How to Cut Your Dog’s Nails

How to Cut Your Dog’s Nails

Dogs! We love them and they love us. But one thing dogs do not love is getting their claws trimmed, so we asked veterinarian Dr. Valerie Patton to give some of her best tips for easily, painlessly cutting your dog’s nails.

She says even before the canine manicure, get your pup accustomed to you touching and playing with their feet. That way, they won’t be alarmed when you suddenly bring tools toward their paws.

Then she says to go a little bit at a time. Cut a little, give a treat, and repeat. If your dog is very energetic, try just doing one claw per day. You can also get some help and have a friend hold your dog steady while you do the trimming, which is much easier.

To avoid bleeding, notice where the quick of the nail is (on a light-coloured claw, it’ll be the pink area you can see inside the nail, equivalent to a human’s nail bed). You want to steer clear of clipping into that quick, because it will cause bleeding. If your dog has dark nails, you won’t be able to see the quick, so just take off tiny amounts at a time.

Finally, be sure to replace the nail clippers periodically, as you want them sharp, not just squeezing the nail. And get some Kwik Stop or cornstarch on hand in case you cut into the quick.


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