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Cutting Dog Nails
Knowing not only how, but also when to cut a dog's nails is equally important. Your dog’s nails grow constantly and how often they need to be cut depends on your dog’s lifestyle.
If you dog does a lot of walking on hard surfaces, his nails may not require to be cut as they will be naturally worn away through friction. However, if your dog stays on soft surfaces, clipping nails becomes essential.
If you do not cut your dog’s nails, it might lead to crippling pain in it’s paws and can even lead to permanent damage and malformation.
When to start cutting a dog’s nails:
Start off trimming nails at puppy stage, and he’ll think it is just part of life - not a massive procedure. Clip off the tip monthly.
How to control your dog if it is putting restrain:
- One method to restrain the dog is to place him on a table. Stand on the side of the table opposite to the nails you are trimming.
- Drape your arms over the dog. When trimming the front nails, keep your left forearm over the neck to keep the dog from lifting its head. Hold the paw in your left hand and hold the cutter in your right hand.
- If the dog tries to stand, lean your upper body over his shoulders to prevent him from rising.
Tools you will need:
There are several types of nail trimmers, including a guillotine type and a scissors type.
The guillotine type is the easiest to use in dogs. The scissors-type is used to trim a toenail that is so long that it is curling in a circle. Buy a bottle of styptic powder and a dry bar of soap for stopping any minor bleeding.
How to trim a dog’s nails:
- Place the main body of the trimmer in your palm and the moveable part to be controlled by your fingers.
- The nail should be cut from underneath, not from the top downward. Slide the opening over the end of the nail while keeping it in the whitish part of the nail. The pink area of the nail is the living part and has blood vessels.
- Make a smooth, quick pressure on the handle while holding the trimmer steady. Don't try to "pop" the end of the nail off; it will fall away on its own.
- Always remember to trim the dew claws that are located on the inner surface of the paw.
What to do if you cut too short!!
Place a tiny piece of tissue paper tightly against the end of the nail and hold it for a few minutes. You can also put a small amount of styptic powder against the bleeding end of the nail. This works right away. The bleeding will stop in about 5 to 7 minutes. Any more than that...call your vet.
It is so important to keep your dog’s nails trimmed and feet in good condition. Walking with long nails is painful can lead to broken nails, nail infection and bleeding - which means a lot of discomfort to your loved one.