How to Trim Dog Nails at Home, Including Black Dog Nails | Pupford
30 Comments Filed under grooming
Learning how to trim dog nails can seem like a daunting task, but with the right tools and advice, it can be safe and simple for you and your pup!
In this video, Quinci Cole, a groomer with over 14 years of experience, walks you through step-by-step how to trim your dog's nails with simple dog nail clippers. She demonstrates how to trim black dog nails and also how to trim white dog nails.
An important note from Quinci is to take it slowly and always start by taking off a very small amount of the nail, to begin with. It can be overwhelming and stressful, so have patience for yourself.
So, without further ado, check out how to trim a dog's nails safely and effectively.
Note: You will learn the most by watching the entire video below, Quinci is an expert in this field! 😃
HOW TO TRIM DOG NAILS VIDEO
OVERVIEW OF HOW TO TRIM DOG NAILS
As Quinci discusses, the key to trimming dog nails is to have the right tools. She uses a simple clipper and has seen that to be the safest and easiest to use for at-home grooming.
Cutting your dog's nails is a little different depending on whether your dog's nails are white or black. White nails are easier because you can see the pink inside (the quick). Black is harder since you can't locate exactly where the quick is.
Remember you do NOT want to cut the vein as that can result in bleeding. But if you do accidentally cut too far, you'll want something on hand like:
- Kwik Stop Powder (this is preferable)
- Baking Powder
HOW TO CUT YOUR DOG'S WHITE NAILS
As mentioned previously, trimming white dog nails is a little bit easier than black nails. You want to keep an eye on your dog's vein (also called quick) and not cut down to that, as that can cause bleeding.
Here are quick steps to trim white nails:
- Look at the hook on a white nail, you'll trim right off the hook (not all dog nails have a hook)
- If no hook is present, just identify the quick ⬇️
- Identify the quick (pink), push barely in front of it, and then trim it off
CUTTING BLACK DOG NAILS
Cutting black dog nails requires a bit more care and gradual trimming. Since you can't see the quick, you want to start small and only gradually cut more.
Here are some tips for cutting black dog nails:
- If your dog has hair around paw pads, brush that hair up
- Put a finger on your dog's pad then push on the back and grip (shown in the video)
- Take very small sections of the nail at a time and trim
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A couple of ways to help make cutting your dog's nails simpler is to give them something to distract them. We recommend using a Pure Focus Lick Mat to help keep them distracted while you do the nail trimming. Get a lick mat here.
RECAP OF TRIMMING DOG NAILS
Remember not to feel rushed or stressed! Keep the experience positive for you and your pup and opt for trimming less than more.
Be sure to keep an eye on your dog's body language and find ways to make them as comfortable with the process as possible.
If you'd like to learn all about how to groom your dog at home, check out the At-Home Grooming Course taught by Quinci Cole here.
Good luck as your trim your dog's nails, and let us know how it goes in the comments.
PS- Here's an article all about caring for your dog's paw pads!
30 comments
Leave a CommentHow about using a electric nail trimmer?
Greate post for me and I also read everything and enjoy every single word that posts. It is a simple word define it is easy to understand for me. This article helped me to confidence to trimming my dog nails.Thank you
We’re lucky! We have two little long-haired dogs that we take in for grooming every six weeks and a toenail trim is part of the groom, so we don’t have to do it ourselves. But in the past, we’ve done toenails ourselves and we found that many of our dogs preferred a Dremel tool, rather than “clippers”. It might be worth a try, you just have to take the time to desensitize them to the Dremel tool. We never had any issues with cutting the quick with the Dremel tool.
I like the way that they show it so simply and make us understand in a few minutes. Thank you!!
Hi, it can be really hard when you don’t know your dog’s history. That’s not a reflection of them as a dog or you as a dog parent. If you adopted a dog from a shelter or at an older age, there’s no way of knowing what their upbringing was like, but if there was a history of traumatic experiences then it may be even more difficult to keep your dog calm during these situations. You can work with a positive reinforcement trainer to help more, and just be really patient with your dog and yourself.