Cut-Dog-Nails

How To Cut Overgrown Dog Nails

We are very conscious of doing pedicures and manicures to keep our nails beautiful and clean. What about our furballs? Do you think they can cut their nails themselves? You really have to give utmost importance in grooming your cuddle buddy. Raising a dog is not just about giving them proper food on time. Dogs require your attention and care throughout their lifespan.

Are you a first-time dog owner and wondering how to cut the overgrown dog nails? Cutting the overgrown nails of your dog isn’t difficult if you have the right tools and a little patience. Use a clipper and cut the overgrown nails of your dog, just like you cut your nails. Cut the nails until you see the quick. Praise your dog and try this out whenever your dog is in a real mood.

Cutting overgrown dog nails is not a hard task as it is said. Trimming of overgrown nails is not a tedious task if you have little patience and the right tools. Be cautious to keep your tools clean and sharp for a better trimming experience. Also, keep corn starch or septic powder near you while trimming the nails and use it if you mistakenly went through the dog’s quick. Always praise the dog and give treats after the task, so that they will sit peacefully in the next trimming session.

However, you might, of course, have lots of confusion when you are up to cut the overgrown nails of a dog for the first time. This article will obviously answer all your queries regarding trimming the nails of your dog.

Why Should You Cut Overgrown Nails Of Your Dogs?

You may ask yourself, why should you take efforts to cut the nails of your furballs? Overgrown nails may not seem harmful to you? But, only until your hands get scratched while playing a game with the furball of yours. These scratches may get worse if you don’t get tetanus injections. Now, you know the hassles, the overgrown nails of your dog can bring.

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Overgrown nails can actually bring hassles to the daily lives of dogs itself. Wondering how? Check out the reasons below:

  • Overgrown nails make your dogs more prone to infections.
  • Overgrown nails tend to fracture easily.
  • Long nails can also cause pain and bleeding.
  • Overgrown nails make your dog’s hind end weak.
  • Long nails can also cause posture problems in certain dogs.

Cutting the overgrown nails of your dog may not be easy for the first time. You obviously need to know where your dog’s quick lies and how far you can cut the nails.

How To Identify A Dog’s Quick?

The soft cuticles around dog nails are called Quick. A dog’s quick is composed of veins and blood vessels.

You can easily differentiate between the nail and quick of your dogs if your dog possesses light-colored nails. And this makes trimming of light-colored nails pretty easy.

Meanwhile, the trimming of dark-colored nails is pretty hard as it is difficult to differentiate between the quick and nails in such nails.

Which Are The Different Ways To Cut Overgrown Nails?

The three different ways in which you can cut your overgrown nails are:

Trimming with a tool

You can trim your dog’s nails quickly and easily using clippers. Trimming tools are the right choice if your dog’s nails grow quickly. Clippers are the best and easiest trimming tool.

Clippers are of two types; Scissor Clippers and Guillotine Clippers. The scissor clippers are the perfect ones for large-sized dogs. These kinds of clippers provide a better grip and make the trimming easy and quick.

Guillotine clippers work perfect for small and medium-sized dogs. These kinds of clippers are usually made of stainless steel.

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Natural abrasion

Natural abrasion prevents the overgrowing of your dog’s nails. The process involves making your dog walk through rough and hard surfaces. The pressure of walking on the hard surfaces reaches towards the nail of your dogs and the nails gradually become shorter and much stronger.

However, natural abrasion will lead to blisters and abrasions if your dog is not much experienced in walking on rough surfaces. Natural abrasion will also result in fractures if the nails of your dog are too long.

Manual abrasion or Grinding

Nail grinders are for the ones wh are not comfortable with nail clippers. Grinders are used to grate down the nails gradually. You have to be very cautious of not grating the nail bed and quick of your dog during the process of grating your nails.

Your dog may fear the sound of grinders during the first sessions. Later they will get accommodated with it and cutting nails will never become any more easier.

How To Trim The Overgrown Dog Nails With Clippers?

You might be quite confused to cut your dog’s nails. Here is a stepwise guide for you to make the task pretty easy and quick.

Thing You Will Require

  • Nail Clippers
  • Scissors
  • Flashlight
  • Septic powder or corn starch
  • A treat for your dog

Stepwise Guide To Cut The Overgrown Dog Nails

Step One

Go near your dog when it seems completely fine. Make sure that the dog is not in a bad mood.

Spend some time with your dog praising it and slowly take hold of your dog’s paws gently. Cover the footpad with your fingers. Place the thumb on the dog’s footpad and encircle it with your fingers.

Step Two

Take the clipper on your other hand. Start clipping from the tip. Don’t attempt to cut the overgrown nails as a whole in a single step. It would be better to make it several steps to reduce the chances of hurting your dog.

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Trim between 1mm and 2mm in each step and move towards the quick.

Step Three

Clip the nails until you see an oval-shaped and light-colored skin, which is quick. You are now done.

Use septic powder or corn starch if you had made some scratches while on the quick while trimming the nails.

Step Four

Praise your dog and give away its favorite treat.

Some Tips To Trim Dog Nails Easily

Here are some tips to make your weekly routine of clipping the nails much simpler.

  • Use scissor-type clippers for a better grip.
  • Scissor-type clippers also improve the quality of the process.
  • Small clippers give better control.
  • Make sure your clippers are sharp enough. Else the process will become a tedious one.
  • Don’t cut toe hairs using nail clippers. Clippers become dull quickly once you start cutting hair with it.

Conclusion

You need to trim the nails of your dogs regularly at least once every two weeks to keep them healthy and clean. Overgrown nails can be infectious to dogs themselves as well as to other people and pets at home. The nails also can have a long-term effect on the posture and hind end of the dogs if not trimmed at regular intervals. Overgrown nails may also make the motility of the dogs hard. They may lead to fractures and cause difficulty in walking.

Always reward and praise your dog for allowing you to trim their nails. These rewards and praises will keep them motivated for the next session.

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