Essential Guide to Dog Nail Trims at Home

I am going to write today about one of my favorite topics: nail trims.

Why do dogs need nail trims in the first place?

“Click-clack-click-clack-click-clack” the marvelous sound of dog nails on a nice hard surface. Did you know, that this sound isn’t always normal? Dog nails, like human nails, continue to grow throughout their lives, and rather quickly at that. While some dogs who spend their lives outdoors don’t mind their nails being on the long side (read: SOFT DIRT), most of our domesticated canines spend a considerable portion of their lives walking on hard surfaces, such as tile, hardwood, laminate, cement and concrete. Since they don’t have the cushion of dirt under their soft claws, extra attention needs to be given to keep their toes comfortable.

When dog nails grow long, they begin to make contact with the hard surfaces they walk on. This pressure on the nail actually pushes the toe into positions that cause continual excessive strain on the joints over time. See this diagram (I drew myself), below:

Happy joints with short nails.
Excess strain and pressure on joints with long nails.

In the first image, the nails do not make contact with the ground in a standing position. In the second image, the longer nails push the toe joints into excessive strain, which causes chronic pain over time.

By trimming your pup’s nails on a regular basis, this discomfort can be avoided.

What if my dog’s nails are already so long? I am afraid to cut them too short and make them bleed!

Dogs who have had long nails for a long time will still benefit from the elimination of extra strain on their joints. As mentioned, cutting them too short, too quickly is a concern. As dog nails are allowed to grow out, their vascular portion (or “quick”) also grows out. This is where the blood and nerve resides within the nail, and can be quite painful if cut.

Diagram of dog nail showing the quick
The dotted green line indicates where we would ideally like to trim the nail (right before the quick)

The good news is that frequent nail trims (as often as twice a week) can cause the “quick” to recede and get shorter. The important part about this is that you must clip the nails short enough to reach the “pre-quick”. The pre-quick is the lighter, soft spot in the middle of the nail you will eventually reach when trimming tiny pieces off of your dog’s nails. It is always important to stop at the pre-quick to avoid reaching the quick. Thankfully, as the dog walks, this puts pressure on the pre-quick, which in-turn causes the quick to recede. This allows you to then clip your pup’s nails even a bit shorter when you trim them again a few days later.

Clear dog nails trimmed to the appropriate length (pre-quick)
Pre-quick or “stop sign” for white/clear nails.
Black dog nails trimmed to the appropriate length (pre-quick)
Pre-quick or “stop sign” for black nails. Any further will cause bleeding and pain.
Mixed color dog nails trimmed to the appropriate length (pre-quick)
This is what you are looking for. This is the pre-quick; your “stop sign”, regardless of your dog’s nail color. Buster’s nails are a mix of colors (clear and black). Both the toe I am pointing to and the one two over are the perfect length to stop.

Once your dog’s nails are at a good length, maintenance trims should be done every 2 weeks. I notice that if I don’t trim Buster or Dana’s nails at least this often, they start “click-clacking” all over again.

My dog is scared/unwilling/difficult to trim nails, what can I do?

If your dog won’t allow you to have their nails trimmed, there are a few options to consider:

  • Positive reinforcement is KEY to successful nail trims. This may mean spreading out peanut butter* on a large plate or dish and allowing your dog to lick the peanut butter off as you trim. Often, your pup will prefer to stand while doing this. In this case, you would trim your dogs nails in a similar way to picking-out a horse’s hooves, by gently lifting their paws back one at a time.

*Make sure any peanut butter you use does not contain xylitol. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener and is extremely toxic to dogs. Better yet, use natural peanut butter that contains only peanuts and nothing else.

Dog nail trim without restraint. Dog is standing licking peanut butter while a vet gently lifts the front left paw backwards to trim the nails.
Buster, our mutt is a reserve dog. He did not receive any nail trims to our knowledge during his first year of life. He is extremely strong and nearly impossible to restrain. This is the ONLY way he will allow for nail trims. Thankfully, if you have a food-motivated dog, nail trims can be quite enjoyable for both parties involved.
Nail trim on a dog without restraint. The vet is trimming the back right foot by gently lifting the paw.
In both pictures Buster is busy licking peanut-butter out of a slow-feed dollar store dish (it makes him have to work harder to get it all, giving me plenty more time to trim every toe)
  • Alternatively, a second person can continually give treats or hold a KONG stuffed with natural peanut butter or wet dog food while you trim your dog’s nails.
  • If neither of these work, ask a veterinary team or groomer that you trust to trim your dog’s nails for you. They clip many dog nails every single day as a paid service, so it takes the guesswork out of it for you. You can even request that your veterinary team show you how they do it in person, so you may become more comfortable doing it yourself at some point. Some dogs who are very fearful and not accustomed to nail trims may require this route, regardless of your comfort level.
  • Ask your veterinarian about medication for your pet. This may mean trialing an anti-anxiety medication for nail trims if you have a young pet, but in older pets, they may be fearful of nail trims because holding their legs in certain positions actually hurts – especially if they have some arthritis. Sometimes, your veterinarian may suggest or prescribe pain medication for your pet, which could help them be more comfortable for nail trims. *Please note, many human pain control medications can be deadly for your pets. Ask your veterinarian before giving your pet any medications.

Regardless of the route you go, remember that dog nail trims are an important part of your dog’s overall health and comfort!

What kind of nail clippers do you recommend?

Scissor-style nail clippers are your best bet. You will have the most control over how much you trim. These often come with a “nail-guard”, which is not an accurate way of gauging how far you can trim your dog’s nails. I recommend to bend it back so it’s not in your way. Guillotine-style nail clippers are not recommended as they are too easy to slip and trim too far.

A Dremel may also be used following a nail trim to smooth out the edges. If you trim a nail to the “pre-quick”, you don’t want to dremel the middle of the nail, rather just the edges. This can also help to recede the quick faster than just trimming, allowing you to gradually get the nails shorter over time.

Another option may be to use a scratch board. There are a number of videos and resources on this. Essentially, you teach your pup to scratch a giant nail file. It can be quite effective, however you will still need to trim the dewclaws and hind feet.

Recommended type of nail clippers to use in dogs.
This is a scissor-style clipper. Notice how the “nail-guard” is bent backwards.

What if I cut too far?

If the nail starts bleeding there are a few options:

  • “Kwik-stop” styptic powder can be purchased at a local pet store
  • Corn starch may work (just make sure your dog doesn’t lick it off)
  • A bit of gauze and some pressure may also do the trick!
  • If the nail does not stop bleeding with any of the above, get your pup to the nearest emergency vet! Although this is rarely a concern, dogs with clotting disorders or on anti-clotting medication are at risk.

I hope this article was of some help to you or someone you know. Thanks for reading! If you would like a condensed, printable PDF of this article, please check out the “Resources” tab.

Article written by Dr. Brenna Sakatch © 2020