Tips for Pet Nail Trimming

It’s no secret that dogs don’t like getting their nails trimmed – Often dogs do not enjoy their paws being touched or held, and if not done correctly, your pet may quickly associate nail trimming with pain and discomfort. As with most healthcare maintenance routines, the first step is to help your pet associate the activity with praise and treats. Evanger’s Liver Snacks are ideal treats for activities that may cause particular reluctance in your pet. These juicy bits of beef liver are extremely potent, and will likely get your dog’s attention much faster than a dry treat.

Practice touching your dog’s feet at first, then move up to touching the clippers to his feet, giving small, healthy dog treats with each step. Once he is comfortable with that, try trimming a very small portion on one or two nails.

When you are ready to conduct a full trim, take a look at your dog’s nail to determine where the sensitive quick is located. Cutting the nail too short into the sensitive quick can cause bleeding and discomfort. It is easy to spot the quick on dogs with clear nails (it appears pink) – cut no more than a few millimeters away from the quick. For dogs with dark nails, cut a few thin slivers at a time until you can see an oval shape starting to appear in the exposed nail (and don’t cut any further).


An alternative to using a clipper is to use a sanding tool available from most pet retail stores – the tool essentially grinds down the nail and is less abrupt than using clippers. Whichever method you use, always remember to give praise and treats during the process and never force your dog into trimming his nails if he is non-compliant.

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