How To Trim Your Dog’s Nails
January 27, 2023
If you’ve ever tried to cut your dog’s nails, you know what an impossible task it is. Better leave it to the professionals, your vet or dog groomer. On the other hand, many dog owners like to take care of their own dog’s grooming and hygiene. So let’s take a look at how you can safely cut your dog’s nails at home.
When your dog is a puppy, get them into the habit of having their nails cut. Talk gently to them during the whole process and give them a treat afterwards. It’s the best way to instil trust and remove the fear of cutting their nails.
Most dogs despise having their nails cut or even their feet touched and for good reason. The pads of their feet are very sensitive and contain thousands of sensory nerve endings, just like our fingertips. Being able to feel so much through their feet helps a dog gauge the terrain for better speed and hunting skills.
Similarly, their nails serve a very important purpose - as a defense mechanism against their enemies. Nails help them dig for food and kill their prey. A good set of nails gives a dog more traction on the ground, enabling them to run faster in all terrains, especially up and down hills.
So you can understand why your dog gets so upset when it’s time to cut their nails. This is part of their toolbox of survival skills and you’re going to take that away. And besides, it sometimes hurts.
If approached the right way, cutting your dog’s nails can be swift and painless and not traumatic at all. So let’s look at some of the ways you can safely cut your dog’s nails.
Types of Nail Trimmers for Dogs
You can cut your dog’s nails with clippers or grinding trimmers. Clippers come with a scissor action or a guillotine type of blade mechanism. Once you’ve made your purchase, start by showing your dog the tool. Place it beside your dog with a little treat beside it. Do this for a couple of days, giving your dog time to get used to the sound of the grinder and the clippers.
How to Safely Cut Your Dog’s Nails
Next gently tap their toe with the tool and reward your dog with a treat. Do this for a couple of days, before attempting to trim one nail. Tackle one nail a day until they are all trimmed. It helps your dog from getting overwhelmed and anxious having to sit through the whole nail-cutting procedure.
When you cut the nail, aim for the tip of the nail only, so you avoid cutting the quick and blood vessels inside the nail’s shaft. If you happen to cut too far up the nail, have some styptic powder or clotting powder on hand to stop the bleeding. Hopefully this doesn’t happen.
It’s a good idea to sterlize your nail trimmers before and after use to avoid the spread of infection.
Once your dog gets used to the idea of having their nails cut and they know it won’t hurt, you’ll be able to keep their nails trimmed as a regular part of their hygiene and grooming. You can find more information about cutting your dog’s nails safely at AKC.org.