When your dog's nails get too long, they can dig into furniture or even your skin. You may have had the dog try to catch your attention by pawing your leg or arm. If the dog's nails are too long, this can hurt and even leave nasty scratches. If your dog's nails aren't trimmed often enough, they can become ingrown and infected. A dog's nails can actually grow so long they grow back into the dog's skin. This can cause the dog to experience serious pain in its paws and even a permanent malformation. This is why it's important you learn how to clip a dog's nails.
Why You Need To Clip A Dog's Nails
The goal of clipping a dog's nails is to keep them short so the dog will be comfortable and pain free. If the dog spends a lot of its time on hard surfaces such as floors or concrete, you may not have to clip its nails very frequently, as friction will generally do the job for you. However, if your dog spends much of its life outdoors, on grass or some other soft surface, you will need to clip them more often. To keep the dog comfortable and pain free, you may need to clip a dog's nails as often as every four to six weeks.
Before You Start To Clip A Dog's Nails
The first thing to understand before you start to clip a dog's nails is that the dog doesn't like to have its nails clipped. This is why the best time to start the clipping is when the dog is very young. That way, when the dog gets older, it will be used to having its nails trimmed – making the process much easier for both you and the dog.
You will also need to decide which dog nail clippers to use. There are four basic types of dog nail clippers, scissors-style, pliers-style, guillotine-style and Dremel-style. The scissors-style trimmers are really for use only with small dogs such as toy breeds. The pliers-style and guillotine style trimmers both cost about the same. A more expensive alternative is the Dremel-style but can be a good choice if your are a “first time trimmer” as they tend to be safer to use than the other styles of dog nail clippers.
You will also want to have a small file or a Dremel tool so you can file down any jagged edges after clipping the dog's nails. It is also a good idea to keep a styptic pen handy just in case you clip into your dog's quick.
How Much Should You Clip A Dog's Nails?
It is important to understand that dog's nails are not like ours. They have two parts - a hard outer cover and the quick which is the inner soft part containing blood vessels and tender nerve endings.
You do not want to cut into the quick as this can really hurt the dog and will cause the nail to bleed. If you have a dog with light-colored nails, you may be able to actually see the quick, as it will be sort of pinkish in color. However, it's more likely, your dog will have black nails so the quick will be totally invisible. When You clip a dog's nails, you need to take tiny nibbles and keep checking the clipped part of the dog's nails. Look for a dark spot in the middle of the newly clipped area as this shows the start of the quick. Do not cut very far into this.
How To Clip A Dog's Nails
If you are clipping your dog's nails for the first time, you should try to find someone who knows how to do it to show you the proper procedure. You can get instructions and even watch videos showing the proper way to clip a dog's nails, but neither of these give you the opportunity to ask questions as you can when watching someone else clip your dog's nails.
1. The first step is to prepare the dog's paw. Hold the dog close to your body. Move the hand that is holding the dog slowly downward until you're securely holding the paw. Then, lightly push the center of the paw, which will cause the dog's nails to move forward.
2. Then lightly trim a couple of nails a day. As noted above, be sure to just trim off the tips of the nails. This decreases the chances that you will cut too deeply and frighten off your dog.
3. Cut only where the nail becomes rounded. Never cut past this area as you might accidentally cut into the nail's quick. You will most likely find it easier to clip the dog's front nails than those on its back feet. Clipping these nails is more important for the well-being of your furniture.
4. Keep checking the clipped part of your dog's nail. Be sure to look out for a dark spot that shows the start of the quick. Only clip a tiny nibble at a time. You will eventually start to see a pale third inner circle. Stop there - or else you are likely to hurt your dog.
5. Don't forget to trim the dog's dewclaws. These are the nails that grow on the inside of his legs. Since they never contact the floor, they don't get worn away and can curl completely over, causing the dog to get snagged in bushes, shrubs or its own bedding. This can be very painful for the dog so be sure to keep the dewclaws neatly trimmed.
6. If the edges of the dog's nails up looking jagged, you may need to use a Dremel tool or file to smooth them out.
7. Keep talking to your dog in a soothing voice throughout the procedure and reward him with his favorite treat and a romp straight afterwards. The dog will gradually grow accustomed to the nail trimming or at least learn to put up with it.
As you can see, learning how to clip a dog's nails is not an easy thing. As noted, the best way for learning how to clip a dog's nails is to have someone show you the procedure. If this is not possible, you will need to be patient with the dog and take your time. Your dog will eventually learn to at least tolerate the clipping and you will find it easier and less stressful.
Next >> The Best Dog Nail Clippers