How To Cut Dog's Nails Afraid

Tap, tap, tap. Are those your puppy'southward nails tapping on the floor? If and so, it's time to trim those babies! Dissimilar our trips to the salon for a fresh coat of polish, pawdicures aren't cosmetic. When a dog'due south nails tap on hard surfaces, it pushes their nails upwards into their blast beds, which tin can exist painful. Non only does it put pressure level on the toe joints, merely it tin likewise force the toes to twist to the side, resulting in soreness or even arthritis.

Before you catch the clippers and offset trimming, let'due south chat about basic boom anatomy. I know that doesn't sound too fun, but it's important.

What's Inside Your Dog'due south Nails?

The hard, outer part of your puppy'due south nails is called the shell, and inside is a pink nerve called the quick. The quick supplies claret to the nail and, during trims, your goal is to leave the quick fully intact. If you cut this office, you'll immediately hear your canis familiaris shriek in pain and you'll encounter claret.

If your canis familiaris has white nails then information technology'due south pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to spot the quick (equally you lot tin can meet in the photograph beneath) . Over time, you'll notice regular smash trims cause the quick to recede (short quicks are ideal). If your dog has blackness nails, though, you won't see the quick through the shell. This certainly makes trims a chip more than complicated, but not impossible.

Below, I have included 2 different sections for clipping white nails and clipping black nails.

Tools

If your dog regularly walks and plays on rough surfaces—like concrete—y'all may not take to cut his nails often, since the hard surface will wear them downwardly naturally. With that said, virtually dogs need a nail trim every two to four weeks.

To trim your dog'due south nails you'll demand:

Adept Loftier-Quality Gear up of Canis familiaris Nail Clippers or a Dremel – A high-quality ready of dog nail clippers tin brand a huge deviation. Cheap clippers can leave your dog's nails cracked and crooked. When looking for a quality clipper, you'll notice two different styles: scissor-style (which works like a pair of pair of scissors) and guillotine-way (where a bract lowers and slices off the blast). I personally prefer the scissor-style clippers.

If you and/or your domestic dog is extremely agape of the clippers, yous may adopt using a Dremel, which is a tool that grinds your dog'southward boom. For my Chihuahua, I use regular scissor-manner clippers, but my Poodle is way more cooperative with the Dremel. She only prefers the feeling.

*Find out how to use the grinder tool in the video under the "Cut Black Nails" department. The video highlights Dremels at the 5-minute mark.

Styptic Pulverization/ Cornstarch – If you accidentally cutting too far, this volition aid jell the quick and stop the bleeding. This is the one I go on on hand:

Boom File – If yous use a traditional clipper versus a Dremel, y'all may feel some sharp edges leftover on your dog's nails. Use a boom file to smooth them.

Getting Your Dog Comfortable

I know "hate" is a strong word, but a lot of dogs hate having their paws touched. So, if yous take a young puppy on your easily, this is the perfect fourth dimension to desensitize. Here are some tips to get your dog more comfortable with you lot treatment his paws, and ultimately clipping his nails.

From the offset day you bring your puppy home, oft touch and concur their paws. If your pup seems relaxed, give him a treat.
Before clipping your puppy's nails, show him the clipper or grinder. Let him sniff and explore, and give him a treat and praise for doing and then.
Next, gently bear upon the clipper or grinder (turned off) to each paw. Give a treat and praise. Repeat this step several times.
In one case your dog seems comfy with the last step, identify the clippers around their smash, but don't actually clip. Remove and give a treat and praise. If y'all're using a grinder instead of clippers, plough it on rapidly so your pup tin can hear its sound. But keep it on for a few seconds and don't actually touch it to your dog's nails. Give a treat and praise.
Try trimming one blast, clipping off just a small piece to get your dog used to the feeling. Give a treat and praise. Don't rush this process and work your way upwardly to a total blast trim!

Cut White Nails

Agree your canis familiaris's paw firmly, but gently.
Place clippers around the tip of your canis familiaris'south blast – below the quick at a 45º angle.
Double-cheque that the clippers aren't on tiptop of the quick. If you're in the clear, snip off the tip of the boom.
If your canis familiaris's nail starts bleeding that ways you hitting the quick. If this happens, immediately press your canis familiaris'due south nail into a bottle of styptic pulverization to clot the cut.
Don't forget to cut the dewclaws (if your canis familiaris has them).
Lightly file your puppy'due south nails to eliminate any sharp edges.
Reward your pooch with treats and affection.

How To Cut Your Dog's Nails — Photo Via: OmegaPet

Cut Black Nails

While cutting white nails is typically done with one cut per nail, that's not the case for black nails. The play a joke on is to make several very shallow cuts, pausing between each ane to check the cut surface. If the cut surface appears whitish, it's safe to trim a little bit more. When you're about to arroyo the quick, the nail'due south center will appear black. So, once you see black at the cutting surface, end!

Since information technology'due south easier to see a visual assistance, I have included a keen video that highlights cutting blackness nails. *Notation: I am non in this video, nor did I create this video. I only recollect information technology has some corking tips:

Remember: Always cease up your nail cut session with enough of treats and praise!

Grinding Nails

Agree your dog's smash firmly, but gently.
Turn the grinder on and place information technology on the lesser of your domestic dog'due south nail. Lightly apply pressure.
Remain mindful of whatever sensitivity and frequently remove the grinder to check your progress.

Happy nail trimming!