We get alot of questions from people about how to trim their dog's nails. Many of the questions stem from scary stories they've heard from their friends and, more often than that, their vet. But don't fret! It's not as scary as you would think.
Top 5 myths:
1. If I cut the quick on my dog/cat it will lame them for life.
You would have to cut really far up the quick to lame your dog. If you trim their nails properly, this won't even be a worry. The best way, as you'll see later in this post, is to trim a
little bit at a time. If the quick is long, you'll run into a little blood, but it's not a huge deal! a
little styptic powder (like Kwik Stop) and it's good as new.
2. Only a vet can trim nails!
Trimming nails is really easy. You'd have to be pretty careless or there would have to be some
sort of freak accident for something to really go wrong. As long as you take the time and
patience, you'll find that it's not much different than trimming your own.
3. If I cut the quick it will hurt my dog
Have you ever cut too far on your nails or accidentally nick a hangnail? It stings, but nothing
like sawing off your finger. It's the same, only it tends to be a little more messy with dog nails. What does help is the styptic powder and some pressure -- treats definitely couldn't hurt either!
4. My dog would never trust me again if I cut the quick!
Dogs are a "live in the now" creatures. Generally they don't even remember the last time they
even saw a nail clipper. However, some dog breeds hold a grudge. Big deal? Not
as much as you would think! There is one important thing to know however -- how you
treat the incident is everything. You should stop the bleeding and treat them, but then move on
to the next nail. Even if you freak yourself out and have to 'tip' the other nails, the important
thing is to not let the bad experience be the last experience.
5. I'm too freaked out, the nails will take care of themselves anyway...
This is the one thing that can truly lame your animal! Nails continue to grow, especially dog
nails, and can curl back into their flesh or get caught and rip off. Even with long runs and walks on concrete, your pet's nails still should be checked and trimmed regularly.
So, how to trim dog nails...
First, you need to make sure that you have all of the materials needed. You need:
Nail trimmers -- I prefer this kind. I don't like the guillotine style clippers. For some reason they make me feel uneasy and less in control. I find this style of clipper to be much easier. It fits better in my hand, I can see more of what I'm cutting and there's less margin for error. For puppy nails, I actually prefer human nail clippers. Very easy to use, but it's not meant for larger/thicker nails. 
Styptic powder -- I really prefer Kwik Stop. I used it at Petco in the grooming salon and I use it now. If you put a little bit on the counter that you're working on, close to the paw, you can quickly and easily dip the exposed quick into it before the dog even realizes that you nicked them. It works really quickly and it has benzocaine to take away the sting. It's definitely a must have. However, if you're in a real pinch, you can use some flour, it just won't work as well.
And... that's it! Really! If you choose to throw in a nail file, some people do that. I personally find it tedious and the vibration doesn't seem to be too comfortable for the pet. So, how do you actually DO the deed?
Generally your dogs nails should be flush with the pads of their feet. Note: this is the IDEAL length depending on the quick. If your dog's quick is very long because of a lack of nail care, this wont be the case and it will take time for the quick to recede (be patient!) So, this is mainly a guideline. You should never just chop the nails to this length, THAT is how dogs get hurt.
I do it a little differently than what I've seen on the internet. I gently take the dog's paw and hold it backwards with the pad up in the air. That allows me to hold the elbow of the dog still so they can't pull away, giving me much more control than just holding the paw. After looking over the paw and checking for any cracks or issues,you want to start at the bottom and take off a little bit at a time. If you and your dog are too uneasy, you can 'tip' the nails, which is just cutting off the very tip of the nail, making it less sharp (but not as effective as trimming the nail.) Work your way up until you're
approximately 1-2mm away from the quick. Do the same for each nail and don't forget the dew claws! That's it!
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| It should look like this! |
For dark-colored nails -- Don't worry, you're still okay! Pull back the paw and look at the bottom of the nail. Sometimes the back is open and you're able to see what is hard nail and what isn't. Use that as your guide as you trim a little bit at a time. Stop at the white.
If the nail isn't open in the back, you'll need to remember that time and patience thing that I mentioned earlier in the post. Trim (if you can, shave) the nail a little bit at a time. If you see that the nail is a solid white in the center, don't worry! Go a little further. You're going to slowly trim until you see the "target" as depicted in the third picture. The quick is where the dark center, stop there.
Do that for every nail (don't forget that dew claw!) and BREATHE! Because that's it.
