can anyone give me some tips on cutting dogs nails. Thanks?

Answer 1

Here are a few suggestions. If your dog is not used to having his feet touched or handled, that is the first thing you need to work on...desensitization.
If it's a big dog, sit on the floor with him and give him a nice massage including his feet. If he pulls is paw away, that's okay. Just have patience and keep trying.

If it's a small dog, you can set her on your lap and give a massage - including the feet. Do that once or twice a day for about a week until he is relaxed and at ease enough with his or her feet being touched and handled. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed he will be. They can sense when you are uptight or nervous.

Before you even begin cutting, make sure you have Quik-Stop or Styptic powder on hand. Once he is comfortable, you should just take off a little at a time to avoid cutting the quick. Be sure not to cut too close as that will bring a major setback. It may take you a week or so to trim all the nails. Once you trim the first nail, be sure to praise him and tell him what a good dog he is!

If there is someone else in your household, you can have your helper feed your pooch tidbits to distract him while you trim his nails.

I always make sure I touch my dogs feet at every opportunity starting at puppy-hood. I did adopt a Chow at 3 years of age and he was not used to his nails being trimmed, so I sat on the floor with him, gave him a nice petting and massage and when he was relaxed, I would cut one nail. He would quick jump up and start to run away. I made sure I had treats to coax him back. Then I went through the entire petting and massaging routine and again, when he was relaxed, I'd trim another nail. It took about a week to trim all 18 nails, as I didn't want to overdo it all at one time, but with enough encouraging and praise, he developed a trust with me and even though he always was a little nervous, he let me trim his nails without incident. ☺

Answer 2

I have had two kinds of nail clippers for dogs. The second one I just bought has a guard on it , so I can't go to short and clip into the quick, which will cause a dog to bleed if cut. They appear to be sharper also.
My dog does not like it, but I talk to him the whole time and tell him if he is good I will give him a treat. I have also learned that I do not let him see the nail clippers.. If he does, he hides and won't come out..lol... he also does that when bath water is drawn..

Answer 3

First you need to make sure your dog can deal with people touching his feet. You can desensitize him holding his paw only for a second at first and give him treat when he doesn't pull it away. Gradually work on holding it for longer periods of time. Once he is used to you handling his feet you should be able clip his nails easily.
You will need a good sharp nail clippers, I like the guillotine style the best. I have my dog lay on his side and only take off the very tip. When I am done with each foot I give him a small treat, but when I am all done I give him a small handful and lots of love for being so good.

Answer 4

Have a professional show you at first how, so you do not cut them too short and cut the quick (skin) inside the nail. ALWAYS have Quick Stop (you get it at a petstore) in the house in case you do cut the quick. I always make sure I have plenty of light to see in the nail where the quick is and never cut where the quick is, because if you cut it it will bleed and it is sometimes hard to stop the bleeding so that is why you dip the nail in the Quick Stop to stop the bleeding. Always reward you dog with a goodie after cutting their nails so that they look forward to getting their nails cut. Also Petsmart will cut their nails for $12.00, cheap and safe.

Answer 5

Make sure you have the proper nail clipper! I always get the ones with the guard! You just take off the tip! clear nails you can see where the skin is and the nail starts. after cutting I always use a file!

Answer 6

If nails white it's very simple to cut it,because you can see there is the blood.If nails black it's not so simple and you can cut very careful just tip of the nail every day and later blood in the nail will be just in the beggining of the nail. And buy your own instrument for this "operation"

Answer 7

The nails have veins inside of them....you can see them, they look red. DO NOT cut this vein. If you do accidentally, get some styptic power. If you don't have that, you can use flour to stop the bleeding.

A groomer (like the one at petco or petsmart) will cut the dogs nails for you....I know petco charges 8$ here. I would say go there and watch how they do it the first time.

Answer 8

Do not use a nail clipper. Get a rotary tool instead. You can go to PETCO and ask for one. It will feel funny to your dog at first but he will get used to it. There is never any risk of cutting the quick or cracking the nails which is painful to a dog. I used to have to fight with my dog until I got one of these, now he sits still and doesn't mind.

It is something like this http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-761-03-Cordless-Grooming-Rotary/dp/B0000C6DZ2/ref=sr_1_1/002-8416375-8691264?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1181182263&sr=8-1

Answer 9

If the dog is scared of the nail clippers you could always use a nail filer of some sort.

Answer 10

Hi-my son has always just held on to his dog-which is now 13 years old-regulard nail clippers-done the same as humans--if your pet just won't co operate with you, you may have a friend to do it. I have a senior gentleman friend that the puppy only allows him to give drops, bathe, etc. They willl just naturally co operate with certain people. But overall-nail clipping is not a complicated event!
Paula