The Dog Training Review

Pet nail care is an important part of your pet’s total health care. Because nails continually grow and are not necessarily worn down as they might if they have been walking a lot, in that case it is up to you to help keep them at a more comfortable length. Whenever nails are too long, it has an effect on the manner a dog walks which may cause joint inflammation later in life. Also longer nails can get caught and torn, or every now and then curl back into the toe pad and can trigger an infection. Trimming nails is not that upsetting if you have the proper gear and have properly trained your dog to let you hold the paw.

The nail does have a “quick” that houses the veins and nerves of the nail.The quick is easier to see in white nails. By trimming small amounts at a time and trimming with the plane of the bottom part of the toe pad (horizontally rather than vertically) you can keep from clipping the nail to short as to cause it to bleed.

Here are a few other tricks to successfully cut your pet’s nails:

1. Start while your pet is still a puppy or kitten by carefully holding their paws. By making a game of it and inspecting the nails, chances are they will allow you to cut them once they grow older.

2. Opt for a pet nail trimmer for the size and age of your pet.I sometimes use a human toenail trimmer for young pet’s nails since it can get to the tiny tips just a little easier and they are generally sharper. As your kitten or puppy gets older, I will then change nail trimmers to the scissor action style of trimmer rather than the guillotine trimmer. I find that these stay sharper for a longer time and are easier to use. The guillotine style some times traps the nails and doesn’t necessarily get a clean cut. Your veterinarian can help you select a appropriate trimmer.

3. When trimming your dog’s nails , never undertake it when your pet is sitting in your lap. Have someone help you and set them on the countertop or top of the washer or dryer. You may wrap them with a bath towel to help holding them better. Cats can also be scruffed by grasping the loose skin behind their heads for better control. If your pet begins to fight, just try holding the paw until he relaxes. In the event you let go of the foot when your pet begins to protest, you are just encouraging the poor behavior and will make the next nail trim event even more difficult. (Go back to number 1)

4. Be well prepared. Have available styptic pencils such as silver nitrate or Kwik stop powder. Be aware that the silver nitrate on the end of the sticks does indeed stain countertops and your skin if you ever get it on you. For beginners, it is best to stick with the styptic powder.

5. If your pet has light colored nails, you can visualize the pink portion of the quick. If your pet has darker nails, trim just a little at a time. I like to carefully press on the toe and extend the nail out. I then draw an imaginary line level with the bottom of the toe pad and extend it out across the nail. I then trim the nail at this imaginary line so that the nail is now level with the floor when the dog is standing. The nail of the cat is easier to see and it is best to just trim the tips off and stay away from the pink colored quick.

6. You can use an emery board to smooth the sharp edges.

7. Pedi-paws or similar rotor drill sanders are useful to smooth rough edges and also to trim just a tiny bit of nail. If the nail is very long in any way, then it can take you quite some time to get it trimmed. You can use the drill to keep the nail shorter or for smoothing the nail after you have used the clippers. Your pet must also be trained not to be scared of the noise, so it’s always best to go slowly while you both learn how to deal with the drill.

After some practice and a lot of patience, you can soon be trimming your pet’s nails with full confidence. If all else fails, your veterinarian or groomer are there to help.