Trimming Your Poodle's Nails

Trimming a poodle's nails can be daunting and is best accomplished with a helper. This can be done alone, however, with a little patience and ingenuity. Clipping the dog's nails should begin when the dog is still a puppy so it will be comfortable with the procedure throughout its life. Poodles walked on sidewalks and paved roads don't have to have their nails clipped as often.

  1. Choose the Right Equipment

    • There are several types of dog nail clippers. The guillotine type is the easiest to use, but if the dog has nails that have begun to curl back into the pad of their paw, a scissors-type cutter will be best. Before cutting the poodles claws, take the clippers and squeeze them to see how they should be positioned. The nail will fit into the hole of the guillotine type, the tip of the nail pointed toward the botton of the clipper.

    Get Into Position

    • Place your poodle onto a table or a surface where you can comfortably work. Clipping takes time. If your dog wiggles and is hard to restrain, you don't want to work at an uncomfortable angle or height. Place your dog belly down on the table and lean into the dog draping your working arm over the side. Drape the left arm over the dog's head to hold it in place.

    Let the Clipping Begin

    • Take the paw into your left hand, clippers in the right. Slide the claw into the guillotine clipper about 1/2 inch from the quick. In a white claw, the pink quick is easy to see. If the claw is dark, cut closer to the tip to avoid hitting the quick. If you cut into the quick, the nail will bleed. Use a stypic pencil containing silver nitrate to stop the bleeding. If the dog objects too much to the stypic, the bleeding will stop on its own in about five minutes.

    Last But Not Least

    • Dew claws, the claws at the side of the paw, are often the longest since they don't have contact with a surface and, therefore, don't wear down naturally. The dew claw can be cut with a guillotine clipper. If the poodle's nails have begun to curve into the paw, gently lift them away from the pad and use a scissors-type clipper to snip. Consult a veteranarian if you encounter any problems, such as excessive bleeding or if the dog cannot be calmed enough for you to work without fear of being bitten.