Trimming your dog's nails Page 2
When the nails are black, it is impossible to see the
quick. In these cases, cut small amounts off the tips of the nails every few days.
Stop if there is any bleeding from the cut and start trimming again the following
week. Alternatively, you can file off the tips with a rough nail file or even rough
sand paper.
Nails can become softer after a bath or swim so you may
want to keep your clippers handy. As the nails become shorter, the quick will
gradually recede allowing you to cut the nails even shorter until they are the proper
length. The reverse is also true. If the nails are allowed to grow long, the
quick will also be long.
Start as a puppy
  It's easiest to start trimming your dog's nails when he is a puppy. Play with his
feet, pick them up and examine them. Trim your puppy's paw hair with blunt scissors
such as those shown here and trim a nail or
two every few days. Trim nails when your puppy is sleepy which is usually after play
or a meal. He may just learn to sleep through it!
If you didn't start when he was a puppy
You can get your dog used to trimming by desensitizing him to the process. Get him
used to having his paws handled by playing with them frequently. Pull gently on the
nails, spread the toes apart, gently squeeze the pads, etc. You can feed him bits of
kibble or cheese while you do this so he associates it with his favorite treats.
When you go to trim his nails, it's best not to make it
big production. Otherwise, you may have to drag him out from underneath the bed.
Place the trimmer in your pocket and slide it out quietly. Pick a time when
he's sleepy and calm like after a meal. It can be easier to do a nail or two a day
than all of them at one sitting.
Clipping while sleeping
If your dog is a sound sleeper, it's sometimes easiest to do some clipping while
he's sleeping. Instead of picking up his feet, just use the clippers to
clip the exposed nails a few at a time. Even if you can't get to all of
them, this will make regular clipping a much shorter affair.
Clipping in thin slices
Sometimes it is easier to clip just the tips (also called tipping) more
frequently than to try and clip more of the nail at one sitting. Simply
take off a thin slice of nail and leave it at that. If you can, tip just
the triangular top of the nail. This leaves a blunt nail that is easier on
furniture and people. Tipping creates less
pressure and less stress for your dog.
Distractions
-
Place peanut butter, butter, jam or equally yummy substance on your dog's body away from
his feet. While he's licking it off, you can trim a nail or two.
- Give your dog a rawhide chew or rubber bone stuffed with peanut butter or
cream cheese to keep him occupied while you trim.
-
Have someone rub his tummy or scratch his chest. If you're flexible, you can do that
with a foot.
Finding a professional
If you absolutely cannot trim your dog's nails, you are in good company. Many dogs
will treat nail trimming as a life and death matter and become impossible to control.
Find a good professional groomer who will do it for you. Not only will he
trim the nails, he will tidy up excess hair around the paws leaving a compact, neat-looking
and easy to care for foot.
Trim nails and well-groomed feet are particularly important for
the senior dog. Long nails and excess hair, particularly between the pads,
can make getting up and walking around slippery and difficult.
Related Information:
Bathing the
Dog
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