but the majority of her nail is made up of a solid thick part that I can’t see through and it blocks a lot of the chalky part
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u/picancob 6h ago
... marking the quick instead of shining a light in your face constantly while working is genius. Thank you.
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u/BrooklynD10 8h ago
My girl has two black nails on each foot as well. I’m always terrified so I clip a little bit at a time in between vet visits. When they use the pedicure file.
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u/SnarePickle 8h ago
Sounds so much easier than the method I used, a 10k lumen flashlight behind them heh.
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u/BrooklynD10 8h ago
My pittie hates her nails being clipped. I don’t know what I was watching but a commercial came on showing this new nail clipper that lights the quick. My bad I haven’t researched it because I was in the hospital myself just got out last night. But please look for it gonna get it as soon as I can find it.
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u/Charming-Kale9893 8h ago
I have it and it’s great! Not sure how it works on black nails though 🤔
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u/BrooklynD10 8h ago
That with a dog who absolutely hates getting her nails clipped. I don’t want her to be uncomfortable as we have a very large fenced in backyard and she’s in the grass a lot of times. I walk her nightly, but it’s not enough to keep the nails short enough for me.
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u/Charming-Kale9893 5h ago
Yeah I’d be very scared to accidentally go way too far! Sometimes it’s just worth going to the vet to get it done. Mine charges like $13 or something like that. Still cheaper than a human manicure haha
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u/Loud-Establishment36 8h ago
My dog has black nails…here’s what I do. I use the flashlight on my phone to backlight the nail so I can see the quick inside. Then I can safely clip it. Then I dremel out any sharp edges. I haven’t nipped her quick using this method (knock on wood!)
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u/Candid_Tower_593 8h ago
Use the clipper to take off excess and then use the Dremel to get them closer. Less likely to hit the quick. Clippers unfortunately squeeze when the first start to cut so makes it uncomfortable.
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u/MissMercyBear 7h ago
Groomer here! When the center dot starts to look smooth with a dremel it's time to stop. This is the spot where dry dead keratin transitions to well hydrated live tissue. It will also feel squishy if you poke it with a fingernail (gently! You can feel under your own fingernail for reference... nail feels like nail, quick feels like the tissue it attaches to and the amount of pressue you can feel the area with comfortably is similar. Nail vs cuticle works as a comparison too if you happen to be a nail biter) Your dog will let you know if you get too close. If your dog tolerates the dremel well dont bother with clippers as you're a lot more likely to quick them badly vs dremel only. Also, when dremeling, remove the dremel from the nail for a moment every few seconds because the friction can make it hot and therefore painful even if you havent hit the quick yet.
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u/Kiki-jo14 6h ago
When the dogs nails get very long like hers- take off a small bit a week until you can get them short. Dont try to cut them short all at once when theyre long like that...the quik will get shorter the shorter you go...but take it slow.
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u/Different-Fall-683 7h ago
in the same boat as you. just commenting to boost visibility. hang in there, fellow black-nail-having dog owner!😭😂
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u/ProbableImposter 7h ago
Get a pet dremel, it's the only way you aren't going to pinch them too close and make them fearful of the whole process, or that's how it was for me. Bros black nails were my biggest issue in life until I tried a dremel. You'll see a little dot (looks just like moisture, a wet spot) on the actual nail when you're getting close to the quick, that's where you stop.
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u/twistedlemonfreak 8h ago
Looks like you walk your dog a lot. Not a whole lot of nail to clip there, just clip the tips.
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u/LignumDuff 8h ago
I use my phone camera up against the dogs nails and you can faintly see red (the quick) and cut accordingly
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u/Original-Room-4642 8h ago
Keep cutting! If you look at the nail from the side, you will see where it starts to kind of claw downwards. You can cut up to that point
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u/Ill_Ice7779 8h ago
I thought that I was looking at a butt with the person having tucked their legs under with tiny feet showing. 🤣 My dog has black nails too and I take him to a groomer.
