Any tips for trimming pups nails?

[Chester 2012]

I sucked at doing our last dogs nails and always had vet do them. New pup gives me a second chance......any tips?

[deidra]

I always let the vet do them because I dont want to accidentley clip them to short and hurt my dog. If I did clip them I would

-get my pup used to having his/her feet touched

-get them used to the clippers- so have someone holding treats and clip on nail and praise the dog if they did good.

-then just work up from one nail to two ect...

[slackercodemonkey]

I agree with deidra on this one for the most part. I think the most important thing is to handle your puppies paws so much that they are totally used to it. The other thing is, is to take them to someone else to get them done. I did my puppies and just didn't like doing them. I wouldn't necessarily go to a vet though. I would find someone cheap that is also good with your dog. I go to a local pet store and get them done for $5 bucks or a groomer who also does them for $5 bucks. The groomer also dremels the rough edges off so the nails won't snag which is a bonus. My Layla gets her nails done around every three weeks.

[Belles mom]

Use a dremel. I handle my pups feet daily, so they are used to that. I dremel my adults and they could care less. So I let the pups watch and sniff while I do it to the adults. I touch the butt end of the grinder to their paws etc etc. Then there just gets to a point where they just have to buck up and take it. Even the first time dremeling, it only took less than a minute and the pups were laying quietly for their nails to get done.

[georgie]

I have always clipped my dogs nails. I start when they come home as puppies. I use dog nail clippers. When I start I may only clip one nail at a time. But I start with a clip of a nail & a treat. Before long I can clip all the nails on one foot before I give a treat. I have black labs & worry that I might cut the quick so I clip the tips every week. Now they see the clippers come out they both come & sit, waiting for their nails to be clipped & get a treat.

[Baloo317]

I have always done my own as well. And I am mildly OCD about nails, trim them once a week.

Which is helpful not only in soothing my mental health (lol!) but also makes it "no big deal" for the dogs. I use treats that are easy to break up and treat them through the process (usually one treat per foot) and they are fine with it. Monster still squirms a little but his nails were not properly cared for in his youth, or so I would assume judging by his reaction and quik length.

The biggest thing to get over is cutting the quik. You WILL do this, I promise, the goal is to not do it often. Keep a paper towel and blood-stopper handy just in case. But realistically, it's not a big deal, certainly not the end of the world. it happens, no worries. I have worked for a groomer, they cut quiks ALL the time. I would rather it happen in the comfort of our home with my dogs less stressed than a pet store or groomers where there are lots of other stressors present.