Dog Nail Grooming

Dog nail grooming over the years has been the most dreaded part of grooming my dogs.  No matter how careful I tried to be I would invariably cut one of the nails too high up, causing the dog to bleed.  I am sure from my dog’s reaction that this was painful.  Because my dog found the dog nail grooming a painful experience he was not amicable to repeating the procedure.

I have, in the distant past, put off cutting my dog’s nails to the very last.  I should have taken my dog to a professional dog groomer.  On a couple of occasions I had put off cutting the nail so long that they had grown back toward the dog’s foot.  I only resorted to cutting his nails when I realized he was having difficulty walking.  The nails were probably making it painful to walk.

Dog Nail Cutting is NOT Difficult

Cutting your dog’s nails is not difficult.  Your dog can understand your feelings.  When you feel trepidation, they feel the same feeling and become anxious.  This creates a situation where your dog is trying to pull away as you are trying to cut his nail.  This action of pulling as you are cutting makes it likely that you will cut too high causing bleeding.  It seems to be an endless cycle.

I mentioned what happened when I put off cutting my dog’s nails - that they grew so long it was painful for him to walk.  In the wild rough surfaces apparently wear the nail down keeping them a proper length.  Our domesticated dogs do not often have the opportunity to wear down their nails naturally.

Just like our nails, a dog’s nails will continue to grow until they are cut.  Failing to clip a dog’s nails can cause crippling and arthritic type pain in a dog’s paws.  The massive growth of a nail can cause the paw to be malformed and create permanent damage.

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Cut Nails Frequently

Cutting your dog’s nails is an important part of dog grooming.  In addition to cutting the nail itself the procedure provides the opportunity to inspect your dog’s paw.  His paws should be checked periodically for foreign objects such as thorns, glass etcetera. 

Knowing your dog has healthy paws gives you confidence that you can leave them alone until it is time to cut the nails again. Your dogs nails should be trimmed every 2 or 3 months.  A dog that is primarily an indoor dog may need the nails checked more frequently. 

When you are petting your dog spend a second or two to casually inspect  his paws.  Dogs have veins in their nails.  If this is hit, while trimming, it will cause bleeding.  Some dogs have dark colored nails making it difficult to determine where the nails veins or quick of the nail ends.  It is best to cut off the tip of the nail and trim frequently to avoid bleeding.  Cutting your dog’s nails at home should only take a few minutes.

Special Dog Nail Trimmer

It is essential you acquire a special dog nail trimmer.  A dog’s nails are too tough to be trimmed with human nail clippers.  Using human nail clippers may cause your dog’s nails to crack creating future health problems.   If your dog will not settle down it may be advisable to take your dog to a groomer or a veterinarian to cut the nails.  Generally speaking, cutting the nails should be something you can easily do at home.  Make sure the dog is calm and relaxed before you start cutting the nails.  Hold onto the dogs paw firmly.  Some dogs will pull their paw in apprehension of a possible painful situation. 

Cutting the nails will be painless as long as you do not strike a vein or the quick.  With some nails you can visibly see the quick of the nail.  In these cases you can cut closer than you would if you cannot see the quick.  It is better to trim more frequently than it is to cut up into the quick of the nail.

Added Opportunity to Bond with Your Dog

Dog grooming provides an opportunity for you and your dog to create a closer, loving, trusting bond.  Do not be fearful of nail clipping, enjoy the opportunity.  After a few times it will not be fearful for you or your dog.