How to cut dog nails at home

Owners can cut dogs’ nails, but there are correct ways to do it. Cutting and keeping a dog’s nails in perfect condition is very important to avoid injuries, and, to do so, you must acquire the proper tools for the task to not hurt the dog.

Usually, dogs wear their nails naturally during walks, but this doesn’t always happen. Therefore, we should always check the dogs’ nails to ensure they are not excessively long and not hurting.

How to know if the nails are hurting the dog?
When the nails start to hurt, dogs usually cannot walk properly and adopt specific abnormal postures to support their paws. This situation can lead the dog to develop serious health problems such as injuries or sprains, and the nails can even pierce the skin causing pain and infection.

How do you know if your nails are big?
The nails should not exceed the paw pads, and when they do, it’s time to cut the nails.

What should I use to cut my nails?
To cut your dog’s nails, use ergonomic scissors with a plastic handle and the following termination:

If scissors scare your dog, you can choose to file the nail with a dog nail file.

How do I know how far to cut?
Inside the nail is a nerve that should never be cut. The nail has a pink line that ends at the tip, and that’s the limit. It is important to cut the nail’s natural shape.

Dogs with black nails, where it is not possible to see the nerve, should let your dog stand and cut the nails at floor level.

The nail cutting
Pretend to cut your nails and show a positive reaction. Before cutting nails, you should always familiarize your dog with scissors. Let him sniff and give him caresses to show him that there is nothing to fear.

If your dog moves during the mowing, ask someone to help hold the bigeye. It is very important to cut your nails safely. Oversee the dog’s nails to determine how far to cut. If you are afraid to cut your nails, we remind you that you can file.

If you’re not sure how far to cut, or because you’re afraid, because your dog’s hair is too long to see the nail, or because he’s aggressive, seek the help of a professional. A professional will know about all kinds of situations and can even observe how to cut the canine’s nails to learn.