Dog claws are a lot thicker and stronger than human nails, so you'll need specialist nail clippers. There are bypass clippers and guillotine clippers – both are suitable, but vets tend to prefer the bypass type.
While some people might prefer guillotine-style clippers, the spring-loaded scissor-style or plier-style nail clippers are favored by most veterinary professionals. These are especially helpful for dogs with thick, tough nails. Some brands even have a guard so you don't accidentally cut the nail too short.
Ask for a sedated nail trim.
Unless there is a medical reason not to sedate your dog, your vet should be able to do a sedated trim. Being sedated should make the nail trim process less traumatic for your pup.
Get your dog accustomed to seeing nail clippers.
Act happy when you grab the clippers and give your dog a treat. Repeat this step several times a day for a couple of weeks. Your dog should quickly learn to associate the sight of the clippers with praise and treats.
Nails cannot be allowed to grow without being trimmed or naturally worn down so if they are long enough, your veterinarian will need to inject a sedative into your dog in order to safely trim the nails. Physical restraint should not be performed if a dog is struggling and trying to bite.
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.
Taking your dog for regular walks, including on hard surfaces such as pavements, will help to shorten their claws, but may not be enough to keep them as short as they should be.
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.
Trazodone can both sedate a dog and relieve anxiety. This is a good dog sedative for grooming, veterinary visits, thunderstorms/fireworks, and other short-term stressful events. Side effects include low blood pressure, so trazodone may be used cautiously or avoided in patients with certain health conditions.
Dogs need their nails clipped on a regular basis, approximately every 3-4 weeks; however, it is common for owners to wait too long in between trimmings which can lead to a number of health issues for the animal.
Survival instinct
The main reason dogs hate getting their nails clipped is because of the pain. It doesn't hurt them if they are clipped correctly but if your dog has been cut too close to their nerve in their nail, even once, he will remember it.
Quit overreacting, you big baby. An anonymous pit bull has been crowned the world's “most dramatic” dog after it seemingly pretended to faint when its owner attempted to clip its nails. Whoops!
If your dog's nails are overgrown or black, it's harder to identify the quick and avoid it. The key is to trim the nail slowly in small sections. "You're going to clip a little bit, a little bit, a little bit," Oliver says.
Skipping This Grooming Task Can Cause Your Dog Pain
Veterinarians warn that unhealthy nails can cause pain and, in rare instances, trigger irreversible damage to the dog. A dog's nail consists of the living pink quick and the hard outer material called the shell.
Many owners struggle with trimming their dog's nails because they are nervous they are going to cut the “quick” of their nail or because their dog gets too stressed out and is difficult to restrain properly.
At the center of every dog nail is a bundle of nerves and blood vessels called a quick. Cutting this quick, or even applying pressure to the area around it, can cause your dog immense pain. Some breeds, such as Shiba Inus, pugs, shepherds, labs, and bully breeds, seem to have exceptionally sensitive quicks.
Grinding a dog's nails at a speed higher than recommended can cause heat buildup, which can harm a pet. Or it may result in accidentally hitting the nail quick (the center of the nail, packed with nerves and blood) if pet owners aren't careful.
Groomers might cover an aggressive dog's face with a towel while moving the dog. Aggressive dogs are restrained with a loop and most groomers have muzzles on hand for the toughest dogs. Neither of these devices will hurt your dog. Both ensure your dog stays on the table during the groom for her own safety.
While lavender has been widely used for its calming effects, other herbs such as valerian, passionflower, and chamomile could also help ease your dog's anxiety. While you can make your own capsules or teas, you can also purchase pre-made remedies, and even treats that your dog is more likely to enjoy.