Dog Nail Clippers and Knowing How to Trim Your Dog's Nails

Trimming your dog's nails is a very important part of your dog’s grooming routine. If the nails get too long, they may break and lead to infection. They can also impact the skeletal frame of your pet which may lead to more damage to his body.

Even with this knowledge on the need for regular nail maintenance, most pet owners are squeamish about trimming their dog's nails.

Basic questions come up such as how do i know where to cut it? or what if my dog is really nervous about this? or what if I screw up and trim the nail too close and cut the quick? (the quick is the inner part of the dog's nail that contains blood vessels and nerve endings)

It does seem daunting at first but if you follow some basic guidelines, you can make this chore a wholesome task for both you and your pet.

For example, you can make nail trimming a pleasant experience if you teach your dog to associate the nail clipping to things that he loves (think Pavlov experiment), and more important, you need to take it slow.

Associating Nail Trimming with Things Your Dog Loves
Most dogs just do not like nail trimming and by nature do not like people touching their paws. It's understandable since nail trimming is uncomfortable and if not done right, can squeeze or even twists their nails, or worse cause pain  and bleeding if you cut the nails too short and damage the sensitive quick.

You can help your dog get used to this and maybe even enjoy nail trimming. If you train your dog so that the nail clipping results in wonderful things such as him getting his favorite treat or chew toy, or you playing his favorite game or taking him out to the park, he might even learn to love getting his nails groomed. 

So whenever you trim your dog’s nails, immediately follow up with things that he loves. For example, clip one nail then give him his favorite treat. Clip the second one, and then do the same with the treats. As you repeat this, your dog will eventually associate nail clipping to having fun and you will have an easier time.

You Need to Take it Slow
The last thing you want to do is frighten your dog and overwhelm him by rushing the process. Take your time. Slowly introduce the dog nail clippers, as well as the sensations involved in trimming. The first time you use the dog nail clippers, don’t do all the nails. Instead, just clip one or two at a time and remember to give your dog treats or play a game right after trimming. It also helps greatly if you are calm and you speak to him in soothing tones to get him to relax 
while you are trimming his nails.

Which Dog Nail Clippers Should I Use?
There are two main types of dog nail clippers, the guillotine type and the scissors type.

The guillotine dog nail trimmer has a stationary hole where the nail goes through and a blade that moves up to cut the nail when you squeeze the handles of 
the trimmer. 
You can review a few guillotine type dog nail clippers here.

The scissors type works just like a pair of scissors. You open them and put the tip of your dog’s nail between the blades to trim it.
You can review a few scissor type dog nail clippers here.

You can also visit a pet store to look at both types of trimmers and then choose whichever you feel most comfortable with.

An Alternative to Guillotines and Scissors!
Instead of trimming your dog's nails with the usual guillotine or scissor type dog nail clippers, some folks prefer to use special grinder type tools, such as a Dremel or Oster, to grind the nails down. Because this kind of tool sands the nail, much like an emory board you use to file your own nails, you can avoid sharp edges and split nails, which are two disadvantages of using clippers.

You can review some of the grinder type dog nail clippers here.
The top rated grinder type is the Oster Nail Grinder.

Safety-Type Dog Nail Clippers
In addition to the above trimmer types, there is also the safety-type clipper where built-in safety features or sensors will tell you where the quick is, so you do not cut into it.

How to Prepare Your Dog for Nail Trimming
If you’ve never trimmed your dog’s nails before, spend a few days getting him used to having his feet handled first. Pick up one of his paws and gently touch his toes and nails for a few seconds, then release his paw and immediately give him a treat. Repeat this for a couple of minutes.

After a day or two of practicing the above, and your dog seems comfortable with you touching his paws, get the dog nail clippers out. Pick up one his paws and touch the clippers to one of his nails. No clipping yet! Give him a treat. Repeat this for a few minutes.

Are You Ready to Start?
After a day or two of practicing the above and your dog seems comfortable with you handling his paws, try trimming a nail or two, and then do the same trick with the treats after each nail. It's also a good idea to start after your dog has done a long walk or is sleepy.

How to Trim
Get some treats and your dog nail clippers, and take your dog to a quiet area. Keep a clotting powder, such as Kwik Stop Styptic Powder, close at hand when you trim your dog’s nails so that you can quickly stop the bleeding if you accidentally cut the quick. Choose a nail to trim. Take your dog’s toe and hold it firmly but gently between your fingers. If you’re using a scissors-type trimmer, hold them at a right angle to the nail with the tip of the nail between the blades.

