This article was co-authored by Natalie Punt, DVM and by How.com.vn staff writer, Eric McClure. Dr. Natalie Punt is a Veterinarian and the Founder and CEO of mPet- a smart phone app for pet owners to store, manage and transfer their pets medical records and health information. She specializes in small animal emergency and general medicine and veterinary practice economics. Dr. Punt holds a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from The University of California, Davis, an MS in Biochemistry from The University at Buffalo, and a DVM from Western University of Health Sciences.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Nail grooming is important when it comes to a dog’s health, but it's actually pretty common for dogs to react to nail trimming time like it’s the end of the world. But even the most fickle and sensitive dogs can be taught to enjoy grooming sessions (or at least tolerate them). The trick is to be patient and go extremely slow. There are even a few workarounds if you can’t get your dog used to nail trimming time. To help you out, we consulted veterinarian Natalie Punt and professional groomer Lancy Woo to get the best tips, tricks, and hacks for trimming an uncooperative dog’s nails.
Things You Should Know
- Introduce the clippers slowly and handle your dog’s paws regularly to make them desensitized to the nail trimming process.
- Trim 1-2 nails a day if your dog won’t sit still for long. It's perfectly okay if it takes a week or more to cut all of your dog's nails.
- If your dog still fights during nail trims, consider switching to a Dremel grinding tool or taking them to a professional.
Steps
Getting Your Dog Used to Nail Cutting
- Handle your dog’s paws. Your dog’s paws are the most sensitive part of their body. In the wild, a wounded paw could be the difference between life and death. As a result, your dog is likely to pull away when you handle their paws. You can overcome this by gently touching your dog’s paws every day. Pet them, wiggle their toes, and show them that you don’t mean any harm.[1]
- This process may take days—or even weeks. Take your time and be super patient!
- A note on this process: For each step here, wait to advance to the next portion of the process if your dog is still pulling away, snarling, barking, or fighting. It’s better to take your time now than to jump forward and make this process even harder.
- Use a pencil eraser to simulate nail cutting. Once your dog is used to having their paws handled, grab something small and semi-soft, like a pencil eraser or sponge. Start pretending to cut your dog’s nails by rubbing the soft item against the tip of each nail. Take breaks if your dog starts fussing, and move on to the next step once your dog is totally fine with the eraser or sponge.[2]
- If your dog seems extremely anxious or hesitant with the eraser or sponge, start introducing treats. Reward your pup for sitting still and relaxing when you handle their nails.
Advertisement - Introduce the clippers but don’t use them. Hold your nail clippers out for your dog to sniff, gently lick, or poke and prod with their snout. Set the clippers on top of their paws, let them swat at them, and just get your dog used to the item. Once the clippers no longer bother your dog, you can start cutting their nails.[3]
- If your dog seems hesitant around the clippers, start pairing the clippers with treats and high praise.
- Clip the first nail at an angle while offering lots of praise. Lancy Woo, a certified pet groomer and owner of a pet salon, says, “Hold the first nail you plan on cutting with your thumb and pointer finger near the point where the nail curves. Take small cuts until you see the translucent white or black dot. By holding the nail firmly, you won’t over-cut if your dog jumps.”
- That white or black dot inside of the nail is the quick. Take care not to trim it, as it will cause bleeding. If you do accidentally cut the quick, don’t freak out (it’s a lot of blood, but your dog probably won’t be in a lot of pain). Put their paw in a small container of cornstarch to stop the bleeding. Then, wrap the paw in gauze and apply pressure to give the nail time to clot.
- Aim to clip each nail at an angle that’s parallel to the ground so that you only remove the excess growth that would sit against the floor when your dog stands.
- Do one nail at a time and stop when they start fussing. Continue providing treats before and after each nail as you work. If at any point your dog jumps away, barks, or reacts strongly, stop. Give your dog a few treats and pets to end on a positive note and try again later. If they’re fine though, keep clipping the rest of their nails. As licensed Veterinarian Natalie Punt puts it, clip their nails “however your dog best tolerate[s] it.”
- It’s 100% okay if it takes multiple days to finish all of your dog’s nails. That’s actually pretty normal for most dog owners.
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
- If you find yourself getting frustrated, it helps to remind yourself what this process looks like from your dog’s perspective. Imagine a large creature that doesn’t speak your language grabbing the most sensitive parts of your body out of nowhere and trying to cut them. That’s what it feels like to your pooch if you just grab your dog’s nails to try and cut them with no preparation or emotional priming. So, be patient, take your time, and don’t get frustrated if your pup spooks out a bit.[6]Thanks
- While there are rare cases where restraining a dog is necessary (such as if they’re large or have a bite history), it’s much easier in the long run to invest your time early and get your dog comfortable with grooming.[7]Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about handling dogs, check out our in-depth interview with Natalie Punt, DVM.
References
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-trim-dogs-nails-safely/
- ↑ https://mycountrysidevet.com/need-help-learning-trim-dog-cats-nails/
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-trim-dogs-nails-safely/
- ↑ https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/grinders-vs-clippers-whats-best-for-your-dogs-nails/
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-trim-dogs-nails-safely/
- ↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/taking-the-stress-out-of-nail-trimming-for-dogs
- ↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/taking-the-stress-out-of-nail-trimming-for-dogs
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