Helpful Tips on How to Cut Your Dog's Nails

Ask any dog groomer you know and they’ll tell you—trimming the nails of your dog is an integral part of your furry friend’s basic grooming routine. However, it may be because most dogs dislike getting their nails trimmed that owners dread the task, too. 
 
Dog nails, like human nails, grow fast. Dogs who are always outside might naturally buff and trim nails whenever they walk on concrete, gravel, or pavement. However, most pets live indoors so they don’t spend enough time walking on those surfaces so they can’t keep their nails short. Small dogs in particular rarely get their nails cut short naturally.
 
The problem is that if your dog’s nails are neglected and they grow long, they could start curling under and even grow into their footpads. This can be painful. It can also cause infections. Not all nails curl under, but even if they do, long nails can affect the way your dog walks. They’re also likely to get caught on stuff and they could split, and this can hurt your dog.
 
So these things won’t happen to your dog, you need to learn how to trim their nails properly. Here are some of the things you need to know:

Different Types of Nail Trimmer

Plier-Style Trimmers – These are spring-loaded trimmers and the mechanism looks like your normal garden pruner. The smaller ones are better for small and medium-sized breeds while the larger ones work for all nail sizes except for really tiny ones as they can get the nails frayed. They’re easy to use. The blades are not replaceable, so you need to take care of them.

 
Guillotine Trimmers – This type of trimmer has a hole and an internal blade. The blade comes up when the handle is squeezed. It’s like a tiny guillotine, only upside-down. This is perfect for beginners who haven’t tried trimming their dog’s nails before.
 
Scissor Trimmers – As their name implies, these look and work like scissors. They have a curved blade that cuts the round nail of your pet. Note that scissor-type trimmers are only for smaller dog breeds with small nails.

What You Need
 

• Nail trimmer

• Metal hand file

• Styptic powder (to use in case of bleeding)

• Cotton balls or paper towels for cleanup

 
How to Cut Your Dog’s Nails
 
Check the Dog’s Nail

The dog’s nail is made up of a hard outer shell and a softer inside made up of blood vessels and nerves. This inner cuticle is also known as the “quick”. This part should never be cut because not only will it hurt the dog but it will also cause bleeding.
 
Dogs with light-colored nails are easier to cut because the quick is visible, but there are dogs with dark or even black nails so it’s more difficult to see the quick. As a general rule, you should cut two to three millimeters from the quick.

Position the Dog for the Cut and Start Trimming

Make sure you position the dog properly in a way that you can hold the paw firmly without squeezing it. Hold the trimmers properly with your dominant hand and grasp the paw with the other.
 
Your thumb should be on the bottom of the footpad with your fingers on top close to the nail bed. When cutting, make sure you do it in one swift motion. Do not cut when the dog is moving as you could hit the quick.
 
What If the Dog’s Nail Bleeds?
 
If your dog suddenly yelps in agony and you see that there’s some blood from the bail, it means you have cut the quick. This is not really an emergency, though, so there’s no need to panic.
 

Just use the styptic powder. If you don’t have it, you can just use either flour or cornstarch. Use your cotton ball or paper towel to remove as much blood as you can before packing the nail tip with the styptic powder or flour.
 
Conclusion
 
There’s no way around it. If you have a dog, then you need to learn how to trim its nails. If it’s not something you think you can do, then you need to schedule your dog for regular dog grooming with a trusted groomer.
 
EarthWise Pet is where you’ll find the best dog groomer in Fremont who can keep your dog’s nails short. You can get your dog a haircut, too! Contact us for your dog grooming appointment!