How to Groom Dogs' Furry Paws

It is important to clean and trim your dog's paws regularly, to maintain your pet's good health and appearance. Long nails and matted fur in a dog's paws often result in painful ingrown nails and knots. Trips to the dog groomer can be expensive, however. With the appropriate tools, you can easily groom your dog's paws at home.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog nail trimmers
  • Styptic powder or pads
  • Small curved scissors
  • Comb
  • Nail file (optional)
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Instructions

  1. Trimming Fur

    • 1

      Prepare your dog for the grooming procedure, if it does not like having its paws touched. Handle your dog's paws several times a day, and give him a treat each time. This will help your dog form a positive association with having his paws groomed.

    • 2

      Hold your dog's paw in your hand. Remove any debris from the fur between the nails, using a comb if necessary. Comb through any small tangles or knots in the fur. For larger knots, gently snip them out using small curved scissors.

    • 3

      Trim the hair around the largest pad on the underside of the dog's paw. Keep the scissors parallel to the foot pad, to avoid injuring your dog.

    Trimming Nails

    • 4

      Ask another person to restrain your dog, particularly if you own a larger breed. Trimming your dog's nails while attempting to restrain it yourself can be difficult, and is more likely to result in injuries.

    • 5

      Clip the tip of the dog's nail using canine nail trimmers. Avoid clipping the quick, which is a bundle of tissue and blood vessels at the base of the nail. In dogs with lighter nails, the quick will appear as a darker line at the base. The quick can be harder to see in dogs with black nails, so trim only the sharp tip of the nail at the thinnest point.

    • 6

      Repeat this procedure on both paws. File your dog's nails to keep them even and smooth, if desired.