Are you facing trouble trimming your dog’s nails at home?

Well, most dogs do not like when someone touches their paws. They hate getting their nails trimmed even more.

However, nail trimming is crucial for your dog’s good health and hygiene. Some dogs are accustomed to nail trimming - they sit in the lap or on the floor when you clip their nails. However, others may need some training.

With the right tools and patience, you can make the process stress-free for both you and your furry companion.

Here are some tips that you can follow while trimming your dog’s nails at home.

4 Tips to Trim Your Dog’s Nail

1.     Comfort Your Dog

Start the process by comforting the dog. Pay attention to their body language and respond accordingly. Look for the signs of discomfort, like moving their paw away from you repeatedly. It helps you understand your dog and make the trimming more comfortable.

If your dog anytime signals that you are moving too quickly, finish up for the day and help them feel relaxed. If you keep going even after they feel discomfort, they will start hating nail trimming even more.

2.    Familiarize Trimming From a Young Age

Begin body handling exercises from a young age. Familiarize them with nail trimming and its tools gradually. When you do so right from the beginning, they will not think of it as a scary or a painful process. 

You can also pair the nail trimming exercise with treats to make the process fun instead of threatening. First, show the trimmer to your puppy and then treat them afterwards. It will make a positive association of them with the tools and trimming process.

Must Read: How to take care of a puppy?

3.    Soften the Nails

Try to match the nail trimming session with bath time. Bathing your dog makes their nails soften. When softened, the nails get easy to clip and splinter less likely. Moreover, when you clean your dog’s fur, the massaging motion relaxes your dog for a nail clipping.

However, note that trimming their nails is not a good idea if your dog gets super excited after a bath. They need to be in a minimal active mode for the trimming session. You are the one who knows your pet well, so plan a suitable time.

4.   Look for the Quick

Almost all of us are confused about how short to clip a dog’s nail. You should look for the quick to not harm your pup.

If your dog’s nails are clear and light-coloured, you can see a pink-coloured blood vessel under the nail tip - that is called quick. This quick help you determine how short to clip. Keep a quarter of an inch distance from the quick.

If your dog has black nails, go slowly, trim one silver at a time. When you clip, you get to see a greyish-white part of the nail. As you keep clipping, you get to see the black spot in the centre of the nail. Do not clip after that.

Clipping the nails too short or cutting the quick can cause excessive bleeding and pain. It can then become a traumatic experience for your pet.

Follow our tips to make your dog’s nail trimming a pleasant and safe process for you and your dog.

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