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Last Updated on March 25, 2024 by Thee Puppypreneur
HOW TO TRIM DOG NAILS
Ideally, your groomer can trim your dog’s nails. However, if you like to take charge of your own animals grooming and are still wondering how to cut a dog’s nails, like I do then there are several options for you.
I have used both these clippers and nail grinders while cutting my dog’s nails
and this nail grinder
Amazon.com: Oster Gentle Paws Less Stress Dog and Cat Nail Grinder, 2 Speed (078129-600-000)
I find that some dogs respond better to the nail grinder because they are larger and when cutting a dog’s nails the clippers or nippers create a hard snap that some dogs absolutely don’t like.
HOW TO CLIP A DOG’S NAILS WITH INSTRUCTIONS
- Ideally, you want to learn how to clip dog nails when your dog is a puppy.
- You will want to get your dog used to the tool of your choice, either a clipper or nail grinder
- If your dog is anxiety ridden over the whole process then you will want to start even slower.
- Buy treats!
- Maybe even a muzzle
I have this one, although we don’t use it.
HOW TO CUT DOG NAILS AND GET THEM USED TO THE TOOLS
- You will want to grab your dog’s paw firmly and hold it as he is likely to pull back.
- Just touch the clippers or grinder to the paw while it is off.
- Open and close the clippers near the paw or turn on the grinder near the paw so they hear the sound.
- Put the open clippers on the nail, but do not snip them or turn on the grinder and touch lightly the nail without actually grinding anything but a small front touch to the nail and praise your dog.
- Have your dog’s favorite treats nearby and after your dog responds well to the scissors being held over the first nail, praise and reward them.
HOW TO CUT A DOG’S NAILS WITHOUT HURTING THEM
I recommend practicing how to cut dog nails with your dog every month, so as not to let them grow. If you let the nails grow and don’t maintain them this can cause a bunch of other problems.
Not only is it painful as it causes the dogs conformation and weight distribution to change. It could lead to problems such as arthritis, muscle strain and limping.
Leaving a dog’s nails untrimmed allows for the quick to grow. The quick is a blood vessel that runs inside of the nail casing. In the event you cut this your dog will yelp and blood will start coming out.
Depending on how bad you cut this will determine if you need to go to the vet.
Which is why I don’t use nail clippers and use the nail grinder instead.
So, this way I am taking short, strokes, grinding away, little by little in case I do accidentally hit the quick.
WHAT TO DOG IF YOU HIT A DOGS QUICK WHILE CUTTING ITS NAILS
Usually, groomers and vets have something called
or some version of it so, when this happens you just dip the nail in the powder and it cakes up the area and stops the bleeding.
The quick can be seen on dogs with lightly colored nails and depending on how long it’s been since your dog had its nails trimmed will depend on how far down it goes to the tip of your dog’s nail.
It is usually the light pink vessel at the top and it extends downward and gets narrower towards where you are cutting.
You probably won’t be able to see the quick if your dog has darker nails. So how do you clip a dogs nails that are black or darker?
HOW TO CUT A DOG’S BLACK NAILS
There is another method that I use for cutting a dog’s nails that are black or a dog with darker nails in general. When learning how to trim dog nails, this method is what I prefer. This way you can tell if you are coming close to hitting the quick and this way is my preferred method for use with a nail grinder.
When you use a nail grinder you want to go at the nail in short touching motions. The friction from the grinder causes heat that can hurt and burn if it is left in one spot too long.
Think of this, if you have ever gone to the nail salon you see how fast and quick the nail ladies are to smoothen out the top of your acrylics. If they left the Dremel® on there without lifting up the drill off your nail every couple of seconds you would feel the hot burning sensation, trust me I have felt it at the salon.
With the dog nail grinder, vibration might also be an issue for your dog so you will have to figure out which method works for you best. When you start grinding in light touching motions and pulling away, then grinding for another second and pulling away again, in short strokes eventually the nail will become shorter.
While this may take you longer, if you are unsure, or have never cut a dog’s nails with a grinder before this method is safer in my opinion for dogs with dark nails. If they have lighter nails you should be able to see the quick.
As you start grinding off little bits of nail and start to approach the quick, the nail you are grinding starts to change on the inside, visually, from what just appears like nail to a little whiter on the bottom.
The closer you look at the cut part inside, you may be able to tell, the top of the cut is one color and the bottom is turning white, the more white you see as it starts to cover the whole inside area of the nail that means your are approaching the blood vessel called the quick, so stop cutting at this point.
If your into grooming your own furbaby then check out our other article;
