All of you are interested in how to cut puppy nails and make this process as easy as possible. If you are one of rare whose dog enjoys this process, this guide isn’t suitable for you. For all others, this is a mandatory page. Below, we will cover all the elements, steps, and all the rest you need to know. Without further ado, let’s begin.
How to Cut Puppy Nails
Your dog must feel comfortable
Yes, you will need a pair of nail clippers and a nail file for dogs in order to get this job done. But, if you really want to know how to cut puppy nails easily, you need to know that time and effort have a crucial role.
Both of these are mandatory for preparation. In general, you need one week to train your puppy and make him comfortable for nail cutting. Here are a few things you will need to do.
The first thing you need to do is to start by touching his paws and nails frequently. Use nail clippers and a grinder or a nail file and touch the paws using both of these as often as you can. Then, start by pressing the nail clippers so your puppy can hear the sound. You should do the same with the grinder but after the nail clippers.
Now you can start by trimming just one nail, a very small amount of it. Repeat this step a few times every single time. After that, you can trim 2 nails, larger sizes, and gradually increase the size and number of nails you will trim.
You should reach all the nails in 7 or 8 days. If your puppy needs more time, take as long as needed.
Start with the simplest preparation steps here and gradually move to more complicated ones. The goal is to prepare your pet in knowing that nail clippers are safe and not scary. He also needs to know that nail cutting is safe and sound.
One thing should be done as often as possible. After each step or part of the process give your puppy a treat. A puppy will consider these actions as safe and something that comes with a reward. In most cases, you will complete this process within 7 days.
Steps for trimming the nails
Now you can start trimming the nails. This may sound like a very complicated and even scary process, but it is far from that. You need to follow these simple steps and to know a few simple facts. Once you know all of these, you can begin.
- Grab a paw of your puppy. Place the thumb on the pad of a toe while your forefinger will be located on the top. It is important to add that hair of the puppy must not be in the way. Squeeze the fingers in order for the nail to extend it. This is an essential part of the step.
- Clip the small part of the nail. This should be done straight across and you can use it for declaws as well. Do this for all the nails.
- Never trim the nail beyond the curve or you may cut the quick. This is a small pink area that will contain various blood vessels. If you cut it, you will hurt your dog and it will be painful. If your puppy has dark nails, look for the white ring!
As you can see, all is done and all of this is extremely simple and easy. You can use nail clippers for pets. These are the most affordable and the most commonly used option. But, if you like something else, you can use nail clippers known as guillotine or other grinder tools.
All of these work well and there are no additional things you will need to know.
Now you should grind the nails
If you thought that the job is done, you are wrong. In order to get the best results, you should grind the nails. This process is done to smooth down the rough edges and make nails look perfect. It is important but not mandatory.
For this purpose, you can use an electric grinder, designed for dogs. It is reasonably affordable and it is the fastest and the most effective method. You can use a nail file for dogs or humans but this is a slower process.
Start by holding the nail in the same way as when trimming it. Then, smooth down the nail starting at the bottom and the top.
The goal is to have all edges perfectly smooth which is obvious. If you use a grinder, make sure you are holding it high and it should be positioned towards it. Your dog still needs to be comfortable while you are doing this. Make sure to look for any signs that may tell you that your puppy isn’t comfortable any more.
Last but not least is to keep the long hair of a puppy away from the grinder. If you use a nail file, this isn’t as important because it cannot get caught on the file in the same way as it will on the grinder. The grinder spins fast so if a small hair is caught, it will be painful.
You won’t have enough time to turn the grinder off. In addition, if you are using a grinder, make sure to use a grinding band and also the finishing stone. The first is used to trim and grind the nails. The latter is needed to smooth down the edges and make them perfect.
My Dog Won’t Let Me Cut His Nails, What Can I Do? Learn more here.
The final word
How to cut puppy nails like a professional? Follow these steps and this guide and you will be fine. There is no need to add that all of the steps are mandatory and all of the processes we have mentioned are essential.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that your puppy must learn to be comfortable and must stay like this during the process.
Also, you can read my How To Groom Your Dog At Home article.
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