How to Trim Your Dog's Toenails

You can trim your dog's nails yourself.

If you are a dog owner, you probably know that your dog's toenails need to be trimmed on a regular basis. You can take your dog to a groomer or to your vet and have his toenails trimmed. But if you would rather save time and money, you can trim your dog's toenails at home. Read on to learn how to trim your dog's toenails.

Things You'll Need

• Nail trimmer

Instructions

1. Find a comfortable area and position for you and your dog. If your dog is small, you might prefer to hold him on your lap.

2. Hold your dog's paw steady in one hand. Place the nail trimmer on the nail from underneath by sliding the opening of the trimmer over the end of the toenail. Stay on the white area, as the pink area is where his blood vessels are located.

3. Holding the trimmer steady, squeeze firmly and smoothly. Although you might be tempted, don't twist your wrist or the trimmer. Just snip and allow the toenail to fall away.

4. If the toenail seems uneven, you can file it. But you can just as easily allow it to wear on its own, as your dog walks around on pavement or other rough surfaces.

5. After you finish the first paw, give your dog lots of praise and maybe even a treat. Repeat with the remaining paws until all toenails are trimmed.

Tips & Warnings

• If your dog is comfortable lying on his back, this is a good position for toenail trimming. However, if being on his back stresses him out, it will only make the procedure that much more difficult.

• <br>If you cut too close and see a bit of blood, hold a piece of tissue or toilet paper against the nail for a few minutes, or just let it stop on its own.

• If you aren't sure whether you trimmed short enough, look at the tip of the toenail. If it is still very white, you might want to trim further. If it looks dark, stop, as you are getting closer to blood vessels.