puppies and their long nails

[Milos Mommy]

im scared to cut my pups nails but they are getting very long and i dont want to take him to the groomers simply because they want to charge me an arm and a leg just for a shampoo cut and nail clip for a 9lbs shihtzu. anyway so i was wondering i saw these nail clippers for doggies at petco. but im afraid to do it myself because while reading the instructions it says becareful cutting the vein. eeek. i put them right back but i need advice because Milo has already 2 cuts around his back from scratching.

-glery.

 

[Lizmo]

REALLY, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CUT HIS NAILS!!!!

I was VERY scared to cut Lizzies when I was younger and she was too...but now that I KNOW it will not kill her and not hurt her it is a breeze!!!

 

[PoodleMommy]

How does this dog get groomed?

If you do it yourself, you should not be afraid to cut nails!

If you do not, then the he should be able to go 4-6 weeks, the normal time between groomings without having them trimmed.

Elissa

 

[Herschel]

I'm afraid to cut my dog's nails because I don't want to lose his trust. Right now, just about anyone can grab his paws and he loves giving *high fives* and shaking hands. If I cut the quick, I have a feeling he won't be so comfortable with offering his paws.

If you do decide to do it on his own (groomers usually offer nail trimming separate than shampoo/cut), then make sure you have "Kwik Stop" handy. Are his nails black or white? If they are black, chances are you will nip the quick on your first try. Don't coddle him--just use the "Kwik Stop", give him a treat, and proceed.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...T<>prd_id=845524441775325&bmUID=1161569899854

 

[Milos Mommy]

poodle mommy, i get him groomed at the groomers but since its getting colder here in NewYork.. [but he is a house dog] i just dont want him to be cold with less hair on him.. so he hasnt been groomed since the end of august.. but i do shower him at home every 2 wks. its just the nail thing i was worried about but now that i know it wont hurt him and just do him better i shall go out and buy thoes clippers as soon as possible :lol-sign:

 

[Toller_08]

Like Herschel said, make sure you have some Kwik Stop (styptic powder to stop bleeding) on hand, just in case he bleeds. And, if he does bleed, it is very important not to make a big deal out of it. If you freak out and baby him, then it's just going to make it that much harder the next time you have to cut his nails. Just remain calm, put some of the powder on the nail and carry on. Nail trimming really isn't that difficult. I was afraid to do it at first aswell in case I cut the quick but it really isn't a big deal, it's actually pretty easy.

 

[tessa_s212]

Call around and ask groomers if they'd take the time to now only trim his nails, but teach you also to do it yourself.

You can also get what they call a dremel. Never cut the quick again! They are a life saver!

 

[mlee]

I was really afraid to cut Peyton's nails at first too but when we were at the vet, we asked them about how to do it and they cut all his nails the first time to show us. He really really hates it but at least now we know how to do it....and yes we got the quick the first time, but it wasn't a huge deal really. plus a nice big treat in between paws is a good way to go.

 

[SummerRiot]

At the Grooming salon that I work at - we take in walk ins for nail trims and it only costs people $10!

CLIP THOSE NAILS before the quick keeps growing longer - which KEEPs his nails longer..

The shorter the nail.. the better off the puppy is...

just make sure you make it shorter GRADUALLY

 

[Doberluv]

I use a Dremel most of the time, but sometimes if I'm in a hurry, for the little dogs (I have Chihuahuas) I prefer regular people clippers, the small ones. I seem to have better control than regular dog clippers. Just go back to where the nail starts to curve or just a tad longer. Once here and there, I have cut the quick a little, even with the Dremel. (It's still possible to get too short and there it is). It smarts, I think, but my dogs got right over it....it wasn't that big of a deal. I didn't even have that powder. I just held a Kleenex on it and applied pressure for a minute and they were fine. I think it made me feel worse than it did the dogs, although I'm sure it hurts for a bit. Anyhow, they didn't worry about the next time at all....no fear. It's best to do it once a week so they stay back and also it keeps your pup use to having this procedure done so you don't have trouble later. Try not to let your nervousness show. You don't want your pup to pick up on that. Get some treats for when puppy is cooperating nicely.

 

[PoodleMommy]

You can clip the nails on your own, I have never done it... but I dont think it should be too hard.

However, I would not let your dog go all winter without being clipped, by you or the groomer.

No matter the weather, both of mine are groomed every 4-6 weeks.

If you wait all winter, your dog will probably end up being shaved.

If you are going to wait, make sure you brush the dog very very often and clean the ears and around the face.

Elissa

 

[Herschel]

Actually, by the looks of Milo's coat, I would suggest using a fine-toothed comb instead of a brush.

 

[PoodleMommy]

Actually, by the looks of Milo's coat, I would suggest using a fine-toothed comb instead of a brush.

I agree, combs work better... but I still call it brushing, lol. But you are right I should have said combing. Metal combs work best.

Elissa

 

[FoxyWench]

I agree, he should be groomed even through the cold weather, if your worried abotu him getting a chill a simple coat or sweater for outside will be fine. but if you skip out on the grooming (especially with the puppy coat) it can cause problems!

That being said its hard to see from the pictures but it looks like he has white paws, most dogs with white paws have white nails, white nails are fairly easy to clip.
If you look at the white nails youll be able to see a faint pink line in the nail, thats the quick, you want to cut the nail a little bit after it stops in the nail. On dark nails i just take a tiny bit at a time off.
the more often you do it the easier itll be on everyone, the quick will start to receed so youll be able to clip them a little shorter each time untill there a good length.
i clip the tiniest amount off the tip of my chis nails once a week, it keeps the nails nice and short (chis nails seem to grow incredibly quickly)
hope this helps.