Pretty and healthy trimmed claws

Little puppy paws

With the right tools and information, trimming claws for your pet can be safe and effective

Structure of the claw is valuable to know

Anatomy of the claw

Proper way to trim claws

As you cut the end each time… the quick will recede back. Then you can cut it back again. A long claw will take time and patience to trim short.

It takes time and patience to cut a long claw

Next trim on shortening the claw

Acclimate them to getting their nails trimmed

Invest the time with your pet while they are young on trimming their claws. This is valuable to getting them acclimated to the task. With the proper scissor style claw trimmer, you can get the task done quickly, which is a big advantage to you and your pet too. Both cats and dogs respond very well to the 2 Rs… Reward and Repetition. Calm trimming with kind words, patience, and treats for good performance. Regular trimmings will make it a normal event for them.

Avoid the problems altogether

PLEASE don’t use a guillotine style trimmer on your pet’s claws! These crush their claws and causes fracturing and damage that can be very painful. If you ever cut the claw too far, it will really bleed! This can leave you and your pet traumatized and unwilling to do the task again. I understand because it has happened to me. Let’s help you to avoid this entirely with the proper tools and information. I also recommend having a topical that helps the claw to clot and quit bleeding, as well as begin healing. Hopefully it is never needed of course, but that is handy for injury emergencies… so not a waste.

Both of you will get better with practice

If you are not sure how much to cut… you can just take it a little bit at a time. Approach this task calmly and confidently and this will put your pet at ease. Take as long, or as many sessions as is comfortable for both of you. Do one foot in a session if you like. With time, you will improve.

Regular trimming keeps it simple

You need to cut gradually and carefully over time to shorten those claws when they are long. Cutting them more often can keep this task a lot easier. You can trim them and then file them smooth with a sanding tool. When done frequently enough, you can use the sander to keep them the proper length with no cutting at all. These are all great choices. It is best to trim your cat’s claws every 2 weeks. Your dog’s should be trimmed every 1 to 2 months. If you hear those nails clicking on the floor… it’s time.

This is wrong

You don’t want to cut the claw to the quick, nor at an angle like this. When this happens, they bleed heavily and it may be hard to stop it. That is why it is good to have the topical clotting material on hand, just in case. Of course now you can do this without that issue…

Don’t cut the quick !

Scissor style claw trimmer

Best design for trimming claws. When wear happens… a long time down the road… you can sharpen it.
This particular one has complimentary comments on the performance from professional pet groomers and veterinarians.
4.1 out of 5 stars with over 160 reviews

This one has a stop guard to limit the cut size. Maybe this is a design that will make you feel more comfortable. It is a highly rated and popular trimmer and one that I would really like to have. This comes with a nail file that tucks away in the handle.
It gets 4.4 out of 5 stars for over 4900 reviews

Rotary type sander

Hey, it is an actual Dremel tool for this task… what could be better?!? It has 2 speeds and is designed to have a quiet running motor, so it doesn’t scare your pet. The only real battle with these is if the vibration of the tool tickles.

Important information if you are using a rotary buffing type nail care tool

This is a very handy trick if your dog has furry feet. It hurts to get that fur yanked. Here are 2 options for you to deal with this well. You can trim all that fur back so that it does not interfere. The other option is to put an old sock over their paw and just push just the claw through. The fur will be held back from your claw trimming area ideally…

Topical clotting aid for emergencies

Trust me… you will want to have this beforehand if something happens! When the quick gets nicked, the bleeding that happens can be very alarming. This is upsetting for both of you. We all strive to avoid this, and experience makes us better at that, but accidents can happen… If your dog is not holding still, this can make trimming very difficult. If you have a high strung or stressed out dog, take them out for some exercise to get them tired and relaxed beforehand. Maybe treat rewards will improve your process for this as well.

They will feel better in 48 hours and heal in 2 weeks.
Clotisol
4.5 out of 5 stars with over 55 reviews

Styptic powder

4.8 out of 5 stars for over 1200 reviews