How to Clip a Dog's Nails Without a Struggle
Nail clipping is a vital element of good dog grooming. A dog with long, untrimmed nails will be prone to nail cracking, infection, paw injury, and nail breakage, which can be extremely painful. In some cases, a dog with a broken nail may require a costly de-shelling or trimming procedure that must be performed by a veterinarian while the dog is under anesthesia. But while regular nail trimming is an important element of good dog care, not all canines are cooperative. Some dogs will struggle, cry out, nip and try anything else that they think may end the nail trimming attempt. These tips will help dogs get past their fear of nail clipping, making dog grooming much easier and stress-free for both dog owner and pet.
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Things You'll Need
- Dog nail clippers
- Course grain nail file
- Styptic powder or corn starch
- High-value dog treat (i.e. a piece of hot dog)
Instructions
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Begin by acclimating your dog to regular handling of his paws. While relaxing or sitting, manipulate and hold the dog's paws, toes and nails.While manipulating the dog's paws, offer a high-value treat, like a piece of hot dog or cheese. This will help the dog associate a positive experience with the handling of his feet.
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Once your dog is accustomed to handling of his paws and nails, get out your nail clippers and allow the dog to sniff the tool. After the dog has lost interest in the trimmers, gently grasp a toe and tap the trimmers against the dog's nails. The same can be done with a course grain nail file, like the type that is sold for use on women's acrylic nails.Again, offer a high-value treat every so often to help reinforce the notion that good things come from handling the dog's paws and nails.
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Once the dog is comfortable with manipulation and handling of his feet, and once he's comfortable with having the nail clippers and nail file tapped against his nails, begin this step. Tap the coarse grain nail file against the dog's nails. After a few minutes of this, grasp a toe and run the file across the dog's nail in one stroke. Immediately after, give a high-value treat. Repeat this process until the dog is familiar and comfortable with the nail file.
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Gradually, increase the number of passes with the nail file. Begin by running the file across the tip of the nail in one stroke. Once the dog is comfortable with this, run the nail file over the tip of the nail twice and then immediately offer a treat. Gradually increase the number of strokes with the nail file, only progressing once the dog is comfortable.
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Once your dog is comfortable with having his nails filed, it's time to get him used to having a pedicure with the nail clippers. To help with this, place the clippers around the nail as though you were about to trim, but do not apply a great deal of pressure. Just gently close the clippers around the nail so the dog becomes familiar with the feeling of the clippers on his nails. Keep the clippers closed on the nail for just a few seconds at first, and then work your way up to 10 or 15 seconds, giving high-value treats like bits of hot dog or cheese along the way.
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Once your pet is familiar with having his paws and toes handled, and will allow nail filing and the clippers to come in contact with his nails, it's time to begin clipping. Start the nail clipping session with handling the dog's paws for a few minutes. Then begin closing the nail clippers gently around the nail as mentioned in step 5. And be sure to give frequent rewards. Once he appears comfortable with this, apply firm pressure with the clippers to trim the nail. Give a treat immediately after the nail is clipped and praise with a light, happy tone of voice.
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When acclimating a dog to nail trimming, it's vital not to move too quickly. If the dog appears distressed when the first nail is clipped, do not continue. Resume the pedicure the following day. If he does not appear bothered, continue clipping his nails, but be sure to look for signs that he's had enough.
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Once the nail clipping is complete, use the nail file to smooth out the sharp edges. The freshly clipped nails can be sharp and can cause damage to furniture, flooring and the dog's own skin if he scratches an itch.
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If you cut the dog's nails too short, bleeding will occur. Stop the bleeding by applying styptic powder or, in a pinch, use corn starch. After applying the styptic powder, the blood should begin clotting and the flow should slow. If this does not occur, apply a bit more styptic powder and apply pressure to the nail using a clean paper towel.
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Over time, your dog will come to accept nail trimming. The key is to provide lots of high-value treats and to associate the experience of nail clipping with positive experiences of receiving treats, praise and rewards.
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Tips & Warnings
Patience is key. The nail clipping acclimation process can take weeks, or even months, so be patient and advance slowly.
Do not hold your dog down and clip his nails against his will. This will make the experience a frightening one, and future attempts at nail trimming will be more difficult.
Before trimming the dog's nail, carefully examine the nail to determine where the quick (the live part of the nail) is located. Trimming in bright, natural light can make the pink tones of the quick more evident.
For dogs with black or dark-colored nails, you cannot see the "quick" or live part of the nail. So be conservative when clipping dark colored nails.
For dogs with black or dark-colored nails, consider purchasing a dremel-style nail trimmer that will gently file the nails. Tools like the "Peticure" allow owners to trim the nail shorter, without risking damage to the quick. Just be sure to pay attention to your dog's reaction. If he's showing signs of discomfort, you may be getting too close to the quick.
If your dog's nail is cut too short and bleeding occurs, the nail and paw will have to be washed twice daily and kept clean. When taking a trip outdoors, limit the chance of infection by placing a sock or plastic sandwich bag over the foot. Secure the bag or sandwich bag by taping it around the ankle.
If you get your dog as a puppy, handle a puppy's feet while sitting or relaxing. This will help prepare the dog for nail trimmings.
With a puppy, begin regular nail trimmings immediately so the dog gets used to having his paws handled and trimmed.
Separate other dogs and pets from the area when you're clipping a dog's nails. This can distract both you and the dog, leading to painful mishaps and a lack of cooperation on the dog's part.
Do not trim a dog's nails right up to the quick. Allow a buffer zone of about 1/8 of an inch, as the area surrounding the end of the quick can be very sensitive.
Be careful when trimming the nails so as not to nip the dog's toe. This can result in difficult-to-heal injuries to the dog's paw pad.
Resources
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