If your pet’s nails are clicking or getting snagged on the floor, it’s time for a trim. Finding Nail Clippers for Your Dog
There are two basic styles of nail clippers for dogs: a scissors type and a guillotine type. They both work equally well, so choose the design that you’re most comfortable with.
Helping Dogs with Sensitive Feet
Some dogs don’t like to have their feet touched, so it’s always a good idea to get your dog used to it before you attempt to clip his nails—ideally, this should start when he’s a pup. Rub your hand up and down the leg and then gently press each individual toe, and be sure to give her lots of praise and treats! Within a week or two of daily foot massage, your dog should feel more comfortable with a nail trim.
Before beginning a pup pedicure, tire your dog out with some vigorous exercise and enlist an assistant to help you hold her down.
How to Trim Your Dog’s Nails
Begin by spreading each of your dog's feet to inspect for dirt and debris.
Take your dog’s toe and hold it firmly, but gently. Hold your trimmer so that you’re cutting the nail from top to bottom at a slight angle, not side to side, and insert a very small length of nail through the trimmer’s opening to cut off the tip of each nail. Don’t trim at a blunt angle as to maintain the existing curvature of the nail.
Cut a little bit of nail with each pass until you can see the beginning of a circle—still nail-colored—appear on the cut surface. The circle indicates that you are nearing the quick, a vein that runs into the nail, so it’s time to stop that nail and move on to the next.
If your dog has black nails, however, the quick will not be as easily discernible, so be extra careful. If you do accidentally cut into the quick, it may bleed, in which case you can apply some styptic powder or corn starch to stop the bleeding.
Once the nails have been cut, use an emery board to smooth any rough edges.
What to Do if You Cut Your Dog’s Quick
If you do hit the quick, your dog will probably yelp and might even struggle. This is a good time to end the session—but not before applying styptic powder or corn starch to the bleeding nail tip. Apply a little bit of pressure as you press the powder into the wound to make sure it sticks. If bleeding continues for more than a few minutes, please alert your veterinarian, who can check your dog for clotting disorders.
Helping Fearful Dogs
Some dogs show fearful or aggressive behavior when faced with nail trimming. Watch carefully for signs of distress such as panting, drooling, trembling, whining, freezing, cowering, tail-tucking, growling, snarling or snapping.
If your dog falls into this category, do not force him to submit. See if his veterinarian or a professional groomer has better luck getting the job done—if not, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), a veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB) or a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) to work on the underlying issues at hand.
J & J Pet Grooming
6795 West 21st Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46214
317-244-4222
http://www.jandjgrooming.com/