How a Guillotine Dog Nail Clipper Works

Dog owners must trim their pets' nails regularly to maintain ideal size. The first trimming needs must be done when the puppy is between 2 and 3 months old and thereafter whenever the nails reach the ground, about once a month on average. Several different types of clipping products exist to help with this grooming step including scissors, files and guillotine.

  1. Guillotine

    • The guillotine type of dog nail clipper has a circular or oval shaped metal blade piece with a hole in the middle. The blades close in on the nail placed inside the hole when the user squeezes the handles together, cutting off the tip of the nail. Guillotine clipper handles may be made of metal or plastic, and some have ergonomically shaped handles to allow for a more secure grip. Cutting off too much may cause bleeding, so control over the blades is important.

    Other Types

    • Guillotine clippers differ from regular scissor types of nail products because users squeeze the handle to clamp the nail in the circular portion to cut it while groomers must position scissor blades carefully on both sides of the nail. A nail file wears down the nail slowly and may be a more appropriate choice for dogs frightened of clippers. Motorized filing products grind nail tips down more quickly and may be more comfortable for nonprofessional groomers to use since there is less chance of cutting nails too short and causing bleeding.

    Process

    • Hold the dog securely against your body when cutting nails. Grasp one of the dog's paws firmly so the dog can't pull away, but not too tightly. Place the tip of the dog's nails, one at a time, in the circular hole in the guillotine clipper. Squeeze the handle to release the guillotine motion and cut the nail. For dogs with white nails, cut only the white tip, avoiding the pink portion that contains blood. The blood supply is more difficult to see with dark nails, so trim a very small portion at a time with the guillotine .

    Choosing

    • Guillotine nail clippers are most appropriate for medium to large sized dogs. Scissors slip more easily off larger nails found on larger dogs. Outdoor dogs and those that take walks on hard surfaces such as concrete sidewalks tend to reduce nail length naturally, so their nails may need less attention than others, but owners still need to examine the nails periodically. Problems such as ingrown nails, swollen or red foot pads and discharge from nail areas indicates a health concern that a veterinarian should assess before you clip the dog's nails.