Trimming Nails
As dog owners know, trimming your dog’s nails can be tricky. Your dog will often resist having their nails trimmed and you may also accidentally “quick” them as well -a term used for when you accidentally cut their nails too short to the point that the dog bleeds. This results in many dog owners taking their pups to professional groomers to have their nails clipped. Today we are going to address this issue and steps you can take to make you and your dog’s nail trimming experience better and more comfortable. So let’s cut right to it!
Introduce the Nail Clippers to your Dog
This may sound like a strange step to take to improve your dog’s nail trimming experience, but readily introducing your dog to the nail clipper can actually make them feel more relaxed. You can think of this step as a training lesson. When you show your pup the nail clippers, tell them to sit down and if they do, reward them with a treat. Once the dog has mastered this, take another step by asking the dog to give his or her paw to you. Likewise, reward your pup with their favorite treat. This can not only help your dog feel more comfortable with the nail clippers, but can also help create a deeper connection with your dog. However, make sure to take this training process slowly as rushing the process may scare your dog away once again from the nail clippers.
Clipping your Dog’s Nail
Some dog owners dislike trimming their dog’s nails because they are worried that they will “quick” them. Today, we are going to help you with this issue with a few tips! If your dog’s nails are white then you are in for luck. You should be able to see the dog’s blood vessel in the nail. Use that blood vessel as a marker as to how much you can cut the nail. However, if your dog’s nail is brown or black, you may have a bit more trouble because you cannot use that above strategy since the blood vessel won’t be visible. Instead use this one: as you clip your dog’s nail, do it little by little. You will know if you can continue trimming your dog’s nail if there is a white circle with a brown or black (depends on the nail’s color) in the middle. This part of the nail is not connected to the blood vessel which means that you can continue cutting. Stop cutting once you reach around the curve of the nail and remember to look for the chalky white ring when trimming!
What you should do if you “Quick” your Dog’s Nails
If you do accidentally “quick” your dog’s nail, make sure to calm your dog down and treat the wound. You can treat the wound by using styptic powder or a styptic pencil which can be purchased at most pet stores and pharmacies. However, the styptic powder will cause a stinging sensation so make sure to hold onto your dog. If you don’t have either of these available, you can use cornstarch and baking soda while rubbing a clean bar of scent-free soap or a wet tea bag on the wound. (I am not a veterinarian and found these treatments from my research. If you are in doubt, you should contact your veterinarian for the best treatment option). Once the bleeding stopped, comfort your pup by giving him or her a treat. Don’t continue to trim your dog’s nails and make sure to give your dog a break.
An Alternative
If you and your dog really don’t like clipping nails with a nail clipper tool, here is another alternative. You can make a scratch pad for your dog. A scratch pad is a pad of sandpaper glued onto a hard, study surface for your dog to file his or her nails on. Most dogs are comfortable using a piece of sandpaper that is 30 to 40 grit and as a bonus, it files their nails fast. However, in order to make this work, you will have to train your dog to use it. Here are the steps to train your dog to use the scratchboard: put the bottom of the board on the floor and let the top lean against your leg. The front of the scratchpad should face the dog. Next, get your dog’s attention and encourage your dog to walk over to you. Once the dog touches his or her paw on the board, give them a treat. Repeat this 5-10 times and then end the training session. If you do this enough, your dog will do scratch the board automatically. Now let’s get scratching!
Walks
Not only are walks healthy and beneficial for both you and your dog, it also helps file down your dog’s nails as well. As an added bonus, dogs love their walks and are always eager for one!
Waiting too long to Trim your Dog’s Nails.
Especially during quarantine, we need to make sure to maintain our dog’s nails well, as we cannot take our dog out on walks as often due to shelter in place orders. However, this is no excuse for not maintaining your dog’s nails. Not maintaining them can change your dog’s gait, cause them to walk on the sides of their paws, lead to tendon pain, bone deformations, and even arthritis.
Thank you for reading this blog on how to trim your dog’s nails. I hope that this helped you and make sure to stay safe! I’ll see you next time!
Citations:
[1] “6 Reasons Why You CANNOT Skip Grooming Your Dog.” DogTime, 19 Aug. 2020, dogtime.com/reference/dog-grooming/81189-cannot-skip-grooming-dog.
[2] Easter, Fanna, et al. “Building a Dog Nail Scratchboard.” Dog Training Nation, 23 Apr. 2015, www.dogtrainingnation.com/how-to-train-a-dog/building-a-dog-nail-scratchboard/.
[3] “How to Treat Dog Nail Bleeding During Trimming.” Wahl Home Products, wahlusa.com/pet-grooming/expert-advice/how-treat-dog-nail-bleeding-during-trimming.
[4] Meyers, Harriet. “Trim Your Dog's Nails Safely: Tips, Tricks, And Grooming Techniques.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 12 Nov. 2020, www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-trim-dogs-nails-safely/.
[5] says, Susan, et al. “Dog Nail Trimming Tips: Teach Dog to Use Scratchboard.” Animal Behavior College, 22 Oct. 2019, www.animalbehaviorcollege.com/blog/pet-training/dog-nail-trimming-tips-teach-dog-to-use-scratchboard/.