When raising a dog many of you only care about bathing and trimming the dog’s fur but forgetting that cutting their nails is also a necessary job.

Benefits of nail clippers for dogs

Nail clippers for large dogs and small dogs are not only a matter of beautifying the nails but it also helps protect the health of your pet. Here are some reasons to help you to understand the importance of nail trimming:

Nails that are too long could split a half exposing the quick which is a blood vessel and a nerve, that will cause pain for days. In some situations, the nail will curl into the pad and will become an ingrown nail which will cause an infection and pain.

Too long nails will also make walking and running difficult. For a dog the effect of walking with very long nails equals to the effect of a human wearing high heals 24-7. With time it will develop problems in dog’s joints and will effect its posture. 

Also long nails will interfere with the ailment of the pads. Sometime later, it will have a significant effect on ligaments and foot bones.

Long and sharp dog nails can scratch your skin while bathing or trimming the fur or playing with the dog.

Read more: How to take care of your dog’s fur – dog grooming tips

Frequency of nail clippers for dogs

Dog’s toenails grow fairly quickly, so cut or file them  at least every 3 weeks. If you have free time, you can trim your dog’s nails once a week. If you can afford it, you can take your baby to the pet grooming salon to have their nails cut or filed. 

Nail clippers kit for dogs and cats

Dog nails require specialized tools because they are extremely thick and hard. Scissors or human nail clippers will not help in cutting dog’s nails.

Nail cutting procedure for pet groomers

Note the ‘pink’ area before cutting your dog’s nails

It is a part located in the toenail, which is composed of many blood vessels along with nerves. If you accidentally touch the area, the dog will bleed for a while . So it is best to keep away from this area, and to be on the safe side cut about 2-3 mm away  from the quick.

If your dog has white nails, it’s easy to see the pink inside.However, if the nail is dark, the quick can’t be seeing which will make the procedure more difficult. In this case you would want to cut off bit by bit starting with the tip of the nail. Usually the quick is alined with the bottom of the pad therefore the bottom of the pad will be your reference line.

When nails haven’t been shortened for a long time the quick will be long too since it grows longer if the nails continue to grow.In this case it will be advisable to take your dog to a groomer, since it is chellanging to shorten long nails with the grown quick.

Steps for nail grooming preventing pain

 

There are many different types of nail clippers with a stainless steel blade, but the two simplest and easiest ones are square-cut (U-shaped) with scissors cut. 

Step 1: It is all about fixing your dog properly on a table or on a floor if your dog is a large size. it might take some time for a dog who is not accustomed to nail trimming to start getting use to it. There are different ways of training a dog for nail clipping procedure, in either ways it is all about positively reinforcing whether with a treat or a fun game. 

Step 2: It is better to start with the hind legs as dogs are usually less sensitive there. Hold each leg firmly. .

Step 3:  Gently press on the pad cushion, so that the nail is pushed out. Tilt the pliers to cut 45 degrees and cut the tip of the nail.

Step 4: After cutting  the nails, you might want to  use a file or a piece of sand paper or the nail filing electric tool if you have one. Filing edges of freshly cut nails will smooth them out to prevent your dog from scratching you .

Step 5:This is when a reward comes in, whether it’s a treat or your dog’s favorite toy or a game like get a bone or chase a ball

A few things to note about dog nail clipping for dogs 

Regarding safety guard, do not trim nails too short. Dogs do need nails to function normally in daily life, such as creating resistance along with grip when running and jumping.

For the process of nail clipping go gradually, you can touch your dog’s foot and its pad every day. Your dog needs to learn to trust you.

IMake sure that you buy a nail powder called QuikStop, if you accidentally cut the pink area and it starts to bleed  this powder will come in handy to stop bleeding right away. If you do not have the special nail powder you can use the flour with a tiny bit of water to make it gluey .

If you are afraid cutting your dog’s nails yourself, you should take your baby to the pet spa where a groomer will do it professionally. 

In conclusion

Trimming a dog’s nails  is essential for protecting and keeping your dog’s hygiene. Please leave the comment below for Spa Groomtopia if you have any questions or concerns!