How to Trim Nails on Great Danes

Although nail care is important for all dog breeds, Great Danes especially require regular nail trimming due to the breed's size. If nail care is neglected for a Great Dane, it impedes the dog's ability to walk with a regular gait and increases chances for injury. Also, long nails can be dangerous to people when playing with Great Danes since these large, strong dogs can unintentionally cut human skin. Fortunately, trimming a Dane's nails is a fairly simple process.

Things You'll Need

  • Guillotine style nail trimmers
  • Styptic pencil with silver nitrate
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Instructions

    • 1

      Restrain your Great Dane. You can achieve this by laying the dog on its side, its back facing you. Lean over your dog with your left arm across its upper shoulders and your right arm across its body. Press down with your body enough to keep your dog still, but not so hard that you hurt it.

    • 2

      Hold your dog's paw with your left hand if you are right-handed, grasping above the nail you want to cut with your fingers. Hold the clippers with your right hand, insert the nail inside the clipper's hole with the clipper lever facing you, and squeeze the clippers to cut the nail. Cut just below the quick of the nail if you can see it. If you cannot see the quick, cut a small portion at a time.

    • 3

      If you accidentally cut too much of your Great Dane's nail and cause bleeding, press the silver nitrate treated side of a styptic pencil into the end of the nail to stop the blood flow.