How to Cut Your Dog’s Nails When They Hate It: 7 Valuable Tips

1 Tools

Choose the right trimmer and make sure it’s sharp!

I find scissors more versatile. Make sure they’re sharp, blunt blades can hurt. Choose the right size for your pooch. Be careful using the “guide” on some nail clippers, you can cut off too much. Make sure the area is well-lit, makes it easier to see if you’re getting too close to the quick.

2 Time

Don’t force your pup – small steps, patience, and practice are critical

Gauge your dog’s stress threshold and don’t force him past his comfort level. You might need to start with getting him comfortable with touching his paw, progress to touching his paw with the scissors, and only weeks later start trimming. Even then, it’s better to trim one nail a day, than push your dog into distress trying to do them all.

3 Tone

We’re going for a calm, soothing vibe (no stress, and no reprimanding)

Keep a calm, soothing, trust-building demeanor (deal with your own nail-cutting stress!) If your dog shows signs of reluctance, don’t reprimand him. Keep the experience positive. Have someone help you. Make sure your pooch is comfortable and relaxed (goes for you, too).

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4 Technique

How to trim those dog nails the right way!

Hold the paw close to their body and gently separate the toes, don’t squeeze the paw. Slice off small amounts of the claw at a time by cutting at a 45-degree angle below the quick. The quick is visible as a black dot in the center of the nail. Then shave off around the sides. If you cut the quick: don’t panic, stay calm, give their favorite treats, and apply anti-coagulant (styptic powder,
corn starch, even ice).

5 Treats

Make it a yummy experience with plenty of treats and praise

Have both high-value, and low-value treats on hand. Use treats to foster a positive association with the experience. Depending on where you are in the training process, treats can be used with “yes” when letting you touch their paw, all the way to allowing you to trim a nail. See tip 4 for ‘quick’ treat happiness.

6 Tailored

Every pooch is different, tailor to your dog’s personality and pace

Some dogs quickly learn to associate positivity with claw-cutting. For others, the progress can be 2-steps forward and 1-step back. Depending on past experiences, your dog might need daily focused effort to change the association. Either way, their nails must get trimmed, and if a professional groomer is where you and your pup are at right now, then book that trim!

7 Trick

Using a dog grooming hammock could be your saving grace

A dog grooming hammock is a hanging sling that you slip your pup in. It’s a calming restraint that helps you trim their claws without the usual stress. It is not a substitute for cultivating a positive association, but can make the nail trimming process a lot smoother, quicker, and cheaper (no need for professionals).

Our furry friends need their claws trimmed to avoid pain, discomfort, and injury caused by overgrown nails. Using an aid can help!

If you’re wanting that extra support as you develop a positive nail-trimming experience, and you have a small size dog, then definitely check out our Small Dog Grooming Hammock. It calms your pup and makes nail trims much easier.

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The pet hammock is a 10-in-1 multi-functional harness that you can use for many things other than nail clipping. Use it to clean their ears, give them medications, cut their hair, do eye care, dental care, hair brushing, and more!

What makes the F2F Dog Grooming Hammock unique is that it is double-padded for extra comfort, and comes with carabiners to securely hoist your dog without fear of them falling.

Buy the F2F Dog Grooming Hammock for Small Dogs and let us know how it goes!