A Stress Free Way to Trim Your Dog’s Nails

It’s not uncommon for dog owners to neglect their dog’s toenails, but if they realized the ramification for their dog, they might be more inclined to stay on top of trimming them on a regular basis.

One of the biggest consequences of overly-long canine nails is painful feet. If the nails are too long the dog will twist his or her foot when walking to avoid painful paw nails. The twisting results in over-used joints and muscles, which leads to long-term infirmities such as arthritis that will lower your dog’s enjoyment in life. You can tell if your dog’s nails are too long if you can hear them clicking on a hard surface.

Another consequence of not trimming your dog’s nails regularly is more serious. All animals rely on information from nerves in their feet. For millions of years, wild dogs have run long distances while hunting. Running long distances helps dogs wear their nails down. The only time their toenails would touch the ground was when climbing a hill.

So a dog’s brain is programmed through evolution to associate toenail contact with being on a hill. So a dog will naturally lean forward on his front legs as if he is climbing a hill. Since there really isn’t a hill there, the dog will automatically lean back to compensate so he doesn’t fall forward on his face.

Trimming your dog’s nails isn’t rocket science, but it does require patience and the right equipment. This abnormal compensatory posture brings the dog’s paws closer together under his body. Recent research shows this posture is hard work to maintain. When a dog doesn’t have his or her nails clipped regularly, the dog will get over-used muscles and eventually over-used joints, especially their hind limbs. This can make it difficult for them to jump in cars, climb stairs and, when they get older, get up from lying down.

Cutting their nails short can be like a miracle cure for your dog whose hind end has become painful, weak and over-used.

How often should you trim your dog’s nails? If his or her nails are clicking on the floor, they need to be shortened, which will require a trim job on a weekly basis. Once his or her nails are back to a respectable length you maintenance routine should be to trim them every 10-14 days.

Here are a few stress-free tips to help you trim your dog’s nails.

1. Cutting tool

You will need to choose a canine nail trimmer. There are many types and styles out on the market, available through Amazon or pet supply stores.

• Guillotine trimmer

The guillotine style of trimmer requires that you get the dog’s nail right through a smallish opening before activating the blade. These can be awkward if your dog is squirmy or your vision is less than perfect. This style of trimmer also makes it difficult to get the right cutting angle on the nail.

• Scissors

Simple scissors-style trimmers are relatively easy to use. Some have a guard that pops up behind the cutting mechanism, which helps to prevent taking too much nail off, and possibly cutting the dog’s “quick” and causing it to bleed.

• Grinder

Some people prefer to use a grinding tool with a sanding attachment. Grinders come in all makes and models, but many groomers use a Dremel because they tend to be the most reliable and accurate. Grinders are also great for finishing work if you wan to put a smooth finish on your dog’s nails after clipping them.

One thing to watch for with a grinder is the hair between the dog’s toes, which can get caught in the grinder, causing the hair to be ripped out of the dog’s foot. Obviously, this is quite painful. If you use a grinder, take the time to trim the hair between the dog’s toes before you trim the nails.

• Choose a quality clipping tool

Whichever type of clippers you decide to use, make sure you choose a good quality tool. Good quality dog nail trimmers are purpose-made to do this one job. Handles are crafter for precision, blades are notched to cut curved nails cleanly, and safeguards are in place to minimize the accidents.

DO NOT USE clippers made for humans, kitchen scissors or workshop cutters. You can seriously hurt your dog and this also increases the risk of cross-contamination.

2. Clotting powder

One of the main things to watch for is to be careful to not cut your dog’s “quick” and cause it to bleed. The quick is the blood vessel inside of the nail that nourishes it.

“Quicking” a dog’s nail means you have trimmed the nail too short and cut into the blood vessel, causing the dog pain and the nail to bleed profusely.

Just about everyone who trims a dog’s nails will have this happen at some point. For this reason, it is important to have styptic powder or cornstarch on hand to stop the bleeding.

If your dog has white or light-colored nails the “quick” is easy to see. But if your dog has black or dark nails, the quick is harder to gauge.

3. Treats

Praise for positive behavior is important because it keeps the grooming process a happy time for your dog. Treats are especially helpful for young or anxious dogs that are new to nail trimming. Just remember to choose healthy treats and praise your dog with an uplifting, happy tone.

4. How to trim your dog’s nails

The dog pedicure is a fairly easy process.

1. Just lift and angle your dog’s paw so you are able to hold the paw and place the nail clipper (or grinder) on the excess area of the nail.
2. Then, start small. Cut off tiny sections until you’re comfortable that enough has been removed, while avoiding the quick.

If you’re worried about clipping your dog’s nails, or never seem to find time to take care of this detail, we encourage you to call us for an appointment with our professional dog groomer. Chris has many years of experience and is kind and gentle. She is an expert at putting your dog at ease while giving him or her the best care possible. Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed is a health issue that can easily be taken care of by regular clippings.

Call us at 719-448-9600 to make an appointment. Most of the time Chris can groom your dog while he or she is visiting for daycare or boarding.

Do you clip your dog’s nails at home or bring him or her to a groomer? Please your experience in the comments below.