How to cut a dog's claws at home

There are many informational articles that fully reveal the importance of dog claws. With improper care, they grow into the skin, which gives the animal a lot of inconvenience. There is also a high risk of developing an infection, a aching paw begins to torment a dog, and a pet steps on it through pain every time. For these and many other reasons, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge regarding nail clipping. We will analyze important aspects and provide detailed instructions.

Why claws need to be trimmed

The most common question that worries newly made dog owners. The animal will suffer from improper care, therefore, appropriate measures must be taken in a timely manner in order to avoid consequences.

1. Unshaved claws deliver a lot of trouble to the animal. In attempts to scratch behind the ear, the pet may harm itself, scratch the auditory canal or receive other serious injuries.
2. A dog with uncut claws can harm the owner, the family as a whole, as well as interior items, if they play too much.
3. In addition, the pet often has problems with musculoskeletal function, as a result of which there is a risk of injury to the dewclaws.

Dog Claw Prep

An important stage is the preparation of the pet for clipping. The recommendation becomes especially relevant if the procedure is carried out for the first time on a small puppy. Further compliance of your pet depends on how the process goes (will he be afraid of a clipper or not).

Important!Be attentive to the first procedure, do not touch the capillaries, otherwise the animal will not let you in.

To make a haircut correctly, you need to calm the dog in all possible ways. You can pet your pet by pronouncing sweet words, or feed it a treat. At the same time, cut the claws. The main thing is to distract your pet with interesting things.

How to cut a dog’s claws

Before proceeding to the procedure, you need to prepare a place, tools and materials with which to cut.

Nail clipper. At the pet store you can buy special scissors with crescent-shaped tongs. As a rule, there are two types of clippers: guillotine and scissors. If the dog is large, it is best to choose the first option. For pets of small breeds, the second is enough. Also an important feature is the mark "for dogs", since such a tool is made for hard claws (for cats, ferrets, rabbits should not be taken).

Important!Never try to cut the claws with ordinary scissors, the tool is not adapted for these purposes. A full-fledged device is equipped with “crescent” tips, which securely fix the claw, eliminating the possibility of slipping.

Talc. Buy fragrance powder or chamomile in a pharmacy. The drug is needed to prevent possible bleeding in case you touch the vessel. If it is not possible to buy talcum powder, use regular wheat flour after sifting it first.

File. A claw file is on sale at the pet store, which you will also need. The procedure does not end with cutting the free edge, since after removing the claws there are burrs that need to be filed without fail. Otherwise, the claws will begin to crumble, exposing the protected area.

Cotton pads and hydrogen peroxide. Drugs must be on hand in case of damage to living tissue. It is important to treat the injury on time and then sprinkle it with talcum powder.

Dog Claw Technology

1. Wash the dog's paws, especially the claw area. Otherwise, if the capillaries are damaged, there is a risk of infection.
2. Calm the animal, feed, give a treat. If the pet is in a relaxed state, the haircut will go well.
3. Pay attention to the height and weight of your pet. If a small-sized dog put it on its knees, in the case of large individuals, you can use a carpet. Make sure that the animal feels comfortable. Important! If the dog has such fluffy paws, it is necessary to cut the hair before the procedure so that the nails can be seen freely.
4. When the dog is ready for the procedure, take her paw in your hand and push on the pillow to get out the claw. Evaluate how well the living area is visible (pink, closer to red, shade). Begin cutting with the outermost finger.
5. Stand back 2 mm. from the pulp (vascular congestion zone), cut off the bright part of the claw. At the same time, constantly reassure the pet, act quickly, but carefully. Important! If you are not confident in your own strengths, it is better to step back from the vessels more than 2 mm. A mistake can cause severe bleeding, which is very difficult to stop. Define the free edge correctly to avoid possible troubles. If the pet's claw is black or dark brown, bring it to the light so that the pulp can be clearly seen.
6. When you are done with the extreme claw, go to all the others, follow the same pattern. Always press on the pad to have control over the position.

What to do with bleeding

Very often, dog owners damage the pulp when they cut their hair for the first time. Do not panic, everything will be fine with the pet if the situation is corrected in time. The dog will start to break out and whine, it will hurt. Therefore, try to take action in a short time and keep the dog. Soak a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide, treat the damaged area and sprinkle with talcum powder. If possible, pour peroxide from the bottle to moisten the wounds abundantly.

Practical recommendations

1. In most cases, with constant processing of the free edge, the nail retreats along with the pulp. In such a situation, the issue of haircuts disappears automatically.
2. Before the procedure, inspect all fingers, especially the accessory claw, the claw on it often wraps up, while the rest grind on the asphalt during walks.
3. The nail should be perfectly sharp, otherwise the procedure will be difficult. Before buying, hold the tool in your hands, check the springs and the stroke of the blades.
4. There are frequent cases in which the haircut does not pass in one stage. Do not try to do it all at once, stretch the procedure for 1-2 days if the animal feels uncomfortable.
5. Small breeds of dogs are much more difficult to tolerate a haircut due to the wayward character. They may begin to whine even when you bring the clipper to your paw. Do not fall for tricks, pet your pet and calmly proceed with the procedure.

Unshaved claws deliver a lot of trouble to both the pet and its owner. Carefully prepare the tools, calm the dog before the procedure. In addition to the necessary materials, you need to be patient. Clipping is a nervous and painstaking process that requires attention to detail.

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