Nail Commercials

[D'tails]

Anyone else notice how those nail grinder commercials affected a large amount of your clients? The ones where they show the close up of the nail being cut with a clipper, then it cracks and turns blood red with waves of pain shooting out from it.

I have had a huge rash of clients that went out and bought those grinders because they are afraid to trim their dogs nails. Not one of them has been able to use the grinder on their dog either.

[neanea]

I've inherited two pedi-whatevers because of this, lol.

You know, some of the marketing tactics these company's use does more harm than good and are more fiction than fact All in the name of $$$$$$$ Anything for a buck, I guess.

[Ali Kat]

How about the new commercial showing some silly woman trying to trim her cat's nails. Then the solution, a scratching board that magically "files" the cat's nails down. And call right away and we'll send you a de-shedding tool (AKA slicker). I think this ad also shows the graphic blood spurting thing too.

[PrincessPoodle]

My favorite is the pug that just sits there perfectly for the pedi****. Yeah right! I've found that the ones that run off the batteries just don't have the power to really do the job. When I worked at a Pets**** a while ago those things flew off the shelves and then were returned just as quickly.

I have noticed though that some clients now believe that normal nail trimming is unsafe compared to grinding. I usualy just explain that some dogs tolerate the grinder better (it does it the nail shorter and smoother) but others are completely freaked out by it and stress. I can also do the nails much faster with a basic trimmer, it really just depends on what YOUR pet tolerates better. Both are safe if used properly and if not both pose risks.

[ashk36]

The battery operated one just isn't powerful enough, especially when you're used to a dremel. We use regular nail clippers, and for an additional charge we'll dremel them. Some may not charge extra for this, but it is time consuming, some dogs really hate it, and if your hands bother you (carpal tunnel, anyone?) this makes it even more difficult and painful. Sometimes we won't charge, usually for an older person who has a hyper young dog that will scratch them to bits. We don't get a lot of people worrying about the nail clippers, but when we do I assure them that we all have plenty of experience cutting nails and that every groomer has quicked a dog, sometimes it just can't be avoided, especially when a dog's nails aren't trimmed regularly.

[odette]

Another fav of mine is the quick finder, it does not work,period. It didn't turn color until it was to late, lucky lady only paid $9.99 on close out, hmm wonder why it was on close out?

[borzoimom]

How about the new commercial showing some silly woman trying to trim her cat's nails. Then the solution, a scratching board that magically "files" the cat's nails down. And call right away and we'll send you a de-shedding tool (AKA slicker). I think this ad also shows the graphic blood spurting thing too.

For anyone that has not seen one of these "magic" scratching boards in person, Let me tell you.....That magic scratching surface is corrugated cardboard turned on it's side. For example, if you were to open a shipping box, lift a flap straight up and looked down on it, you will see the "waves" of cardboard inside, that is what is glued onto the boards. I have a client that actually bought one. She was very upset. Yes, her cat does scratch on it, NO, it does not file down the nails.

[neanea]

Another fav of mine is the quick finder, it does not work,period. It didn't turn color until it was to late, lucky lady only paid $9.99 on close out, hmm wonder why it was on close out?

When I first saw these, I thought, PFFFT! Glad I didn't succumb to the advertising hype! I did have clients ask me about them tho. Told them to save their money!

[Mamabearwith2]

Anyone else notice how those nail grinder commercials affected a large amount of your clients? The ones where they show the close up of the nail being cut with a clipper, then it cracks and turns blood red with waves of pain shooting out from it.

I have had a huge rash of clients that went out and bought those grinders because they are afraid to trim their dogs nails. Not one of them has been able to use the grinder on their dog either.

I LOOOVE that commercial! Lots of clients went out and bought this thing and all have told me the thing doesn't go fast enough to do anything or their dog hates it. Great advertising for me! They think I'm a genius. LOL!

[petpalswi]

I got a pedi*** as a gift. so I gave it a try. imo, it would be fine at home in between grooming, but it does not remove enough nail. I do use it after clipping the nails just to file down the rough spots. I tried it on one clients dog (per her request). after, I told her her dog freaked out, its not really quiet. unfortunately, since that little experience this dog gets really wild when I try to clip his nails, he used to be a dream.

[D'tails]

I found most people are plain afraid to use it, just like clipping because they are still afraid of the quick.

The other problem is that their dogs pull away and won't "allow" them to use it.

I don't grind simply because it takes longer and most dogs pull away/fight the entire time. Quicker just to snip em off and do a few side cuts to get a nice rounded tip.

[SharPeiMom]

I had a customer asked me about this particular grinder just last week and I told them that it was fine for in between grooming but that the commercial makes it look really easy to use but most of the time it's not quite that simple. I told them that most dogs aren't going to just stand there while you're grinding their nails and that it would most likely be a 2 person job and take a lot of patience. They said " Just as we thought". I've had a couple of clients offer me theirs but I didn't take them.

[onions]

Kinda' off on a tangent, but I had a client tell me he was told to NEVER CUT his dog's nails, only have them grinded....when I asked who told him that he says "the guy who installed his hardwood floors" LOL!!!!!!

As to the advertised Pedi paw thing....many clients have told me they bought it & can't get anywhere near Fluffy's feet....

[PuppyFluffer]

For anyone that has not seen one of these "magic" scratching boards in person, Let me tell you.....That magic scratching surface is corrugated cardboard turned on it's side. For example, if you were to open a shipping box, lift a flap straight up and looked down on it, you will see the "waves" of cardboard inside, that is what is glued onto the boards. I have a client that actually bought one. She was very upset. Yes, her cat does scratch on it, NO, it does not file down the nails.

I KNEW it! Smelled like bullsh*t of the purest ray sublime when I first saw the commercial...."emery" cat indeed....like its made of emery board, perhaps? If that aint false advertising it sure skates cloes to the line.

[Poodleluv]

Yes, I predicted when those pedipaws came out that there would be some in every garage sale,thrift store,gifted to groomers etc. They sure did a good job marketing them! If only the folks whipping out their credit crds so fast had known that some dogs tolerate the trimmer much better than any grinder. That most dogs won't let their owners near them with the things because they know darn well mommy or daddy don't know how to do it. That dremelling a large dogs overgrown nails with a pedipaw would take long enough to watch a mini series, That you can draw blood with a dremel exactly the same as a trimmer,That is the only part of the advertising I object to. Making all trimmers look dangerous,and all grinding safe. I much prefer dremelling most dogs,but the ones that freak,and tolerate the trimmers get the trimmer.