How To
Trim Your Dog's Nails
By Linda Hamilton
I may earn a small commission if you buy through the links 🙂
Trimming your dog’s nails is important for your dog’s overall health.
Nail trimming should be a part of his regular grooming routine.
Why trimming your dog's nails is so important?
Trimming your dog’s nails is important for a variety of reasons.
If your dog has long nails, it can create discomfort and pain. When the nails get long, they can start curling and therefore grow into his paws. This is very painful for your dog and can affect his walking ability.
If he starts to walk differently, it can lead to joint pain, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal problems.
Also, long nails break easily and cause bleeding and more pain. If not taken care of, bacteria can enter the wound and can lead to infections.
Infections can also occur because when the nail is overgrown, dirt can get trapped under the nail, causing bacteria build-up which leads to infection.
Long nails can also damage your furniture and floors.
In conclusion, trimming your dog’s nails prevents pain, discomfort, other health problems, and injuries.
Supplies needed for nail trimming
- Quality nail clippers designed for dogs
- or Quality nail grinder
- Patch powder or cornstarch – in case you cut the nail too short and it starts to bleed
- Towel
- Paper
How often should you trim the nails
How often you need to cut your dog’s nails, depends on his breed, size, lifestyle, and activity level. Some dogs’ nails grind by themselves and for some, this doesn’t happen. Even if your dog’s nails grind, it doesn’t mean you don’t need to cut them.
You should monitor the length of the nails and find the best time frame for how often the nails need to be trimmed.
A general rule when you should cut the nails is once every 3-4 weeks.
A sign to look out for to know when his nails are too long is when you can hear the nails clicking on the floor when he walks.
The process
Take all the supplies you need next to you. Place a towel underneath your dog so you can collect the nails on it, and if an accident happens, you won’t mess up your carpet or couch.
Put your dog into a position where he is comfortable the whole time, and the cutting progress is easy.
I place my dog between my legs since that way it is easier for me to keep him steady.
Also, I focus on making the process as enjoyable as possible for him. I talk to him the whole time and tell him what I am doing next. If he gets uncomfortable I stop trimming and pet him. Once he is calm, I continue.
Hold the paw firmly.
Place the nail clippers before the core of the nail and trim the nail with one smooth clip. Repeat the same process on each nail.
Always remember to reward your furry friend for good behavior. Every time you have trimmed one nail, praise him and give him a treat.
Make sure you aren’t cutting the nails too short since it can damage the core of the nail which contains blood vessels and nerves.
If you accidentally cut the nail too short, the nail can start to bleed. If this happens, stay calm and hold a paper around the nail.
Add patch powder or cornstarch to the wound and press it more. You can stop once the bleeding stops.
You can also use a nail grinder for trimming your dog’s nails.
It is important to get your dog used to getting his nails trimmed from a young age. It makes the process less stressful and easier for him.
What if your dog has black nails?
Black nails are harder to cut since the core can be seen only as a small white dot in the middle of the nail after trimming.
Only cut small pieces at a time to avoid damaging the core.
The core is more visible in white nails.
The core is a two-toned pink area in the middle of the nail. Make sure you cut before it.
Be patient
Remember that patience is required during the nail-trimming process.
If your dog is swirling around and you aren’t able to calm him down, take a step back and prioritize that you are making the situation as comfortable as possible for him. You can also ask someone else to hold him while you cut the nail.
Taking your dog to a professional groomer is also a great idea if you aren’t able to control the trimming situation and you are uncomfortable with trimming your dog’s nails.