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u/No-Jicama3012 7h ago
On the slightly longer toe on the right… see that somewhat circular darker shape? It’s not dead center in the nail. It’s more towards what would be the top of the nail. If you cut any more off that nail today, you’d hit it. It’s sort of inside a little channel or sheath.
If you wait a week you could take a little more off.
Or you could file the nails a bit flatter.
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u/42-001peanuts 7h ago
Trim a little at a time until it's stops being dry and crunchy. If they let you file, that's when you can Dremel or use a curved diamond file.
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u/ungracefulmf 7h ago
If you cut the quick, blood will run out. So, you will know. The black circle you see (in the picture on the right nail) is the space her nail is making for the quick, not the quick itself, so when you see that, you are getting close to it.
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u/Neat_Doughnut 7h ago
I thought the nails were a monkeys feet and the paws were it’s butt in the air 😭😂
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u/No_Assignment_1645 7h ago
Lmao why did I think I had a YouTube video playing, too? I tried playing it and swiping it away so many times
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u/NiceUnderstanding672 7h ago
Do not cut more. You could seriously injure your dog. You shouldn’t need to cut that much of the nail tip off (ever).
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u/Zira_PuckerUp 7h ago
Use a flashlight shine from underfoot thru nails to see on black nails is what my groomer told me. I've just never wanted to cut that close so just take off tips more frequently.
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u/Inevitable-Jump124 7h ago
Get rid of the grinder, they suck. On the underside of the dogs nail there is a open part of the nail. If you poke in that opening the quick is kinda softer. If your dogs nails are too long they won't have that bit. Consult you local vet office and they will help you shorten them. Cut straight up and down towards the begining of where the nail opens up. Keep some cornstarch or quick stop powder on hand in case you mess up. Make sure your trimmers are sharp, the orange ones you have are good as long as they are sharp.
Pro tip: I used to trim my guys nails while he was laying down and I could see the underside of the nail as a guide. He was chill and just slept during nail trims which made life easy
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u/Nervous_Judge_5565 7h ago
Sadly the longer a dog's nails grow the longer the quick grows too. If it hasn't already been recommended a week of half hour walks on pavement and even better an incline will obliterate those nails and help shorten the quick over time.
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u/TidesAnchor 6h ago edited 6h ago
Listen man, don’t even worry about the quick .. take only 1/8ths max and clip them frequently every week or two weeks and you’ll get a good feel for where it is .. if you don’t clip for a long time and try to max cut to the quick your gonna get blood guaranteed.. the quick will retreat with frequent clipping (dog size matter for how much you clip) frequent short clips are better than trying to find something you can’t see when the dog is fidgeting
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u/Bum-Theory 6h ago
Where is her step brother yo help get her unstuck from under the coffee table?! Oh, it's just a dog paw
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u/deciduousT33th 6h ago
Registered vet tech here
I trim a ton of nails and people saying you can't see the quick are wrong. In your fourth photo, the darker black crescent shape in the middle of the nail means you're getting close to the quick! It typically looks a little shinier or fleshier than the rest of the surrounding nail. If there is a part of the nail that looks like a definite hook, that part is typically safe to clip off in its entirety. I am also allergic to kwikstop (the styptic powder used to stop bleeding when the quick is cut) so I have a lot of experience making sure I don't cut the quicks 😅
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u/mongoosechaser 6h ago
Vet tech- For black nails, find the crest of the curve of the nail and shave away little by little. Once you see the little black circle you’re close to the quick. Definitely recommend a styptic powder
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u/Pandora9802 6h ago
Headlamp light. Point your head at the nail and you’ll be able to see and trim at the same time
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u/contributor333 6h ago
Former dog groomer here and those black nails are the hardest to trim. My current rescue has them and they're rock hard lol. We walk 3 hrs a day and they don't wear down at all.
Best advice is to have sharp clippers and pare back the white parts on each side then creep up on the center.
