7 Tips To Keep In Mind Before You Start Clipping Your Dog's Nails

Clipping your pup’s nails can be a tricky process, but if you know what you’re doing, then you can make it quick, simple, and painless.

Here are some tips for cutting your pup’s nails easily!

1. Be aware of the quick

The quick is essentially like a human’s nail bed – cutting into it will make it bleed, and it can be quite difficult to see. Cutting your pup’s nails too short will result in them bleeding, and it will be very painful.

2. Get good clippers

Clippers that aren’t sharp can result in cuts that aren’t clean and can cause pain or difficulty during the trimming process.

3. Have Kwik Stop on hand

In case you do cut into the quick, you’ll be able to stem the bleeding, and of course, you get to thwart Murphy’s Law – the moment you don’t have it, you’ll need it!

4. Make it regular

If you trim your pup’s nails regularly, the quick will recede and pull back so that you can cut it further the next time. A weekly habit is good!

5. Cut in good lighting

This is especially useful if your pup has light-colored nails – with light behind them, you’ll be able to see the quick and avoid cutting into it. Plus, good lighting always makes a job easier.

6. Bend the paw back

If your pup becomes frightened when they sees that you’re trimming their nails, but you can cut the nails on their back paws easily because they can’t see you then, then this may work for you. Ash your pup to sit, give them a treat, and grab their front paw, folding it backwards so that the bottom of the paw faces the ceiling, and trim slowly.

7. Treats, treats, treats!

If your pup doesn’t like having their nails trimmed, then give them one small treat for every nail you trim. For a more relaxed pup, you can give them a treat after each completed paw, or after the whole ordeal is over. Don’t push your pup to become used to having their nails clipped without treats if they are uncomfortable with it!

Hopefully, these tips will help you trim your pup’s nails more easily! If your dog seems very frightened of having their nails cut, then refer to this article for more help. Do like and share!

By: Bill Geist