Does your dog find nail trimming distasteful? You aren’t alone! Nail trimming is a challenging task and may affect your relationship with your furry ball of happiness. Not all dogs enjoy clipping their nails, but that’s okay! We have got a few tips and tricks to make the process easier.
Clipping your dog’s nails is essential because it prevents your paw-y baby from developing bone deformities or bad posture. Sometimes clipping dog nails may be difficult, and you may require calling a professional groomer.
However, if your dog is not aggressive when grooming, you can try doing it yourself. Here are restraint techniques to get you started.
How to Restrain Dogs while Cutting Nails?
Grooming salons can be expensive. Therefore, knowing a few ways to restrain your dog when doing nails will do no harm.
The Burrito Method
It works well for small to medium-sized dogs.
- Lay a blanket or towel on the ground, depending on your dog’s size.
- Place your dog on their side or back on the blanket.
- Wrap the pupper tightly as if swaddling a baby, leaving its front paws and head sticking out of the top. Make sure you tuck the ends of the blanket tightly under your dog.
- Clip the nails, starting with the front paws.
- Unravel the bottom of the burrito and trim the hind paws.
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Side Restraint
Unlike the burrito method, side restraint works for larger dogs too. Though it works best with two people, you might as well manage it alone.
- Call your doggo and ask them to lay down.
- Lay them down on their side with their legs pointing away from you.
- Gently rest your forearm along their neck at the base of their head. Apply just enough pressure so that they cannot lift their head.
- With the arm that is resting on their neck, grab their front paws.
- Use your other arm to hold their hips and grab their hind legs to prevent them from rolling over.
- Clip the nails.
Cling Film & Peanut Butter
It works for all dogs unless they hate peanut butter.
- Wrap your head tightly with a plastic film.
- Smear a generous amount of peanut butter on it.
- Clip the nails as the dog licks the butter off the film.
So, this was a three-method guide on how to get dogs to let you cut nails hassle-free.
PS: Make sure to pet your doggo before, during, and after the nails grooming session. Also, don’t forget to offer them their favorite treats.
Tips to Have an Easy Trimming-Sesh at Home
Overgrown nails may cause pain, inhibiting your pup’s ability to walk. Therefore, it’s time to learn how to groom your dog’s nails. Here are a few tips to help you out.
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Use the right tools.
It’s necessary to ensure that you use the right clippers or trimmers to cut your dog’s nails. Avoid using rusty, old, or damaged clippers because they could create jagged cuts and may hurt your dog. Use The Clawper PRO Dog Nail Clippers by Toe Beans to take the stress out of trimming your furry baby’s toenails.
Where to buy dog nail clippers?
You can purchase dog nail clippers from a nearby pet store or order them online. There are various online pet stores where you can find the best products for your pets.
Train your su-paw-star!
Training your dogs for nail clipping sessions may take months, but it will be worth it. You will have to get them used to have their paws touched. Next, make them comfortable with the clipping sound. And finally, get them used to having their nails trimmed with a clipper.
Bonus tip: You can use erasers or similar objects to touch your dog’s nails. It will make it easier for them to adapt to get their nails trimmed with a clipper.
Tire your dog out!
Tire your dog out prior to the nail grooming session. Take them out for a walk or a quick run. This way they won’t have the energy to fight you, and you can clip their nails in one go.
Learn to identify the Quick.
The quick is a cuticle where the nail joins the dog’s body. If you mistakenly cut it, the dog will bleed. Hence, the quick is a marker for how short you should clip your pet’s nails. While it is easier to locate the quick in white nails, it requires patience and lots of effort to find the cuticle in black toenails.
If your dog has black nails, do a series of smaller clips until you find a gray dot in the middle of the nail. It is the tip of the quick and a reminder that you need to stop trimming further.
Precaution!
Keep styptic powder handy in case of nail trimming accidents. If your pet’s nails start to bleed, sprinkle a handful of styptic powder to stop the blood.
Trim often
Regular trimming makes it easier to maintain the nails. It helps in keeping them clean and healthy at all times. You can do a nail grooming session once every few weeks or months, as desired.
And that’s about it! Keep these restraint ideas and grooming tips & tricks in mind next time you plan a nail clipping session for your dog. Turn the fearful nail clipping session into a party for your pupper!
