Can you hear your dog coming by the tap-tap-tap of their nails on the floor? Sounds like it’s time to learn how to trim dog nails. Cutting your dog’s toenails is an essential grooming practice for all pet parents.
Long toenails don’t just look bad—they can impact your pup’s health and happiness. In fact, ignoring your dog’s nails could lead to a lifetime of pain.
While the idea of trimming your dog’s nails may seem scary, going to the groomer for nail trims can be expensive and inconvenient. Here’s how to cut a dog’s nails step by step.
1. Gather Supplies
There are a few things you should have handy when you’re ready to cut your dog’s nails:
Dog treats: https://www.chewy.com/b/treats-335
Styptic powder, such as Miracle Care Kwik-Stop: https://www.chewy.com/miracle-care-kwik-stop-styptic-powder/dp/111484
Nail clippers or a nail grinder: https://www.chewy.com/b/nail-clippers-1430
An extra pair of hands (optional)
Calm nerves and lots of patience!
2. Ease Your Dog Into It
If you’ve never trimmed your dog’s nails before, start small with these steps:
Let your dog sniff the nail clippers or grinder, then reward them with a treat.
Turn on the nail grinder or cut a dry spaghetti noodle to get your dog used to the sound the tool makes, then reward them.
Cut one nail and give your dog a treat.
Only do one nail a day at first until your dog gets used to it. Gradually start doing more nails at each sitting until your dog holds still for all four paws.
3. Pick Up the Foot
While it’s tempting to pick up your dog’s paw from the front and look at the nails head-on during your dog nail trim, there are easier ways to trim your dog’s nails. Some pet parents find it easiest to sit to the side of their dog and reach under and around their dog’s arm to hold the paw, like in the photo above. Then, with your free hand, you can trim with clippers.
For other dogs, it’s easier if you sit behind the dog and flip their paw backward to look at the bottom of the foot. (This is my preferred method.) This gives you a great view of what you’re doing while keeping your dog’s leg in a natural position.
4. Isolate the Nail to Cut
Decide which toe to start with and expose the nail.
If your dog has furry feet, you’ll need to push or trim hair out of the way to see what you’re doing. This is especially important if you’re using a nail grinder! The biggest downside to nail grinders is that they tend to grab fur and yank.
Next, place your forefinger on the toe’s pad and your thumb on the top of the toe on the skin above the nail. Push your forefinger up and backward on the pad while pushing your thumb forward to extend the nail away from the foot.
5. Decide Where to Cut
Your dog nail trimming goal: to cut your dog’s nails as short as possible without making them bleed. Here are some tips for how to avoid the quick:
For white nails, just avoid cutting the pink part.
On many nails, the part you can safely cut is much skinnier than the rest of the nail.
When cutting black nails, cut off a little bit at a time. When you’re getting near the quick, the inside of the nail will look chalky and white. Stop when you see a black dot in the middle of the white area–that’s the end of the quick.
6. Cut at a 45° Angle
The cut edge of your dog’s nail should run parallel with the floor. To do that, cut at a 45-degree angle rather than straight across.
7. Don’t Forget the Dewclaws!
Most dogs have dewclaws on the inside of their front legs. The claws are up the leg a little further than the rest of your dog’s toes and are loosely attached.
Some dog breeds, like Saint Bernards and Great Pyrenees, have double dewclaws on their back legs, so be sure to check all four feet.
8. Nail Grinding
You can choose to either only grind your dog’s nails or to use it as a finishing touch after trimming them with another tool.
Hold the grinder toward the top for better control. Always make sure you have as much hair out of the way as possible—both your dog’s fur and your hair, if it’s long.
9. Reward Your Dog
Always give your dog a treat, playtime, or another big reward after a nail trim. You want them to associate nail trimming with something positive.
How Often Should I Cut My Dog’s Nails?
A good rule is to trim your dog’s nails once a month. Dogs who run or walk a lot on pavement may need their nails cut less than that (apart from their dewclaws), while pups who spend most of their time inside or on the grass may require a dog nail trim every couple of weeks.
Letting your dog’s nails get too long isn’t just a temporary problem—the quick, aka the vein inside your dog’s nail, can grow longer, meaning you can’t trim your dog’s nails as short next time.
Dog nail trimming and puppy nail trimming is a critical part of keeping your pup healthy, happy and pain-free, so put these tips into use today.
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