NAILS
Trimming your dog’s nails for the first time can be quite worrying—especially if you’re a new puppy owner. Always ask your breeder how they recommend trimming your puppy’s nails, as their guidance can be really helpful. I’ve shown many owners how to trim nails at around five weeks, so here are a few starting points to get you going.
First, make sure your dog is comfortable with having its feet touched and handled. When they’re sitting calmly, start a short training session like a game: touch the foot and, if the dog doesn’t pull away, say “yes” and give a small treat. Build up gradually—first touching the pads, then touching the nails.
Remember: many dogs are ticklish, so take it slowly.
When you’re ready to actually trim, do it in the evening when your dog is more settled and ready to relax. Choose a bright environment so you can clearly see the nail. Have a bowl of treats ready before you start.
Never start trimming your dog’s nails without having blood-stopping powder on hand. We use Trimmex powder because it’s a reliable option. If you accidentally cut too close to the quick, the powder can help stop the bleeding quickly.
Always have two people involved—one to hold the dog and the other to do the trimming. Less struggling means fewer accidents and cuts close to the quick.
You can trim with the dog held on your lap, while the other person trims, or you can do it on the floor. The person holding the dog should keep their hands and their grip steady and make sure they can keep the dog’s nose out of the way. Many dogs will try to stick their nose in front to sniff what’s happening.
Some dogs that really dislike nail trims may even bite. If that’s the case, please buy a muzzle and use it before you attempt any more trimming. There is no shame having a muzzle on a dog. But if your dog is like this then muzzle training needs to be done also. You can find out how to muzzle train your dog in our academy pages. Priced at £7.95 per article or a yearly subscription.
LETS BEGIN
If you’ve already trained your dog to be comfortable with having its foot touched and rewarded with a “yes” and a treat, then you’re ready. Have your bowl of treats ready.
Start with one nail at a time and take only the tiniest amount off. Once you feel confident, you can gradually take a little more over time. For every nail, say “yes” and give a treat.
Ideally, do just one foot per night to keep things calm and make the experience feel less dramatic. This is easier for your dog (and for you) if you build it up over a few nights.
With practice, you should eventually be able to do all four feet in one session, even without your dog getting upset—but start small.
Some dogs have light-colored nails, so you can often see the blood quick, which makes it easier to know how much to trim at the start.
However, other dogs have black nails, where you can’t see the blood quick. In these cases, it’s best to trim even smaller amounts and go slowly.
If at any point you feel you can’t cope with trimming your dog’s nails, please ask a groomer or a vet nurse to do it for you. Some groomers will also teach you how to trim nails for a fee.
Ideally, nail trims are often much easier and calmer when they’re done at home, rather than in an unfamiliar building—which can be stressful for some dogs and may make them fearful.
Don’t lose your temper during a nail session—being frustrated doesn’t help your dog. That’s why it’s important to only start a nail trim when you’re feeling calm yourself.
If you’ve had a tough day at work, don’t do nails that evening. If you’ve had an argument with your partner, that’s also not the right time—leave it a day or two. Or choose to do it at the weekend when you’re less stressed from long workdays.
Set yourself up for success, not failure.
Although I have activated this page I will do a drawing for you to see where to trim the nails and add some art work. So this page is still under construction and I may yet add some further text.
Rachel xx
Trimming your dog’s nails for the first time can be quite worrying—especially if you’re a new puppy owner. Always ask your breeder how they recommend trimming your puppy’s nails, as their guidance can be really helpful. I’ve shown many owners how to trim nails at around five weeks, so here are a few starting points to get you going.
First, make sure your dog is comfortable with having its feet touched and handled. When they’re sitting calmly, start a short training session like a game: touch the foot and, if the dog doesn’t pull away, say “yes” and give a small treat. Build up gradually—first touching the pads, then touching the nails.
Remember: many dogs are ticklish, so take it slowly.
When you’re ready to actually trim, do it in the evening when your dog is more settled and ready to relax. Choose a bright environment so you can clearly see the nail. Have a bowl of treats ready before you start.
Never start trimming your dog’s nails without having blood-stopping powder on hand. We use Trimmex powder because it’s a reliable option. If you accidentally cut too close to the quick, the powder can help stop the bleeding quickly.
Always have two people involved—one to hold the dog and the other to do the trimming. Less struggling means fewer accidents and cuts close to the quick.
You can trim with the dog held on your lap, while the other person trims, or you can do it on the floor. The person holding the dog should keep their hands and their grip steady and make sure they can keep the dog’s nose out of the way. Many dogs will try to stick their nose in front to sniff what’s happening.
Some dogs that really dislike nail trims may even bite. If that’s the case, please buy a muzzle and use it before you attempt any more trimming. There is no shame having a muzzle on a dog. But if your dog is like this then muzzle training needs to be done also. You can find out how to muzzle train your dog in our academy pages. Priced at £7.95 per article or a yearly subscription.
LETS BEGIN
If you’ve already trained your dog to be comfortable with having its foot touched and rewarded with a “yes” and a treat, then you’re ready. Have your bowl of treats ready.
Start with one nail at a time and take only the tiniest amount off. Once you feel confident, you can gradually take a little more over time. For every nail, say “yes” and give a treat.
Ideally, do just one foot per night to keep things calm and make the experience feel less dramatic. This is easier for your dog (and for you) if you build it up over a few nights.
With practice, you should eventually be able to do all four feet in one session, even without your dog getting upset—but start small.
Some dogs have light-colored nails, so you can often see the blood quick, which makes it easier to know how much to trim at the start.
However, other dogs have black nails, where you can’t see the blood quick. In these cases, it’s best to trim even smaller amounts and go slowly.
If at any point you feel you can’t cope with trimming your dog’s nails, please ask a groomer or a vet nurse to do it for you. Some groomers will also teach you how to trim nails for a fee.
Ideally, nail trims are often much easier and calmer when they’re done at home, rather than in an unfamiliar building—which can be stressful for some dogs and may make them fearful.
Don’t lose your temper during a nail session—being frustrated doesn’t help your dog. That’s why it’s important to only start a nail trim when you’re feeling calm yourself.
If you’ve had a tough day at work, don’t do nails that evening. If you’ve had an argument with your partner, that’s also not the right time—leave it a day or two. Or choose to do it at the weekend when you’re less stressed from long workdays.
Set yourself up for success, not failure.
Although I have activated this page I will do a drawing for you to see where to trim the nails and add some art work. So this page is still under construction and I may yet add some further text.
Rachel xx