How to Trim Puppy Claws

Dogs happily dive-crash into walls while fetching and roll in dead animals, but when it comes to nail trimming, many pups consider the experience similar to repeated, merciless bludgeoning. Like other grooming procedures, ensuring your puppy has positive, non-stressful nail trimmings early in life encourages calm acceptance rather than panicked rebellion. Your puppy's nails need trimming when they're long enough to "click-clak" on the hard floor. Trimming your pup's nails slowly, patiently and skillfully helps him to relax and treat the experience like a manicure, not murder.

Things You'll Need

  • Guillotine-style dog nail clippers
  • Table
  • Treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Let your puppy sniff the clipper. Familiarizing itself with the new tool makes the whole experience less foreign and scary.

    • 2

      Lie your puppy down on the table and offer it a treat and lots of praise. Place your non-dominant hand over his stomach, and firmly hold his paw in your hand. If your dog shows anxiety, give it another treat and stroke its paw lovingly.

    • 3

      Enclose the puppy's nail in the guillotine clipper hole with the blade facing toward you. Guillotine clippers hold the nail stationary for a clean, even cut.

    • 4

      Slide the guillotine clipper hole up the length of the puppy's nail until it sits within 2 centimeters of the pink part of the upper nail, known as the quick. The quick is live tissue similar to the skin under your fingernails. Clipping your puppy's quick causes pain and bleeding. When in doubt, leave the nail a bit longer rather than accidentally cutting the quick.

    • 5

      Trim a puppy's black nails by clipping small, 1-centimeter increments until you see a grayish substance on the freshly cut nail tip. Gray matter indicates live tissue is nearby. Stop clipping when you see gray or you'll accidentally cut the quick.

    • 6

      Continue holding the puppy's paw and press down firmly on the guillotine clipper handles until you cut all the way through the nail. Give your dog lots of praise and a treat before cutting the next nail.