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Be sure to ask for tips and pointers that will help you reenact the process at home. Clipping your own dog’s nails at home can be very beneficial to you and your pet. It is friendly to your wallet and can be a lot less stressful for your dog.
This blog is a balance of well-researched and hands-on tips and advice coupled with expert feedback and fact. Always check with your dog’s traditional vet, holistic vet, or veterinary nutritionist before making any major changes to your dog’s regimen. For the first time in ages a vet nurse actually suggested he trim Harvey’s nails (!) I could not believe such care (it’s our new vet and our last visit was a bit stressful). Harvey, like a small dog, appreciates having good healthy nails.
More Dog Grooming Tips & How-tos
Chewy Claus wants to spoil all you good boys and girls this season, so grab your human and write a letter to Chewy Claus with what’s on your list. For other dogs, it's easier if you sit behind the dog and flip their paw backward to look at the bottom of the foot. (This is my preferred method.) This gives you a great view of what you're doing while keeping your dog's leg in a natural position. Each toe is pressed up or twisted to one side, causing pain when your dog walks. Long nails can have many negative impacts on your pup's health and happiness. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice.
If your pup has long, thick nails and you know the quick is far back, you can apply firm pressure. Just remember to keep checking how close you're getting to the quick. The cut edge of your dog's nail should run parallel with the floor. To do that, cut at a 45° angle rather than straight across. On many nails, the part you can safely cut is much skinnier than the rest of the nail. Next, place your forefinger on the toe's pad and your thumb on the top of the toe on the skin above the nail.
How to Clip Dog Nails — A Pain-Free and Easy Guide
Just remember to choose healthy dog treats and praise him with an uplifting happy tone, too. It’s so interesting that a dog’s front nails grow faster than their back nails, I never knew that. So many people dread trimming their dog’s nails. I was one of them until I realized that I had the wrong tool – the clipper I was using had completely dulled! Once I got a new one it was a million times easier.
All information in member profiles, job posts, applications, and messages is created by users of our site and not generated or verified by Care.com. You need to do your own diligence to ensure the job or caregiver you choose is appropriate for your needs and complies with applicable laws. Christmas is a fantastically stimulating time of year and some of that excitement might rub off on our pets. However, pet parent temptations could result in unfortunate illness or even worse; a very much unexpected trip to the vet for our furry friends. In addition to a balanced, nutritous diet and exercise, your vet is an important resource for maintaining good health in your pet.
How To Trim Dog Nails At Home: How Often, Clipping, Grinding & More
“For routine at-home nail trims , just evening out the nail with the pad is good enough and will prevent overgrowth,” says Dr. Pashmakavoa. To avoid injuries, it’s important to firmly hold your dog in place. Have your pup lie down and put your arms and upper body over him while you clip his nails. If your dog is too anxious or nervous in this position, try laying your dog on his side instead. Dogs need to have their nails trimmed because if they get too long they can not only break, they can also curl back into the pad. Excessively long nails can also affect the way your dog walks.
I just love the photo of you in that head gear, LOL! For over the last quarter of a century, dog nails was a task handled by my dog’s groomer. If you really have your heart set on learning to clip dog nails at home and are willing to put in the practice work, then this is the blog post for you. Nail trimming is an important task that keeps your dog’s nails short and healthy.
Push your forefinger up and backward on the pad while pushing your thumb forward to extend the nail away from the foot. Decide which toe to start with and expose the nail. Start by grinding across the bottom of the nail and then the tip of the nail. The cause of bleeding might also be a result of a minor injury.
Some brands even have a guard so you don’t accidentally cut the nail too short. Ingrown nails should be examined by a vet, and should not be clipped beforehand by the owner. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Don’t forget to trim the dewclaws on dogs that have them. Dewclaws are the nails some dogs have on the inside of the leg, just above the "wrist."
You will just need the right supplies, like nail trimmers or scissors, and a bit of knowledge. You'll be happy to find out that trimming your dog's nails at home by yourself isn't the only way to keep them trim. This way the dog gets used to being touched there, and won't be as anxious or as sensitive during grooming or nail cutting sessions. This is the dead tissue that you want to cut off.
While styptic powder is ideal, you can also apply corn starch or ice the wound until the bleeding stops. If the bleeding continues or you are still concerned, it’s best to seek medical attention from a vet, and they can advise on what to do. Watch our 5 minute video for a how-to demonstration on clipping dog nails a couple times before attempting to cut. The more you know and understand about the nail, where the vein is and the entire nail trimming process, the calmer and more confident you will be. I also groom my cockers with hair shaving and nail trims.
Dogs with black nails can present more of a challenge. Since their nail is naturally pigmented, it can be difficult to see where the quick begins. With your dominant hand, hold the file and gently round off any sharp edges for a smooth finish.
If he's in the mood to play, wait until he's lounging before approaching him for paw-handling training. It helps if you frequently touch and hold your puppy’s paws right from the first day, so they won’t become sensitive to having their feet handled. You can choose to either only grind your dog's nails or to use it as a finishing touch after trimming them with another tool. Some dog breeds, like Saint Bernards and Great Pyrenees, have double dewclaws on their back legs, so be sure to check all four feet. Pliers style clippers like the Mighty Paw Nail Clipper resemble scissors style clippers, but they have a spring, making them stronger and better for large, thick nails. Scissors style clippers like these Hertzko Angled Blade Pet Clippers look like small scissors with divots toward the end of each blade.
I used to think they walked on pavement enough not to need their nails trimmed, but I was wrong. Chipper has a dew claw that gets very long and he has dark nails. I have to sit on his belly while I trim the fur and then the nails.
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