6 Tips to Trim Your Dogs Nails

Trimming your dogs nails is an important, yet difficult task. Despite being a painless procedure, many dogs are not a fan of having their nails trimmed. Nail trimming should be implemented from day one of bringing your new puppy home. The sooner you start nail trimming, the better, so they’ll be used to the process. Today I’m giving you 6 tips to trim your dogs nails. 

Touch Their Feet, A Lot

The first step in getting your pup comfortable with nail trimming is to make sure they’re okay with having their paws touched. From the day you bring your dog home you should be constantly playing with their feet and nails.

If you only ever mess with your dogs paws during nail trimming time, they’re more likely to fight you on it. 

Some dogs can even get aggressive when people mess with their feet. This is why it’s important this is done constantly from day one. 

Get Them Used To The Clippers

In order to trim your dogs nails they’ll need to be used to the clippers. Introduce your pup to the clippers slowly.

1. Start by letting them sniff the nail clippers, praise them greatly and give a treat
2. Lightly touch the clippers to your dogs nails, praise, and give a treat
3. Squeeze the clippers against the dogs nails, without actually trimming them. This will allow them to get used to the sound of the nail clippers. Praise and give a treat
4. Trim off just the tip of the nail, praise and give a treat
5. Do one nail at a time, giving breaks in between. Each time you successfully trim a nail, praise greatly and give a treat
6. Once your dog is used to having one nail trimmed at a time, add a second and then third. Add a nail each time union you’re able to do all of the nails in one sitting

Use Distraction

If your dog moves constantly as you attempt to trim their nails, use distraction. Give them a high value chew such as a bully stick or deer antler to keep them busy as you clip their nails. 

Another one of my tips to trim your dogs nails is to have someone hold them still and distract them. Belly rubs or ear scratches are a great way to distract your pup. The key to using distraction is to trim their nails quickly, before that distraction goes away. 

Use A Nail Grinder

Nail grinders are a quick way to shorten a dogs nails without the clippers. Some dogs respond better to a nail grinder making it easier to trim their nails with.

To use a nail grinder, press it lightly against your dogs nail and grind just a tiny bit off. Not only will a grinder shorten your dogs nail, it’ll also keep it smooth. Nail clippers can leave a sharp edge, a nail grinder will keep them rounded and smooth.

Watch The Quick

The quick is the part of the dogs nails that will bleed when it is cut too short. In dogs with white nails, the quick is easy to see. It’s the pink part inside the nail.

Dogs with black nails are harder to trim because the quick isn’t visible.  You’ll know you’re almost at the quick when you see a small dot in the center of the dogs nail.

Dogs who have had their quick cut are more likely to react poorly to having their nails trimmed, so it’s important you’re careful to not cut it. It’s better to take less off of the nail in order to avoid the quick. 

Ask For Help

If all else fails and your dog still won’t allow you to trim their nails, ask their vet or groomer for help. Vets and dog groomers that are professionally trained are more likely to be able to successfully, and quickly, trim your dogs nails. 

It’s better to pay a professional to cut them, than to traumatize your dog by accidentally injuring them. 

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.