Care for Doberman Toenails

Properly caring for your Doberman's toenails is essential to maintain a healthy, happy dog. If you don't trim the dog's nails, they may get too long and can tear and make walking uncomfortable. How often you trim your Doberman's nails depends on the dog's activity level. If your Doberman is active and frequently runs and walks on hard surfaces, it may not need to have its nails cut as often as less active dogs. Because many Dobermans dislike the nail grooming process, it helps to learn the right cutting technique to make the experience as quick and painless as possible.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog nail trimmer
  • Styptic powder
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look at your Doberman's nails. If the nails touch the ground, it is time to cut them.

    • 2

      Bring your Doberman outdoors for an exercise session. Allow the dog to run and play so it gets tired. A tired dog may offer less resistance when getting its nails cut.

    • 3

      Position yourself and your dog in a room that's quiet and free of distractions, and have all nail grooming tools within hands reach. If possible, get a helper to speak reassuring words to your dog in a calm, soft voice while you cut the dog's nails.

    • 4

      Take a paw in your hand and spread the toes. Position the nail trimmers over the pointed tip of one toenail and cut it off from top to bottom. Use toenail trimmers made especially for large-sized dogs.

    • 5

      Look on the inside of the nail. If the inside of the nail is one solid color, trim a little more off the nail. Avoid cutting off too much because if you cut through the quick of the nail, it hurts the dog and this can make future nail trimming sessions more difficult. Trim the nail little by little until the inside of the nail shows a pink color in the middle. This means you are nearing the quick and you've trimmed the nail sufficiently. Trim all the Doberman's nails in the same fashion.

    • 6

      Dab the nail with styptic powder if you cut through the quick and bleeding occurs. The styptic powder instantly stops the bleeding. Avoid getting over-concerned when cutting through the quick because this only confirms that your dog has reason to be fearful.

    • 7

      Praise and reward your dog after the nail-cutting session. Knowing that there is a treat at the end of the unpleasant experience may help make the next nail-cutting session somewhat easier.