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Tip - 28 - Dog training
- Dog nail cutting - clipping
NAIL CLIPPING
Should the dog show signs of being uncomfortable when clipping its nails, first
get it accustomed to its paws being handled by massaging each of its paws for
10 or 15 seconds, until it shows no negative reaction to being touched in this
way. Next introduce the nail clippers. In the beginning you may just want to
tap the nails with the clipper and not do any cutting. Later you may want to
cut only 1 or 2 nails at a sitting.
When the dog feels comfortable with this kind of handling you can begin
to cut the nails in a single sitting. For the first few times it may help
to have someone hold the dog’s head and distract it with kibbles or treats while
you clip its nails. The person giving the treats should say the dog’s
name, and when it looks in their direction it gets the treat. Effectively this
distracts the dog and gets its mind off what you are doing with its nails.
Take care that you do not cut too far up the dog's nail so that you cut into
the quick. It is time to cut the dog's nails when its nails touch the floor
while the dog is standing. Should you cut too far into the nail so that it
starts to bleed, simply put some flour or starch on the bleeding end of the
nail to hasten clotting.
