Dog Tip: Nail Trimming
The following tips come from an article by Arden Moore
in the September 2002 issue of Dog Fancy Magazine.
Long nails can get snagged in carpets and rip, causing
bleeding and pain. Over time, long nails can affect
how a dog walks and lead to foot injuries. Here are
steps to trimming your dog's nails:
* Start young. And before clipping, get the pup or
dog accustomed to having his paws touched.
* Touch, tickle and massage your dog's feet daily to
get used to you handling him and to reduce anxiety.
* Use a happy voice. Praise the dog for reasonably
calm behavior.
* Control the exits. Clip nails in a quiet,
confined, escape-proof place.
* Use clippers made for dogs. Guillotine or scissor
clippers make clean cuts.
* Clip front nails first, since they tend to be more
sensitive.
* Press the pads. Put your dog's whole paw in your
hand and press the pad slightly with your index finger
and thumb to expose the claws. Use your other hand to
clip each one.
* Look for the quick. Clip at an angle just above
the quick -- the pinkish part of the nail that
contains a nerve and a blood vein. For dogs with dark
nails, rather than clipping blind and taking too much
off, just trim the tip every 2 weeks.
* Keep styptic powder within reach. If you
accidentally clip to keep, sprinkle on the powder or
cornstarch to stop the bleeding.
* Polish the nails. Smooth out the edges of your
dog's nails with a heavy-duty emery board or a metal
file for round edges. Pet supply stores and catalogs
sell files for dog nails.
* Reward the dog with treats. You want your dog to
associate nail trimming with good things.
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