Whats the best and easiest way to clip your own dogs nails?

Question

I have 2 shelties and they don't seem to like it when I try to hold their paw still so I can cut their nails. Sometimes they pull their paw away and I'm afraid that maybe I'm hurting them.

Whats the best tool to use?

How do you avoid cutting the part that makes them bleed so bad???

Any advice will be GREATLY appreciated : )

Answer 1

I also cut my dogs nails. It should be a routine that you start with them when they are puppies so that they get used to you touching their feet. But if they are older you will have to work with them a little. Use the trimmers that look like scissors this way you will know exactly where the blade will cut.
Basically what I do is I lay my dog on its back between my legs. they are pretty good about lying still. If yours aren't rub their belly and pet them until the settle down. Then after they are settled you can clip away.
If they are still jerking their paws away when you touch them, try using treats. Break about 4-6 small milkbone type biscuts in half. Then get your dog situated between your legs and put half of a treat on the side of your knee. Point it out to your dog. Then while they are enjoyng their snack you should be able to get a few nails cut. Repeat these steps until you get all of their nails done. This gets a little tricky if you are trying to do it alone and it will take practice. Also don't get discouraged if you only get 1 paw done Do another paw the next day. You will see that it will get easier.
As far as knowing when you are too close to the quick (the fleshy part of the toe nail) if their nails are white/clear you should be able to see it. It will look pink or milky. If they are black try to cut where the nail starts to curve down. This is a pretty good rule of thumb. If you do get too close and you make them bleed they sell stop-bleed at pet co or you can also use corn starch, this will accomplish the same. Have either of these and plenty of paper towles close by just in case.

Good luck!

Answer 2

There's a few different nail trimmers on the market. Roscoes is a brand that is pretty common. They feature a loop that you stick the nail into and then when you squeeze a blade comes up and cuts the nail off. However, I work at a vet clinic and we much prefer the larger ones (I don't know the name off hand) They squeeze together also but cut the nail off much like scissors would. They work so much better. I don't know if they sell them in pet stores, but you can probably buy them from a vet. They're a bit on the pricey side though.

Watch the quick when you are trimming their nails. It's a good idea to have a vet or vet tech show you how to trim your dogs nails the first time so they can show you where the quick ends. It's the vein inside the nail. Sometimes you can see it if your dog's nails are clear. If they are dark you'll want the vet to show you how far up you can cut. If you cut too far don't worry...some corn startch will stop the bleeding.

Answer 3

You need a pair of guillotine clippers which you can buy from your pet shop. If the nails are black you can only take the tips off and you need to make sure you only take THE TIPS ie the little points off. If the nails are white, bend your dogs foot up backwards and look at the underside of the nails. Carefully 'shave' the tips off a little at a time until you see a little dot appearing in the centre of the nail. This is the quick (or vein) when you see this starting to appear its time to stop cutting. In some breeds the quick travels further down the nail (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) So it may look as though a huge amount needs to come off but in actual fact you can only take the tips off. If you bleed the nail, use a coagulant powder (Trimmex) which you can also get at the pet shop. Put a little of the powder on the nail and the bleeding will stop, but bear in mind that is just as painful as you tearing your nail in half, so please try to avoid this. Also remember the nails dont have to be right in short, they should only be just up off the ground. If the nails are not touching the ground they dont need cut. Watch out for dew claws as well (look on the inside of your dogs leg) if they turn in to the pads they can become infected.

Answer 4

I clip all my dogs nails, it isn't that you are hurting them it is that they know what is happening and they don't want any part of it. When I first started clipping my dogs nails I literally had to lay on them to hold them still. Now they just give me their paws when it is time to clip them. In fact they need to be done again. I use a regular pair of dog nail clippers not the ones that look like a guillotine but ones that look like pruning sheers. Those generally have a guide on them so that you know when to stop before you quick them.

Answer 5

You can file them; personally, my dog loves my nail file, but mostly to chew on it. You can also but nail clippers at the specialty pet stores (Pet Co, PetSmart, etc). As long as you're clipping just the nail, you aren't hurting them (Nails and hair have no nerve endings-the cuticle beds and skin obviously do) Just don't cut them to short and be careful because obviously the dog might try to wiggle. You might want to let him/her smell the clippers, hear the noise of them clicking, etc so when you start they aren't to scared. Finally, if you just need the nails trimmed and you are uncomfortable doing it, call your local grommers or the specialty pet stores I talked about and ask their price for just that service. It shouldn't be too much and my dog always loves a good car ride!

Answer 6

First of all, if the nails aren't black then you should be able to see the blood line and don't clip so close to it. If they are black then just barely clip the nails using dog nail clippers. I always kinda just laid on my dogs and held them so they couldn't get away so easily plus it adds a little more comfort to the dog to have you cradle him.

Answer 7

There is a special clipper you can get at most pet stores that work well. Also get some 'stop bleed' powder if you cut a bit too deep it will work (be careful if you cut way too deep it can be dangerous for your dog!)

Answer 8

Do it the natural way. I usually walk mine about 2 or 3 miles a day on sidewalks and so dont really need to trim their nails. And they LOVE it!

Answer 9

i have cats i had the problem with ..what i did was when we sat around i started rubbing and holding their paws ...eventually they got thro the insucurities of it and let me do it now !!! just do it for awhile...and only cut the tips of the nails u are cutting way to far back !!! gl

Answer 10

There is plenty of different "safety" nail clipper for animals. But You will have to have your dog under control, too.