Cut your dog's nails. It's easy once you know how.
I'll bet you've never been told this before, because I've searched and searched, but nowhere else have I been able to find this handy little secret, and it makes all the difference. It matters hugely, how you hold the dog!
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I once got sacked as a vet's client. Yes I really did! I was incapacitated and it coincided with 12 of my dogs needing their nails cut, so I had to get the vet to do it.
He held all the dogs wrongly and I bit my tongue, knowing how most professionals are, especially men. They're so used to talking down to clients. |
When a beautiful female who I had no trouble with cutting her nails broke free from the vet yelping with pain and raced around bleeding profusely all over everything, while he just stood there not knowing what to do, I suggested that he use some styptic powder to stop the bleeding, and I was dumbfounded when he said that he didn't have any. I was disgusted, and I suggested the next best thing, which was newspaper. That didn't go down well at all. But I digress.
I'll start with the wrong way to hold dogs to cut their nails so you can see where I'm coming from.
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Now before I show you the right way to hold dogs to cut their nails, (or to do anything really that you think they'll not like) I'll explain why it's so much better so you will see the difference. You'll notice in the pictures to follow, that because the handler has the dog facing the same way she is, this means that the dog's back is pressed against the handler's body and that her arms can cradle the dog. The benefits are three-fold in this position. Firstly, the dog has nowhere to go, secondly, the handler will get plenty of warning that the dog is thinking of breaking free and can cradle the dog more closely with his or her own arms, and thirdly, the closeness gives the dog so much more confidence.
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In these photos, the dog (rightly) is facing the same direction as the handler.
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Before we get into the nitty gritty of the technicalities, let's talk about some of the reasons why it's so important to keep your dog's nails short.
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In nature, dogs and puppies run on a variety of surfaces in any one day. This ensures that their nails pretty well take care of themselves.
They're likely to encounter dirt, grass, pebbles, gritty gravel and rock. While they run and play, the rough surfaces make them bunch their paws which strengthens surrounding soft tissues, and bone. Nails are naturally ground down. In a domestic environment however, they can spend most of their time either indoors, or outside on bowling green - smooth lawns and smooth pathways or level ground when they're taken for walks. |
Another precursor to arthritis and joint pain is - neglected toenails!
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We only have to think how our toes feel in shoes that are too tight to understand how a dog with overgrown toenails feels 24/7. When nails get too long, pressure pushes up from the ground or floor into the sensitive nail bed. To avoid pain, the dog leans back on his ankles, which in turn stresses not only ankles, elbows and knees, but also shoulder and hip assembly although the results may not be felt until months or even years later.
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Another little Secret:
When you take your dog's paw in your hand, press your thumb down on top of the nail you are about to cut. This will push the nail out and hold it steady for you. Pressing down on it like this, will hold the nail steady while you make the cut. Many people find that the nail can wobble about and even withdraw when they don't know this little trick. |
A dog's toenail grows in a sabre shape with a blood vessel running along the length of each nail. This always stays the same distance from the tip of the nail. So as the nail grows, the blood vessel travels down with it. When the nail is cut or ground the blood vessel shrinks back upwards to maintain it's consistent distance from the nail tip. Nails can't be cut from too long to just right in one session because the shrinking process takes some time.
If toenails have been allowed to get too long, a little is usually cut in sessions two weeks apart until the desired length is reached. The cut is always made just below the highest point of the arc shape of the nail so as to avoid a bleed. This place is easy to see on white nails, but with black nails the arc shape is a sure guide.
If toenails have been allowed to get too long, a little is usually cut in sessions two weeks apart until the desired length is reached. The cut is always made just below the highest point of the arc shape of the nail so as to avoid a bleed. This place is easy to see on white nails, but with black nails the arc shape is a sure guide.
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Finally, I know that nail grinders are available for dogs' nails, but personally, I've never got along with them, preferring to use nail clippers instead. But maybe you are different, so this is another option for you to try.