When Can I start Clipping my Puppy's Nails? Start clipping puppies' nails within the first week of bringing your puppy home, usually from around six weeks old, then clip them every week, even if it's only a tiny amount. This would get them used to nail clipping.
The growth pattern of a dog's nails forms a curved shape. If left untrimmed, the claws will eventually curve under the dog's paws and dig into the skin, creating pain when they walk. Anyone who has ever experienced an ingrown toenail can attest to the amount of pain this will cause.
Summon your dog and pick up the clippers in her presence. Act happy when you grab the clippers and give your dog a treat. Repeat this step several times a day for a couple of weeks. Your dog should quickly learn to associate the sight of the clippers with praise and treats.
Don't cut nails too short.
Dogs' nails contain a blood vessel called the “quick.” Cutting into the quick can result in a great deal of bleeding and pain. If you're not sure where the quick is, just cut off the tips of the nails, and do it more frequently. If your dog's toenails get “hooks” on them, just trim them off.
So if your puppy whines when you are cutting his nails, it doesn't necessarily mean you've hurt him. It may just be that he's anxious about the process and the strange pressure on his nails. With that being said, can you hurt him if you cut the nail too short? Sure.
Filing reduces the chances of hitting a nerve.
The quick provides nourishment to the nail which allows it to grow and aids sensation. Most pet owners accidentally clip the quick, causing bleeding and varying levels of pain depending on how deep and far up the quick the cut is made.
Try clipping its nails during sleeping time. Be cautious while doing this, as dogs' feet are sensitive even when sleeping. Use a clipper that makes no sound for a more effective way to cut your dog's nails while sleeping. Replace nail clippers with Dremel tools to trim down the nail.
Taking your dog for regular walks, including on hard surfaces such as pavements, will help to shorten their claws, but may not be enough to keep them as short as they should be.
Your goal is to cut the claw within approximately 2 millimeters of the quick. Ultimately, nails should be trimmed so that when dogs step down, their nails don't touch the floor. If you accidentally cut into the quick, the claw will bleed and your dog will experience some pain.
In the wild, wolves and coyotes keep their nails short through digging and running after prey for hours. Since your dog is likely not running around in the wilderness all day, you may need to walk them on concrete to help keep their nails at a reasonable length.
Depending on their age, most puppies poop between four and five times per day, typically shortly after eating. There is a significant difference in bowel movements between dog breeds, and their bowel habits will change as your dog ages.
You should bathe your puppy about no more than once a month unless necessary. Puppies and adult dogs have natural oils in their coat to prevent their fur from getting brittle or damaged and to keep it soft and silky. Bathing your dog too often can strip away those oils.
Give your puppy an alternative item to chew
If they start nibbling at your fingers or toes while you're playing, offer a toy instead. Again, if they continue to nip, stop the play session immediately. If you've been training your puppy to sit, you might also redirect them by asking them to sit and rewarding with a toy.
"Touching a dog when he is dreaming may startle him and cause him to bite or scratch involuntarily," the AKC says. If you do decide to wake up your dog from a nightmare, don't touch or shake her. "Consider gently rousing her by softly speaking her name.
There are several styles of nail trimmers, including a guillotine type and a scissors type. The guillotine-type is the easiest to use in dogs. The scissors-type is often used to trim the dew claw.
Prepare The Paws
If you're trimming your dog's nails after a bath, do it while their paws are wet. Wet nails are softer and easier to trim than dry nails and if you didn't trim your dog's hair, you can easily move it. Also, make sure to check for any cracked nails before you start trimming.
Again, relax him with your hands and voice. When he's calm, massage one of his paws for just a couple of seconds. Give him another treat and let him go. Repeat this several times a day for several days until he stays calmly on your lap and allows you to touch and massage all four paws, each toe, and each toenail.
Plan to trim your puppy's nails at least weekly. Nails need to be trimmed when you can hear those toes tapping on the floor. If you or your puppy is new to this process, don't expect to get through all of those nails in one sitting. Instead, plan to do a couple of nails, or just one paw during a single session.
Cutting a nail too short is colloquially called “quicking” because we call the nail bed, where the nerves and blood vessels live, the “quick”. So when you quick a dog, you damage the nerves and vessels and it hurts (a lot) and bleeds (a really lot).
The pain of a broken nail can be so intense that it can bring the biggest, bravest dog to its knees. Any breed, tough or fragile, will hold up a foot, limp around, and whine in discomfort. Plus, the bleeding that accompanies a torn nail further complicates the matter.