How To Actually Cut Your Dogs Nails Correctly

It makes no difference which dog you have, all their nails grow at different lengths. Some dogs get their exercise from softer surfaces; sometimes these surfaces don’t allow a dog’s nails to get filed down much. Dogs that get their exercise on harder surfaces like concrete sidewalks, for instance, might have their nails worn down naturally. In the wild, wild animals keep their nails trimmed even on the softer ground but it’s because they are out there all the time, day and night – that’s what they’re made to do. But domesticated dogs – well, their nails need to be trimmed occasionally. 
Sometimes you will only notice that your dog’s nails are getting long when the furniture gets torn or scratched or when the floor gets scratched. You might even get annoyed and blame it on Fido. But it is not his fault. When his nails are left to get too long they can cause him pain and even injury.

Steps: How to Cut Your Dog's Nails

1) Hold your dog’s foot steady, and gently.

2) Then snip off a small bit off the end of each of his toenails.

3) Place a small tip of the nail in the clipper and snip. If the dog’s nail feels kind of spongy while you’re trying to cut it, stop immediately because you are probably cutting into the quick (a nerve that can lead to bleeding and pain if the nail is cut too short). Stop any bleeding immediately.

4) If you do cut the quick you’ll have an unhappy dog and he will need a treat while you clean up the bleeding. The quick can bleed quite a bit, so you will either need a nail cauterizer which will stop the bleeding. Some styptic powder can also be applied using a cotton swab.

5) If you use a nail grinder rather than clippers, use the same method - hold your dog’s foot, turn on the grinder, and grind a little of each nail.

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