When Can You Cut A Puppy's Nails

A step by step guide to cutting a puppy's nails

Puppies aren't known for staying all the same for very long and if you're trying to give their nails are trim they can seem impossibly small to cutting without causing them harm. It's a job that should form function of every puppy's preparation routine to foreclose their claws from tearing, splitting, or affecting your puppy's gait as they run around.

Luckily, learning how to trim your puppy's nails is more than than manageable with our like shooting fish in a barrel pace-past-step guide.

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Once you've followed the guide through a few times, both you and your pup will be used to the whole experience and experts in how to cut puppy claws in no time at all. It might exist stressful for the both of you lot at offset merely building it into their grooming routine now ways they'll speedily go used to it earlier they attain maturity. We promise wrestling with a wriggly puppy is much easier than with a fully-grown dog!

How long should a puppy'south nails exist?

Mostly speaking, a puppy's nails should non protrude over their pads, and shouldn't affect the ground when they are standing. If the nails are crimper over the manus, then they are far besides long, and will need to be cutting quickly to avert any further discomfort. The dewclaw, which is in a higher place on a domestic dog's leg, also needs to be cutting, and if it begins to coil then it'southward too long.

When and how frequently practice puppy nails need cutting?

You can start to trim your puppy's nails from effectually six weeks and it's appropriate that you exercise. Even if there isn't much at that place to cut, it'll get them accustomed to the routine and means that by the fourth dimension you lot demand to give them a proper trim, they'll be used to sitting even so for you. It might be tempting to await until their six months old but information technology can mean that it'due south harder to become them into a routine.

When you bring home your furry bundle of joy, expect to be trimming their claws once every three to 4 weeks to go along them short and prevent mishaps. How fast your puppy's nails grow will depend on the brood and how much time they spend outside. Pups that go for regular walks on concrete, for example, volition have their nails naturally worn downwardly and they won't need trimming as frequently.

A good rule of thumb is that if you can hear your puppy'due south nails clicking when they walk on hardwood floors, and so they could utilize a trim. It's important that your dog is able to walk effectually without dragging their nails along the floor.

The complete guide to clipping puppy nails

Clipping puppy nails doesn't have to be a troublesome or even a time-consuming task. In fact, with our complete guide, it'll be a part of your routine that'southward complete in record time with minimal fuss.

i. Understand puppy nails

Earlier y'all fifty-fifty start looking at how to cut a puppy's nails, make sure yous understand how they're made up. Unlike trimming nails on a human, a dog's claws have tissue growing in role of the claw, known as the quick. If you accidently cutting the quick, information technology'll bleed a lot and hurt your puppy. If your pup has light coloured nails you'll likely exist able to encounter the quick if you look carefully, merely it's more difficult with darker nails.

While painful, cutting your puppy's quick doesn't cause any lasting harm but exist sure to cuddle, fuss, and reassure them if it does happen. Styptic powder should also be used to prevent excessive bleeding.

2. Gather your equipment

You don't want to prepare your puppy fix for their nails to exist trimmed merely to find you don't accept everything you need to mitt. Y'all should have a practiced pair of nail clippers, a file and some styptic powder to paw just in case.

three. Cutting puppy nails

Concord your puppy'southward paw gently but firmly and trim the tip of each claw one at a time. Get slowly and keep talking to your puppy to keep them at-home.

If you can see the quick through your puppy's nails, cut but below the pink line. If you tin can't see the quick then the general rule of pollex is to trim only beneath where the nail starts to bend. If you're worried, start by trimming a picayune at a time initially.

4. Finish with a file

If you choose, you tin can stop the smash clipping process with a quick nail file, ensuring that it'southward smooth and doesn't accept any abrupt edges that could catch. Some pet owners choose to utilize a file over trimming if their dog is afraid of clippers or isn't comfortable with the process. Even so, it's far more fourth dimension consuming and inefficient to rely on filing alone.

5. Heap on the praise

Once you've finished trimming their nails, make sure you give your puppy lots of praise and a treat.

The professional pick

Of form, if you're really worried virtually clipping your puppy'southward claws, you tin can turn to a professional and get them trimmed at the vets or by a groomer. You can fifty-fifty go them to show you how to practise it and then next fourth dimension you'll exist well prepared for cutting your domestic dog'southward nails at home.

Tips for cutting puppy nails

If y'all're still worried most clipping your puppy's nails, these handy tips can help make the process smoother:

Go puppies used to the process early - equally shortly equally you lot tin can, get your puppy used to sitting all the same and letting you touch their paws. The less they fidget the easier the task will be
Trim the fur on their feet- keeping the fur effectually your puppy'due south paws trimmed gives you a better view of where you lot're cutting and reduces irritants sticking to their delicate feet
Have a break- y'all don't need to clip all your puppy'south claws in 1 get. If either y'all or your pup is getting irritable take a break and come back to trimming later
Offer a reward - brand a fuss if your puppy and offer them a care for later yous've finished trimming their nails. They'll exist more relaxed side by side fourth dimension and are more likely to behave in apprehension of the reward

Products for trimming your puppy's claws

If you're looking for some tools to make your cut your puppy's nails easier, cull:

Guillotine clippers - make it easier to piece through the nails without crushing them. With a retractable blade that's activated by squeezing the handle, they're tough plenty to cut through even a large dog's claws. They'll typically come in multiple sizes, assuasive you lot to friction match them to the size of your puppy

Rotary sander - smashing for smoothing the edge of a trimmed boom one time it has been clipped, although some dogs dislike the sound of them. You'll need to replace the parts frequently but they're a practiced choice if yous're non smashing on clipping

Styptic power - continue this on hand just in instance you cut the quick. You can pick up this handy powder at most pet shops and vets.