Nail clippers for dogs: how to trim your dog's nails

There seem to be many questions about the use of different nail clippers on the market. The vast majority of people are expressing difficulties using "pet" quality nail grinders. Why could this be? Let's talk a little about cutting your dog's nails.

Quality pet nail grinders are NOT capable and should not be expected to grind a long nail to an acceptable length. They just don't have the power or strength of the sandpaper you'll find in a suitable dremel tool. The quality pet grinder can (only can) work well to keep your dog's nails polished after they have been trimmed properly.

First, your dog needs to have her nails trimmed with a standard nail clipper. There are several types on the market that operate by hand in the form of a guillotine on the nail. You should trim small pieces of nail at a time to safely remove the dead nail and not cut it quickly. On a light colored nail, you should be able to easily see the vein and want to keep the cut well in front of the end of the vein. On dark nails, it's best to cut the splinters at once until you start to see a dark circle in the center of the nail trimmer for dogs.

If you cut your dog's nails slowly, and small pieces at a time, you will avoid cutting them quickly. Cutting the rapid or the vein is what causes a dog to associate nail cutting with pain; and what makes him fight the process, making it dangerous and more annoying for both of them. If your dog will not tolerate trimming the nail, make an appointment with your vet or your favorite groomer to trim the nails for you.

Now that the nails are trimmed properly, you can use your grinder to keep them short and short. If your dog is still fighting with you when you try to use the grinder, then you will have to do a reconditioning training with it. Offer rewards and praise for even the smallest of positive behaviors. This means that you may be starting to praise her simply for not running out of the room when you turn on the grinder ... or even more basic, give her a gift for letting her hold her paw and touch her fingernails with her fingertips. .

The process takes a long time and patience. You can speak to your groomer or dog trainer for more information or to show you how to do this training. As a groomer, I see many, many dogs every day that have been conditioned to react with severe behavior when their nails are trimmed due to improper handling early in their lives. I spend more time with these dogs doing this reconditioning, praise and gentle handling training. It only takes a couple of visits to our store for these dogs to relax and allow us to work standing up.

You won't pay for rushing or forcing your dog to comply with the nail trimming. You must establish a positive learning experience and be gentle in your approach. Enlist the assistance of your veterinarian or professional groomer to show you the best way to cut your dog's nails. Use the quality pet nail grinder or a real Dremel tool (you will find them in the hardware department / tool department in most stores) to file the nails weekly after cutting them with a manual nail clipper.