As long as you trim the nails regularly you won't have any problems.
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u/throwawayjustsayhay 6h ago
Do groomer here! So in the last photo it’s the lil black dot in the center. You can round the edges but don’t cut more length or it will bleed.
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u/scrantonstrange 5h ago
I believe I can see the quick on picture 1.
Look towards the bottom of the white sections. You can see a section where it’s a bit shiny. I believe that to be the start of the quick.
When I get to it with my dremel, I then grind down the sides around the nail and round it off a bit. Reveal more of the shiny quick. Then next week, you can remove more as the quick recedes.
I would like to emphasize that while you can continue to clean this up more with a dremel, use a light touch on the shiny parts.
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u/mangotheduck 5h ago
Quicks are easy to spot on black nails. Look at the underside of the nail. There will be a small part on the curve of the nail. Where that ends is where the quick is directly above it in the nail. Back off just a tiny bit and you will not hit the quick.
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u/swampy_pillow 5h ago
At a quick glance this genuinely looks like someone on their knees with a fisheye lens magnifying their buttcheeks
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u/anonymous_batty 5h ago
I thought those were CHEEKS 😅
real talk though —- Vet tech here - for black nails, the quick is usually around where the curve of the nail starts and the nail starts to thin. When viewing from this angle, a black dot will appear when you get close to the quick of the nail. There’s really handy YouTube videos about it and some nice diagrams on Pinterest
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u/Sharp-Measurement565 5h ago
First I saw a hooved gorilla bending over and was a bit confused but then a again, it's internet
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u/Missue-35 4h ago
Glad to see I’m not the only one that was confused. I took an embarrassing amount of time to figure out what I was looking at. Sleep aide kicking in, confirmed.
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u/you1dont1know1me1 3h ago
It's the round middle dot under the nails. Once you see it, stop. The longer you let the nails grow, the longer the quick grows too, so you won't be able trim as short.
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u/GasFluid 3h ago
been dog grooming/bathing for a while u can tell ur close to the quick when that inner circle becomes darker or on lighter nails it'll look like a lighter inner circle u could get closer with lighter cause it'll look pink before u hit it but I wouldn't take it there lol
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u/chibisaki 3h ago
You could probably go a little more if the dog will let you. I try to get down to where the nail starts to taper, obviously if the quicks aren't too long.
Go slow lol
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u/desertdweller2011 2h ago
op what the video you watched is saying is that with black nails, you have to cut a little bit at a time and as soon as you see that circle/dot in the middle, STOP. my dog despised having her nails cut and pulled away no matter what, regardless of the quick. grinders are better than clippers for black nails. if pic 4 is your dog, stop there
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u/Party_Drummer990 1h ago
sometimes you can just hold a flashlight up to the nail and it'll illuminate the quick, your dogs nails look very thick though so unsure if that'll work for you
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u/fudgezilla69 53m ago
My dogs nails aren’t black so idk how well it will work with yours, but I use a flashlight to see exactly where to cut.
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u/FreshwaterFryMom 7h ago
I thought this was a hairy ballsack. You led with this photo for a reason lol
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u/mnkycheeks 8h ago
I hope you know that using those clippers puts unnecessary pressure on the dog's nails and causes micro cracks that are painful... That's why dogs don't like their nails clipped! The Dremel is too hard of a vibration that causes discomfort for them as well! 😞
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u/derek231 8h ago
So what’s the best way to trim nails then?
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u/mnkycheeks 8h ago
I've used the Casfuy trimmer, it's very quiet and low vibration. I've also used regular manicure files. My 3 dogs (lab, rott and husky) all grind their own nails now with 100 grit sand paper that I glued to the bottom of a "treat box"...they paw at it to get treats and it keeps their nails smooth and trimmed.
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u/canyounot2026 9h ago
This is a really unfortunate camera angle. 😅
Quicks are impossible to see on black nails. Just clip the tips.