But did it file my dogs' nails?
I tried The PallyPad Scratch Pad/Board for filing my dogs' nails. One dog scratched at it, but the other couldn't care less.
In case it's helpful, below are the main points covered in this post:
My Need for This Product
My dogs hate having their nails cut! They turn into stationary loafs when I grab the nail trimmer. My small dog, Rascal, would sometimes run away.
I usually take my dogs to the veterinary clinic monthly to have a vet tech trim their nails. The experience is quick and easy if there is an examination room available for me to accompany my dogs. My dogs are calm when I am by their side.
Since our clinic is usually busy, I typically sit in the waiting room while a vet tech takes my dogs to 'the back'. At seventeen pounds, Rascal is easy for them to handle. My other dog, Lucy, is more of a challenge to deal with at over eighty pounds.
My Dad bought The PallyPad from Amazon.com to see if it would work with Lucy and Rascal. I do not know why he picked this brand when there were cheaper options available on the website. I imagine he bought it at a discounted price.
Package Contents and Prep
The package contents included:
Scratch pad on wooden board
Replacement adhesive scratch pad
Non-slip adhesive pads
4 clear pads for carpet
4 rubber pads for tiles, wood floors, etc.
Instruction sheet
Product registration QR code
I added the rubber non-slip adhesive pads (I have tile and wood floors) to the bottom of the wooden board. The instructions said to clean before adhering, but I forgot about that step because I was excited to see if Lucy would use it.
The drawer took a little effort to open, which I was grateful for. Lucy pulls out the kitchen drawers with ease, so a little struggle is welcomed.
I added some treats in the drawer and placed the wooden board in front of Lucy. NOTE: Lucy watched as I placed the treats in the drawer.
Lucy's Experience
I simply placed the wooden board in front of Lucy. No commands. No gestures. I wanted to see what she did first.
She sniffed and pushed it around with her nose for a while. Within a minute, Lucy pawed at the scratch pad.
Although she used the product as intended, Lucy also attempted to peel the scratch pad off and chew through the wooden board. Because I monitored her, I was able to redirect her to use her paws. This was easy for me because Lucy is a 'pawsy' dog.
It took her around ten minutes to open the drawer. The nails on the front paws (excluding the dewclaws) were filed down at an angle because of how she 'pawed' at the scratch pad.
Rascal's Experience
Rascal watched as I placed the treats in the drawer. Despite knowing that there were treats inside the wooden board, he just stared at it.
I placed a treat on top of the drawer to pique his interest. It worked, but not the way I hoped it would. He constantly sniffed, circled, and stared at the thing.
After a few minutes, I opened the drawer slightly so he could see the treats inside. Again, he constantly sniffed, circled, and stared at the thing.
There were a few times when I gently held his paw and imitated a scratching motion on the board. Rascal refused to touch it until I opened the drawer wide enough to access the treats.
I did not expect Rascal to have interest in it as he is not a 'pawsy' dog. It was worth trying in case he proved me wrong, but Rascal is very predictable to me.
My Thoughts
Overall, the scratch pad worked as intended for one of two dogs. Lucy uses her paws often, so it was second nature for her to scratch until she got the drawer opened. The nails on her front paws were shorter.
I monitored her use of the product closely. I redirected her when she attempted to peel the scratch pad off of the wooden board. Fortunately, Lucy never dragged her paw pads against the scratch pad.
I checked her nails frequently to make sure she did not file them down the the quick. I would have stopped her if I worried that her nails were getting too short.
The product was lightweight and slid across my hard wood floor easily. I let Lucy slide it around because she seemed to enjoy doing so. The sliding also made it a tad more challenging for her to open the drawer.
Because Lucy scratched at an angle, her nails filed at an angle, leaving a few sharper tips. Walking dulled the tips, so it was not a concern for us. Before the walk, I just had to make sure she did not pet and accidentally scratch Rascal. (Lucy loves petting Rascal, but he hates it!)
I still need to cut Lucy's dewclaws. She tries to punch me when I do, but at least I only need to cut the two nails.
Fortunately, the nails on her back paws are regularly short thanks to our walks, but I would have to cut those as well if they were to grow longer than I preferred. Lucy does not scratch with her back paws, so the scratch pad is only ideal for the nails on her front paws.
I knew Rascal would never scratch at the wooden board, but it was worth a try since I already owned the product. Rascal only uses his paws to fluff blankets or grab my hand so I could give him a good scratch. Even if he did scratch at the wooden board, he would have done so gently that his nails would never file down to a shorter length.
What's Next?
I will continue to let Lucy use the scratch pad until she loses interest in it. We will continue to rely on traditional nail clippers to trim all other nails properly.
Comment below to share your dog's experience with getting nails trimmed!
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Thanks, and have a great day!
~Simply Jelly Jam
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