How To Trim Dog Nails Of Fearful Dog

Trimming your dog'due south nails tin can be an anxiety inducing chore for both yous and your domestic dog. Just knowing only the correct place to clip their nails to prevent injury doesn't have to be a guessing game. The Detroit dog groomers at Canine to Five accept compiled the perfect at-dwelling house guide to trimming your dog's nails that'll walk you through every pace of the fashion.

What to use?
Not all blast trimmers are created equal, and purchasing the proper way and size for your dog will help set up you up for success.

For small dogs or tiny puppies, you'll need scissor style clippers.

Small dogs and tiny puppies - small nail scissors

Formedium&big dogs, you'll demand large nail clippers.

Medium and large dogs - large nail clippers

Y'all'll also desire to exist prepared with styptic powder in the event a nail starts to bleed.

When to trim?
A skillful rule of thumb is to trim your dog'southward nails once they start touching the ground. Much similar human being nails, a canis familiaris's nails will continue to grow and grow until they coil outward, or worse – inward. Long nails can be uncomfortable for your dog to walk on, they take away your pup's traction making it easier for slips and falls, they're more susceptible to breaking or fierce off completely, and they can abound into your domestic dog'due south paw pads causing pain and infection. If you hear your domestic dog's nails clacking on the footing, information technology may exist time for a nail trim!

Image of long dog nails and trimmed dog nails

Where to trim?
Arguably the about of import question – WHERE? Nearly canis familiaris owners know that inside of a dog's nail is a vein called the quick. This vein is the source of blood and all of your anxiety. If y'all're lucky, and yep – when it comes to dog nails, y'all can actually get lucky – your dog will have white or clear nails that make information technology possible to encounter the quick from the exterior.

Another image of long dog nails and trimmed dogs nails

The quick is where the pink part of the nail begins – trim just below this line.

But for many of united states of america, our dogs either take one or more than nails that are all blackness, making it impossible to see where the quick is from the exterior of the nail. In this instance, the best method is to trim piddling by petty, which we'll embrace in the next section.

How to trim?
So nosotros know what to use, when to use it, and kind of where to cutting it, now – what is the best technique? If this is the offset time you lot're trimming your canis familiaris's nails, or yous already know they're are a chip nervous when it comes to a pawdicure, you'll want to comprise some positive reinforcement training starting time earlier diving in. Here is a video that shows how to desensitize your dog to the idea of boom trimming and create a positive feel for them.

"If your domestic dog has nails that are naturally very dry and crack or flake oft, information technology'due south best to clip the nails after a bath when they are all the same moistened, this can help preclude further cracking" – Detroit Canis familiaris Groomer, Brittany

If y'all take a small dog or tiny puppy, the easiest style to cut will be in your artillery with boom scissors. This video below shows how to use smash scissors on a at-home and collected dog.

"When clipping, always start slow and work your manner up. A lot of the time you tin can judge how much to have off by the neighboring nail y'all take already trimmed. Sometimes, back nails need less off than front nails because of how dogs acquit their weight." – Detroit Dog Groomer, Brittany

For dogs with black nails, trimming picayune by little is the but way to go. This video volition show you how to spot the quick from the inside of the blast.

Unfortunately, information technology is very easy for a dog to have a bad experience with blast trimming. Either they've had their nails cut too short in the by which caused hurting and bleeding, or they were restrained too aggressively instilling fear into the process. Whatsoever the reason for your dog's fear, know that is is very common and most dog owners struggle with nail trimming at home.

Groomer Brittany says,"The big matter to remember is that even one human foot or ane nail a day is a big achievement when working with a dog who doesn't like having it done. There is definitely plenty of time to work on edifice that trust with a dog in making this a positive and productive process, so don't rush and stress either of yourselves out. Endeavor to arroyo information technology as confidently as yous can because your domestic dog will pick up on any and all of the free energy you put out there."

If your dog is very much opposed to having their nails trimmed, getting someone to help gently restrain your dog while talking to them, or feeding them something yummy like peanut butter, can brand a big deviation. Hither are Detroit Dog Groomers Lisa and Najee working together to trim a dog'due south nails.

If your domestic dog is more than nervous with boom trims and behaves aggressively, you lot may demand to contain cage training with them. This video beneath shows y'all how to first train your dog to tolerate wearing a muzzle, then how to safely restrain a fearful dog to trim their nails.

Finishing Touches
Once you've finished trimming your dog'southward nails with clippers, you tin movement on to using a dremel. The sound of the dremel can be scary for some dogs, so a nail file can be used instead if needed.

"Ever make sure that the hair is pushed back on long coated/hairy footed pups. This can be done with pantyhose, or fifty-fifty a plastic handbag and all you practise is poke the nails through. This is all extremely important when using the battery operated blast filer to prevent hair, body parts, or other objects from getting caught in the parts that spin." – Detroit Domestic dog Groomer, Brittany

Filing your dog's nails will help you get closer to the nail's quick, and the closer y'all trim to the quick, the further this vein will recede making it possible for shorter nails.

Illustration of the anatomy of a dog nail

If your dog's nails are long, your dog will more likely tolerate dremeling if you clip them first, and then dremel as a finishing tool. Only, if your dog's nails are already curt, or known to have long quicks, dremeling tin help maintain that shortness and assistance the quick recede.

In addition to achieving a shorter nail, the dremel can aid with shaping and rounding out the edges, making information technology more pleasant for us humans when our dog jumps upward or sits on our lap. Assuasive your dog walk or run on concrete can take a similar upshot.

Aid! My dog's nail is bleeding!
If y'all finish up cutting into your dog's quick, stay calm. You'll want to have styptic powder on hand to dip the nail into. Dipping the individual boom into styptic pulverization not only coagulates the blood and stops the flow, it helps creates a clog at the bottom of the vessel which will prevent bacteria from inbound the claret vessel.

If your dog's nail was cut severely short and it will not stop bleeding, contact your vet function for farther direction.

You've got this!
At Canine to 5, we believe in y'all and know that y'all tin trim your dog'south nails at habitation! But if your dog has other ideas, our Detroit Grooming Salon offers nail trims with haircuts, baths, equally a walk-in service, or while your domestic dog is with us for doggy daycare or overnight domestic dog boarding.

Recommended Products

Main Grooming Tools Pet Nail Scissors (for small dogs or tiny puppies)
Chief Grooming Tools Nail Clipper Due west/Teal Handle (for medium to large dogs)
Millers Forge Large Nail Clipper W/Orange Handle (for medium to large dogs)
Dremel 7300-North/5 4.8V MiniMite Cordless Rotary Tool
Littoral Pet Products DCPW6112 Stainless Steel Safari Diamond Dog Nail File
Cardinal Laboratories Remedy+Recovery Styptic Powder (one.5 Oz)
Phenomenon Intendance Kwik Stop Styptic Solution

Loved this blog post? Check out our At-Dwelling house Guide to Brushing Your Dog!

Cartoon depicting a movie theater with dogs in the audience watching a farce on Night of the Living dead reading: Night of the Living Nail clippers