Clipping or Trimming Your Dog’s Nails
A dog’s nails are one of the many things an owner must consider in the care of their pet. A lot of people use their vet visits as the only time to correct the length of their dog’s nails when they probably should be keeping up on it at more regular intervals.
To start trimming your dogs nails, you need to purchase a quality set of clippers. There are two main kinds of nail clippers out there - the guillotine and the scissor. The guillotine trimmer has a hole that you insert the nail into and close the handles cutting off the excess nail, whereas the scissor operates like a regular pair of scissors except they are designed especially for this purpose.
Depending on the individual dog and their experience, you may have some problems getting them used to this whole nail trimming process. Be patient and try giving them treats for good behaviour. If you can manage to get someone to help you, the clipping should go a lot easier. Have them keep the dogs attention with soothing words and petting, while they hold them. Remember a good experience will be remembered, but a bad one will too.
As for the actual trimming of the nail, this is where it gets a little tricky - but not too tricky, don’t worry it’s not too hard. Basically your dog’s nails are like your own, the end is excess nail that has no sensitivity to it, but if you cut in too far, you’ll hit the “quick” - the bloodline where sensitive tissue is found.
It’s easier to see the quick or bloodline in white nails, then in dark ones. You can usually see the blood right through the nail in a white one, whereas in a dark one you need to get a little experience to find exactly where it’s at. Watch your vet to see where they cut to, and perhaps get someone that has done dog nail clipping before to show you if you can.
Try cutting the nail in a 90 degree angle from what it would be standing with the paw flat on the ground. This will allow for more excess nail to be cut off than what would be accomplished cutting it at a different angle.
Remember it takes a little practice to get the hang of it, but once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll find it’s not as hard as you may have thought at first, and it will help keep your dog comfortable when they walk and play.
For further reference with some great photographs showing the dog nail trimming technique, check out this page.