Photo of dog clippers on carpet next to a pile of shaved dog hair

Dog Nail Clipping Recipe

Trimming your kin’s nails is very straightforward. If you have trimmed children’s fingernails, then you get that there is a process. Maybe you don’t have time to make appointments or you’re not cool with the local groomer needing to keep your dog all day in order to get nails clipped… Whatever the reason, es no importa. 

Total time: Start to finish, you will need about 10-minutes.

Supplies:

  • Pee pad
  • Bright lighting such as near a window for natural light
  • Just in case, have this in order to stop nail bleeding
  • Favorite dog treat
  • Clipper like these

 

Process Approaches:

  • With either of the two approaches, sit in bright lighting, including next to a window and turn on room electrical lighting if that exists. The lighting will allow you to see your dog’s vein (i.e. “quick”) and avoid cutting it. See the warning section below. 
  • Also, cuddle and calm dog who is new to the process or always nervous when they see scissors or trimmers.
  • Approach 1: On the pee pad, have your dog sit at attention and hold out each paw for nail trimming.
  • Approach 2: Sitting on the floor with legs crisscrossed, have your dog lay in your lap; hold the dog in your lap, lifting each paw for nail trimming.
  • After the approach used, provide your dog with the favorite treat.

 

Warning:

If you accidentally cut your dog’s vein located inside of the nail, remember the following. Also, if you want to exercise extra cautious,  go to an online search engine to find biological images of what the vein (i.e. “quick”) looks like inside of your dog’s nail.

  • Pain: Cutting the vein really hurts. Your dog will likely cry out in pain.
  • Bleeding: There will likely be bleeding.
  • Stop the bleeding: Have this on hand. You simply dip your dog’s bleeding nail into this powder and the bleeding stops.
  • How to avoid cutting the nail vein: That’s what the lighting is all about. Even for dogs with dark nails, with good lighting, the human can see where the vein is located and can avoid the vein.
  • It happens: Even professional groomers will admit that they sometimes cut the dog’s vein. However, the writer of this recipe has not yet had this issue. 

 

 

 

This content is in no way is a diagnosis or a prescription for your dog’s health issues. Please see a licensed veterinarian for treatment.