Clipping Dog Nails
How to Safely Clip / Trim Your Dog's Nails
Trimming a
dog’s nails is essential to its grooming routine. Untrimmed
nails leave dogs vulnerable to painful broken nails. Ingrown
nails are also a danger when a dog’s nails are not properly
maintained.
If your dog’s
nails click against hard floors, they are too long. After learning a
few simple rules, you’ll find that
trimming your dog’s nails is very much like clipping your own.
Basic Guidelines For Dog Nail Trimming
Be sure to only
trim the excess length and always avoid nerves and blood vessels.
This will ensure a
painless trim process.
Dog Nail
Terminology
The 'quick' is
a blood vessel that runs down the middle of your dog's nail. It
grows as the nail grows, so if you wait a long time between
cuttings, the quick will grow closer to the end of the nail. This
means more likelihood of bleeding during trimming.
Tools For
Trimming Dog Nails
You will need
quality dog nail trimmers and some styptic powder Kwik-Stop,
CutStop Styptic Pads or other product to stop bleeding just in case
you nick the quick. (end of vein)
You can find
these anywhere dog supplies are sold or by visiting
PediPaws for an interesting new solution.
The Process
- Basic Trimming Of Dog’s Nails
1. Seat your
dog securely. Hold the paw firmly and push on his pads to extend the
nail. Locate and avoid the quick. (in clear nails a pink color
indicates where the quick ends)
2. Cut the nail
below the quick on a 45-degree angle, with the cutting end of the
nail clipper toward the end of the nail. With dark nails and larger
dogs, you may want to start at the end of the nail and make a series
of small clips.
Detailed
Instructions For Trimming Dog Nails
Continuously
check for a black dot in the center of the nail. This is the
start of the quick. With diligent trimming, the quick will
retreat into the nail, allowing you to cut shorter each time.
In brittle
nails, the cut may splinter. To smooth the nail, file the nail
in a sweeping motion from the back, through curve and to the
tip.
Do not forget
the dewclaws, which can cause especially painful ingrown
problems. They are 1” - 4" above the feet on the inner side of
the legs.
If you
accidentally cut the quick, wipe off the blood and apply Kwik-Stop
or styptic powder to stop the bleeding. This type of accidental
injury is not serious and will heal in a very short time. Again,
you can find these dog supplies at most pet supplies stores or
visit PediPaws for a simple, painless, nail-trimming solution.
Clipping Dog
Nails - Helpful Hints:
Mind the
tolerance of your dog, and be sure to take breaks, if
necessary. If your dog is not used to having his nails trimmed,
start slowly, and gradually work up to simply holding his toes
firmly for 15 - 30 seconds. Do not let him mouth or bite at
you.
It can take
daily handling for a week or more to get some dogs used to this.
When your dog tolerates having his feet held, clip just one
nail, and if he is good, praise him and give him a tiny treat.
Wait, and then at another time, do another nail. Continue until
all nails have been trimmed. Slowly, you will be able to cut
several nails in one sitting, and finally all the nails in one
session.
Trim nails a
small amount weekly, even if long walks keep them naturally
short. A regular trimming routine helps your dog get used to
proper maintenance
Invest in a
quality pair of
dog nail trimmers in an appropriate size for your dog. They
can last a lifetime.
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