Puppy Nail Clipping

Clipping your puppy’s nails is an important thing to do on at least a monthly basis, better yet, on a weekly basis. If your puppy’s nails get too long, they can hurt your puppy when he walks or they could crack and split down to the quick.

Items needed to clip puppy’s nails
  Using a pair of nail clippers designed for dogs; cut your puppy’s nails as short as you can go without cutting into the quick. It is best to let a veterinarian show you how the first time so you know what you are looking for when clipping nails.

Cut nails too short?
  If you clip your puppy’s nails too short, the nail will bleed (as with humans). There are products to help stop the bleeding you can buy at nearly any pet store or you can use flour or corn starch in a pinch. You are just looking for something to help the blood coagulate.

Clipper orientation for your puppy
  When working with your puppy on nail clipping, let them smell the clippers first and then touch the clippers to their nail without clipping and give a treat. Make the experience a positive one for them. Then, try clipping just one toenail and then give a treat. Work your way up to where you can do a whole foot before giving a treat or even all four feet.

End on a good note
  I always end a toenail clipping session with my dogs with a treat so that they associate it with a positive thing, not a negative thing.