Skip to main content

Nail trims don't have to be a dreaded event!

Ever hear that click, click, click as your dog runs to greet you at home? It’s a sure sign that it’s time for a dreaded nail trim. Or, does it have to be a dreaded task between you and your dog? Nope, it doesn’t.

Start those puppies young with trimming their long needle-like nails. Trimming them every two weeks not only gets a good habit started, but if done right, and with enough praise and a couple treats, will make this task much easier life-long.


As soon as you bring your puppy home around 8 weeks, get a good quality nail trimmer like these in the picture to the left. I use this trimmer on tiny kittens, all the way up to 150lb dogs. Click here to purchase this nail trimmer on Amazon. (For page transparency: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). Guillotine or grinder-type nail trimmers have never been my favorite; either you can’t see what you are doing, or they take way too long and scare the pet with the vibrations they make. Let’s get this done quickly, happily, and get on with the more fun activities of the day. Start by trimming your puppy’s nails every 2 weeks. Even if you are not taking much off, you are instilling a good habit for yourself, teaching your dog good manners during this task, and ensuring that your dog’s quick (the sensitive part of the nail with the blood supply) is not growing too long, making the nails longer over time.

I find it best to trim nails with a helper. Gently lay your dog down on his/her side for the nail trim, giving you better visibility of each paw, and making it so that you’re not having to twist your puppy’s leg in odd ways to see the nails. If your pet has white nails, this will be an easier job. DON’T HIT THE PINK PART! Trim as close to the pink as you can, taking a smaller amount off with each trim as you get closer and you are done! Now, if your dog has black nails, it will be a bit tougher. Don’t wimp out, let’s figure this out!
If there is one white nail, use that one as a guide for how much to trim off. If not, look under the nail. Usually there will be a long hook, but as you get closer to the paw, the nail gets thicker. That is a good indication of where the quick is.


Take small cuts with the trimmer at a time, until you get close to the thick part and start to notice a “bullseye” appearance to the nail (see picture on right.
Aren’t you proud that you figured it out! You may sweat the first couple times, but you’ve got this! Always always always keep “Quik-Stop” at home for nail trims. Yes, they will bleed A LOT if you hit the quick. This product is worth its weight in gold, and is mandatory to have at home for nail trims. Dab a tiny amount on the bleeding nail, and the bleeding will usually stop in seconds.

No one is perfect at nail trims, not even me. Many many years ago when I was in Veterinary school, I came home one weekend and my Dad asked me to trim the dog’s nails.
Of course! I’ve got this, I’m in Veterinary school!
Yep, I hit a quick and on a big Collie, wow did it bleed. The flour/water didn’t work, pressure on the nail didn’t work, and I finally wrapped about 10 napkins and some Duck Tape around the foot while I quickly made a trip out to the local pet supply store to pick up some Quik-Stop. Never did I do another nail in the house again without that product there.

Now, on the subject of older dogs….yes, you can teach older dogs new tricks! This may take more time and effort than training a puppy with nail trims, but over time you will get there. I still recommend laying them on their side, and having a friend/spouse help out. However, depending on how much or little they like their feet touched, you may only get a couple nails done per attempt. Remember, keep this light and keep this fun! Don’t turn this into an all out wrestling match. If they are good for one or two nails, give him/her a big hug, a cookie, and resolve to get a few more the next day.

While I make this sound pretty easy, the reality of the situation is that some dogs simply will not let you near their feet/nails. Even with all the happy vibes and well-placed effort in the world, sometimes this simply does not go well. However, it is necessary to prevent broken nails, nails curling into the pads, and orthopedic disease from walking differently to relieve pressure from too-long nails. If all else fails, consider two alternatives. First, discuss a sedative with your veterinarian. He or she may be willing to send home an oral medication that you can give one hour prior to trimming your dog’s nails to ease this situation. Second, take your dog into the Veterinarian for the nail trim. Our clinics are equipped with staff who know how to safely restrain even very difficult dogs.  And, if necessary, injectable sedatives can be given to get the job done.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mountain Cake Design

It’s time for a full post on a project I recently completed! My son just turned 11, and for his birthday he requested a Red Velvet Mountain Cake. We moved West to the mountains last year, and he had just finished his first season on the ski team in our new town. I thought it was a great idea for a cake, but really needed some time to figure out the logistics. Mountains are big, so this cake needed to be big! I knew it would require many many layers of cake. Then I also had to think about whether I wanted to cover it in fondant or leave it as a frosted cake. So many decisions. I stood for a while staring at the mountain, as I can see it out the back window at my house. I can name the ski runs from here that we spent all winter skiing down. With a pen and paper I started drawing what I thought the cake might look like. It was a tough one; I wanted to get enough height, but knew I’d be limited by the size of the cake bases that were available. With the expected weight of the cake, I...

Cool Case Friday: An Unforgettable Emergency

As you’ve read about in some of my other cool cases, Emergency Veterinary work is never boring. Today let’s tackle a case that was a real doozy. I met Buddy (name changed for privacy) and his multiple humans after hours on a hot summer day……. I was finally home after finishing another crazy day at the Animal Hospital. Most days were crazy busy, but the summer months are especially busy. My days are a minimum of 11 hours from the time I step into the clinic to the time I walk out the door. That doesn’t take into account the work done after hours at home (ordering, accounting, research, etc). That day was about to become a VERY long and interesting day. Buddy’s owner called me on the emergency line not long after I arrived at home. She stated that he had been outside a few hours ago running around the many acres on their property. When she went outside she found a blood trail and couldn’t figure out where it was coming from until she followed it to him. He was lying in a pool of b...

Canine Hypothyroidism - An Overview

So many disease processes are shared in animals and humans. Many of my clients are surprised to find this out! Today, let’s talk about another one of these diseases……Hypothyroidism. We’ll briefly talk about the anatomy and job of the Thyroid gland, what Hypothyroidism is, what symptoms to watch for, and what can be done to help your pet if they are diagnosed with this condition. Your Thyroid gland is one of the most important organs in your body. Its jobs consist of aiding in metabolism, heart rate, growth rate, and helps maintain your muscles and bones. It can also affect your digestion, skin and hair! These same functions are true for the dog and cat Thyroid gland. This gland lives in the front of your neck, near your trachea and esophagus. In dogs, when the Thyroid gland is not working properly, it is usually UNDER producing Thyroid hormone. That’s what we’ll cover in today’s post. In cats, the opposite is true. When the Thyroid glad is not working correctly, it is usually OVE...