How to Trim a Dog’s Nails
Dogs! We love them and they love us. But one thing dogs don’t like is nail trimming, so we asked veterinarian Dr. Valerie Patton for some of the best tips on how to trim your dog’s nails easily and painlessly.
She says that even before a dog’s manicure, train your puppy to touch and play with his legs. This way, they won’t be intimidated when you suddenly bring tools to their paws.
Then she says to go a little. Cut up a little, serve up a treat, and repeat. If your dog is very energetic, try only one claw per day. You can also get some help and ask a friend to hold your dog tightly while you trim, which is much easier.
To avoid bleeding, pay attention to where the tip of the nail is (on light colored nails this will be the pink area that you can see inside the nail, which is equivalent to a human nail bed). You must avoid this because it will cause bleeding. If your dog has dark nails you won’t be able to see the fast ones, so just shoot a small amount at a time.
Finally, remember to replace your nail clippers periodically as you want them to be sharp and not just squeeze your nail. And have some Kwik Stop or cornstarch on hand in case you have a quick snack.