Pets’ nails are often overlooked as a part of their overall wellness. The importance of trimming a dog’s nails is no less important than any other aspect of its overall health and well-being. You might not be able to tell when to trim your dog’s nails probably.
In addition to getting scratched or catching on the furniture when your dog’s nails are too long, there are other signs that it’s time to clip or visit a groomer.
The pain of dealing with overgrown nails can be avoided by paying attention to your dog’s nails and keeping them at an appropriate length. Keeping your dog’s nails at a healthy length is important for his overall health and well-being. This is how you trim overgrown dog nails with that in mind. Here is the complete guide about “How To Cut Dog Nails That Are Too Long?”
How To Cut Dog Nails That Are Too Long?
Step one: Ensure your dog is comfortable
First, get your dog used to the necessary tools for trimming their nails if he is afraid of them. De-sensitizing your dog takes time. Make it a game by letting him investigate the clippers. Reward him with a treat as he investigates them. This should be repeated a number of times until your dog accepts the nail-trimming tools. This is what you’re aiming for.
Following the same steps will also be necessary if you select to use a rotary nail grinder or Dremel to shorten your dog’s nails. It can be noisy with Dremels, so reward your dog whenever you turn one on to help increase their tolerance to the sound.
Keep your patience in mind. It does not take dogs very long to learn that the presence of the Dremel and clippers means treats. Especially if they’ve had unpleasant experiences with nail trimming tools in the past, some dogs take a little longer to adjust. The good news is that they’ll catch on eventually.
Step two: Position yourself for nail trimming
When your dog is relaxed and comfortable, it’s best to trim its nails. Another person can distract, hold, and pet the dog while a second person holds it. For small dogs, a second person can carry them. It is possible to hold them in your lap. Make sure you can see their nails well before cutting them.
Raise your dog’s paw when you’re in a safe position. Don’t let them pull the paw away from you. It is possible to separate the toenail you need to trim the paw by squeezing the paw and lifting the toe from underneath.
Step three: Find the shortcut
To identify the quickness of an overgrown nail, look at it in light before you take the clippers or grinder to it. When the nail is light in color, the quick will appear as a darker, pinkish section.
You might find it more difficult to determine where the quickness of your dog’s nail begins if its nails are dark. Trim the nail in small pieces at a time if that is the case. Observe the nail tips after you have made the cut. If you cut the nail deeper, you’ll find a grayish-pink oval at the top of the cut surface. In addition to the white portion, you may see a small black dot in the center. The moment you reach the quick, you should stop cutting.
Step four: Grind or trim the nail in a safe and confident manner
You can now begin trimming the nail once you have gotten in position, located the quick, and isolated the nail. You should trim a small part of your nail at a time, using your preferred clippers. Follow its natural shape, and cut the nail at a slight angle across the tip. When cutting nails, always look for the tiny black dot that indicates when to stop after each cut.
Try to relax and trim your nails quickly and in a safe way. Dogs can pick up on nervousness from their owner if they hesitate too much. Conversely, rushing through it is more likely to result in an accident. Take breaks when needed, but trim efficiently. To continue building a positive association with nail trimming, offer your dog lots of praise and treats.
Step five: Repetition is important, so take your time
This process must be repeated for every nail. Unless you are experienced at trimming your dog’s nails, you shouldn’t expect to get them all in one go if you’re a newbie. There may even be a time in which you have to wait for a few minutes or a whole day between nails.
In the beginning, I only trimmed his nails one at a time. As I was trimming his overgrown dewclaw, I began by trimming the tip of it while he was sleeping!
A gradual process is required to trim dogs’ overgrown nails. In the process of fading quickly, the extent of the nail-trimming becomes more apparent. Trim your dog’s nails once a week, and handle their paws regularly. Trimming their nails will soon become routine.
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