is it ok to trim a puppys nails?

Question

Is it ok to trim a puppys nails and if so how do you do it? My mastiff has sharp nails, He stays in the house and I am afraid he might scratch my kids. He has scratched me but not too bad, I do not have the money to take him to the vet right now or i would.

Answer 1

Yes you should be trimming his nails. You can buy a nail trimmer from any pet store or even Walmart. If your puppy's nails are black it might be hard to see the "quick" so cut very little off. Also, if you call local groomers sometimes they will do nail cutting very cheaply - $5 usually around here if you want to take him over there and have someone else do it. Maybe if you bring your own nail clippers they can show you how to do it too so you can do it on your own after that. Also, if you walk him on hard surfaces (asphalt, sidewalk etc) his nails will wear themselves down somewhat as well. But the best thing is to trim them every other week or so. Its important to start now too so he's used to it as he grows up and doesn't fuss about it. Make sure to give him treats and praise when you do it!

Answer 2

It's perfectly fine to trim your puppies nails. You want to watch out because there are nerves that run through the puppy's nails (The quick). Put the puppy in down and roll him over to back. Give him lots of belly rubbins. Don't get him to riled up or you won't be able to keep him there.

Once he's relaxed play with his paws a bit. You want him to get used to it. Some dogs HATE having thier feet touched. Play with his paws, and take your time to examine where the nerve is. If he has white nails you'll be able to see it pretty easily. If not just trim the tip of the nail. If you happen to snip the nerve put some baking flour on it to stop the bleeding. You won't need much.

When you're finished make sure to give him a special treat.

I groom my girls every day (brushing) Nail trim time comes and even though they are anxious the trust is there. They lay down and roll over themselves because they know when the deed is done they get cheese! LOL

Good Luck

Answer 3

You can clip them yourself. If he's a pup, you might be able to use fingernail clippers, but you'll eventually need dog nail-clippers (at any pet store or mass merchandiser like Walmart). Be sure not to clip the qwik as it will bleed and make the dog fear future nail-trims. My dog used to be great till I nicked her once. She has NEVER let me touch her paws since. Its a fight even at the groomers. If the nails are white/clear, you can see the qwik but it's more difficult if they're black nails. If so, you can see the qwik from underneath (if you can get the paw at that angle).

The bigger pet stores and any grooming salon will do nails. Around here they charge $8 to $10 to do it.

You want to clip them regularly (whether you do it or have someone else do it) because indoor dogs don't wear them down like outside dogs do and it can cause problems. I actually read that BACK problems can be caused by it... cuz once they're too long, they walk differently and it throws everything out of whack. Plus, if they grow a long time, it seems (from my experience) like the qwik grows too... so then you CANT clip them as short as you can if you don't let that happen.

Answer 4

if there black, you need only nip off the very tip... nothing further, then get him a good walking on the sidewalk or cement. This will naturally file down the sharper points. If your afraid of cutting the nail get a emory board or a metal nail file and trying to file them into a smoother rounder nail Be aware a puppy isnt going to sit for a long period of time and you need some one to help you hold him. The local groomers and vet clinics can provide you some services for the price of a regular manicure if you dont want to do it at all.

Answer 5

Yes, it is okay to trim puppy nails. You can buy dog nail clippers at the pet store. Some dogs have a mark on their nails so you dog clip the nail in the quick. If you are unable to see the nail mark simply clip the puppies/dog's nail where it hooks.

Answer 6

It is ok, but you have to be very carefull not to cut into the skin inside his nails. Usually pet refuges and the humane society perform these and sometimes even have a vet for a fraction of the price of a regular vet. It is very tricky and if cut it bleeds a lot so Id try and make some calls to pet associations in your area so you can at least see how they do it and have them recommend the correct pet nail cutter for your dog before you do it by yourself. For reference, I live in Tampa and took my found puppy dog to the animal shelter and they provided a vet ($15), clipped the nails for free, and gave me the medication and shampoo for a skin problem "Cooney" was having ($20).

Answer 7

Yes it is o.k. to trim them you can buy them fairly cheap depending on where you get them. You can also buy a file to file them after ward. You need dog nail clippers. Try Dollar General-Wal-Mart-Food-Lion did have them in the pet section. Or try a pet or animal food store. They are not real expensive. I took mine to get theirs trimmed once and they did a poor job and even trimmed them too close so i do it my self now. This was at a grooming place. When you trim them it is good to do so after a bath. Be sure that the little safety thing is on the inside so you do not trim too close. I need to give all mine a bath and trim theirs to either today or tomorrow. I guess if you can't find a pet file that you could use a regular file. Just take your time and try not to trim too close.

Answer 8

Yes, in fact it is advisable. If you start now, he will let you clip them as he grows older. You will need to buy dog nail clippers from a pet supply store (NEVER use people clippers). Its pretty easy to do. If your dog has clear nails, just clip below the pink (that's a blood vessel). If your dog has black nails, you'll want to clip them about where they bend to grow vertical. The clippers should come with directions and will have a picture that illustrates that better. The hardest part is getting puppy to hold still!!

Answer 9

Yes. The earlier the better that you start with your puppy...especially with a large bred puppy like a Masiff. You'll be teaching him to let you touch his feet which is extremely important. Just barely clip them so you don't hit the quick. You want to keep the situation as pleasant to him as possible or he'll associate you with pain. I would clip every two weeks and give him treats either at the end or between clipping each nail. Good luck with your big puppy. It's so much better to do this yourself then taking him somewhere else anyways.

Answer 10

Keep a bar of plain soap beside you while you cut the puppy's nails. If your puppy is very young, then use regualr nail clippers. If the nails are stronger, use dog clippers (at just about any pet store, or Wal Mart) If you happen to accidently cut the quick (the vein in the dogs nail) then scrape the bleeding nail across the soap. This will stop the bleeding. Good Luck