Human nail clippers can be used to clip your puppies nails, but it will be much harder to do effectively as they grow up. Your adult dog's nails will likely need to be cut using a specialised tool. Petbarn has a variety of nail trimmers designed specifically for dog claws for a safer and easier process.
Hand filing with a traditional emery board or using a scratch board are by far the best options for trimming your dog's nails without clippers. Grinders can also work, but you need to acclimate your dog early on to these. Never use scissors and only use human clippers on small puppies who have tiny nails.
To cut your dog's nails, you need scissor clippers, guillotine clippers, or a grinder. For first-timers, it's best to have two people: one to comfort your pup while the other trims. Nail grinding is another option that may allow you to have more control.
Always use a pair of dog nail clippers. Never use scissors or human nail clippers - they aren't designed for dog claws, so are likely to squash them and cause them to split. Hold your dog's paw in a position that is comfortable for them, but also easy for you to see their nails.
Failing To Trim My Pet's Nails
However, long nails create potential issues for animals — a splayed foot, reduced traction, deformed feet, and even injured tendons over time. As long nails hit the ground, it puts force on the foot and leg structure. This force can potentially lead to arthritis and ongoing pain.
The dog will usually not be able to grind all of their nails down evenly, so you may still need to use another method. Long walks can wear down your dog's nails naturally over time. In the wild, wolves and coyotes keep their nails short through digging and running after prey for hours.
The cutting blade should be closest to you, not the dog. Be sure not to cut too short, as the nail will bleed. Nails should be cut from underneath at a 45-degree angle.
Nails soften if soaked in water. Try trimming nails after bathtime or let your dog stand in a few inches of water in the bathtub for about 15 minutes.
The average dog should have his nails clipped every three to four weeks, but it should be done as often as needed to keep the nail from touching the ground when your dog is standing.
Clipping and grinding are equally efficient and safe ways to trim your pup's nails. Clippers are cheaper and less noisy, while dremels are louder and more expensive but more precise and efficient. Whichever you choose, nail maintenance is still an inconvenient and challenging task for dog parents.
Dog Nail Clipping Hazards
When we suggest switching to filing, we don't mean to bring out the emery board that you use for your nails. Even if you have a very small pet, the emery boards and metal nail files designed for humans are not strong enough to last through filing even one dog's nail.
Most dogs need to have their nails trimmed approximately once monthly. Dogs that are frequently walked on pavement or concrete may be able to go a bit longer between nail trims, because walking on a hard, rough surface can help file the nail.
The angle you take when trimming dark nails isn't the same as you would regularly approach the nails with the dog trimmers. Instead of trimming horizontally from one side of the nail to the other, you'll need to cut the nail vertically, from top to bottom.
Trimming black nails
Hold your dog's paw firmly but gently. Position the clippers to cut the nail from top to bottom (not side to side) Trim a very small length of the nail, about 1/16th of an inch.
Not only does cutting a dog's nails too short cause them pain, but leaving them to grow too long can be even more painful. For instance, long nails can cause a dog to lose traction in their paw, making it easier for them to slip and fall, causing additional pain than that from the nail alone.
Pain is the main reason that dogs hate nail trims. If your dog has ever been cut too close, even once, he will remember it. Nature provides pain as a protection and if something hurts, an animal must learn to avoid, and even fight it. This is a survival instinct.
As long as you avoid clipping too close to that pink bit, you'll be fine. Those of you who have a fur baby with black nails, on the other hand, have a much harder time. Black nails contain melanin, which tints them. It's not harmful or cause for concern, but it does make nail trimming much more difficult.
A dog's nail consists of the living pink quick and the hard outer material called the shell. The quick supplies blood to the nail and runs through the core of it. Nerves in the quick cause bleeding and discomfort when cut. Regular nail trimming will cause the quick to recede from the end.
Dog's nails should extend enough to be seen, but should not go past the paw. If your dog has long hair, you may not be able to easily see the nails. But if the nails extend over the bottom of the paw pad you'll know your dog's nails are too long.