Quickly squeeze the handles to close the scissors and cut the nail. If you’re using a guillotine-type trimmer, insert the tip of your dog’s nail into the hole, holding the trimmer perpendicular to the nail so that you cut from top to bottom, not side to side.

To be absolutely sure of where you’re cutting, you can face the cutting blade toward you rather than your dog. To produce a cleaner cut, you can face the cutting blade toward your dog, but you won’t be able to see exactly where the blade will make contact with the nail. Choose whichever orientation makes you most comfortable. When you’ve positioned the trimmer in the right place, squeeze the handles to cut through your dog’s nail.

Where to Trim
Knowing where to trim a nail takes some skill. If your dog has clear nails, you can see the live quick, which looks pink. Cut the nail no closer than about two millimeters from the quick. If your dog has dark nails, you can avoid cutting into the quick by trimming one little sliver of nail at a time, starting with the tip. As you cut slices off your dog’s nail, look at the exposed edge of the cut nail. Eventually, you’ll see a gray or pink oval starting to appear.

Stop trimming when you see the oval. If you don’t, you’ll cut into the quick, causing pain and bleeding. Another option with black nails is to have an assistant use a flashlight to back-light each of your dog’s nails while you trim. The light from behind the nail allows you to clearly see the pink quick.

Don’t forget to trim your dog’s dewclaws as well. Most dogs just have dewclaws on their front legs, but some dogs have one and sometimes even two sets of 
dewclaws on their rear legs. If your dog doesn’t have dewclaws on his front legs, it might have been surgically removed earlier in his life.

How to Finish the Nail Trimming
As long as your dog doesn’t seem upset when you trim a nail or two, you can continue to trim the rest of his nails over the next few days until you’ve trimmed them all. Trim two or three at a time, always delivering a treat after trimming each nail.

The next time your dog’s nails need trimming, you can try trimming more nails per sitting. Eventually, you’ll be able to trim all of his nails at one time. To make sure your dog continues to feel comfortable with nail trimming, keep delivering treats during and right after trimming time.

I Screwed Up! What Do I Do?
If you trimmed your dog’s nail too short and cut the quick, the nail will bleed and your dog will likely be upset at you and start pulling way. The bleeding can be profuse and long lasting. Stay calm, talk in a soothing voice and immediately feed your dog a bunch of tasty treats. Then apply your clotting powder directly to the exposed bleeding edge to stop the bleeding. Then stop the trimming session and try again in a day or so.

If Your Dog Is Really Upset About Getting His Nails Trimmed
Some dogs show fearful or aggressive behavior when you try to trim their nails. Watch carefully for signs of distress, such as panting, drooling, trembling, jerking his paw away, trying to escape or hide, whining, freezing, crouching or cowering, tucking the tail, growling, snarling, showing teeth, snapping or biting.

If you notice any of these signs, you’ll need help from a qualified professional, such as a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) or a veterinary behaviorist. If you can’t find one of these professionals in your area, you may be able to find a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT). If you elect to hire a CPDT, be sure to determine whether she or he has professional training and experience in treating fear and aggression as this treatment is beyond what CPDT certification requires.
 
Is It Better To Just Take My Dog to the Vet for Trimming?
Some people prefer to take their dogs to the veterinary clinic for nail trimming because they don’t have the time, tools or experience to properly trim nails  themselves. As long as you remind the veterinary staff not to cut your dog’s nails too short, this option might work well for you and your dog.

However, keep in mind that the veterinary environment can cause many dogs significant anxiety. If you take your dog to the vet for nail trimming, watch for signs of distress, such as trembling, panting, drooling, trying to escape or hide, crouching, cowering or whimpering. If you see any of these signs, ask a vet to show you how to trim your dog’s nails so you can do it yourself at home to spare your dog unnecessary anxiety.

And for the Most Important Tips When Trimming Your Dog's Nails
Do not physically punish or yell at your dog if he resists nail trimming. Doing this will only make him feel worse about the activity, and it will probably worsen his behavior.

Do not force your dog to submit to nail trimming if he’s obviously frightened. Contact a professional behavior expert for help instead.